Mick was a ‘larger than life character who loved people’
THE COMMUNITY in Kilnamanagh are mourning the loss of Mick Bermingham, a “larger than life character” who embraced his love of sport, history and music throughout his life.
Michael (Mick) Bermingham passed away peacefully at Tallaght Hospital on January 11, surrounded by his family – his wife Trisha and children Karen, James, Clare, Anne, Jane and Richard.
Brought up in The Liberties in the heart of Dublin in the 1950’s, Mick later moved to Walkinstown before buying a house in Kilnamanagh with his wife Trisha in the early 1980’s.
Mick began his education in Drimnagh Castle C.B.S, later attending Clogher Road Technical College in Crumlin. A childhood filled with a love of music and sport, Mick was one of the first to sign for a newly formed football team called Greenhills Boys, where he was goalkeeper and selected to represent The United Churches Football League at schoolboy level. During his teens Mick also indulged in his other passion, music, and had built up a great L.P collection over the years.
In the late 1960’s Mick began to train as a Maintenance Fitter in The International Meat Packing Company in Grand Canal Street Dublin. With extra money in his pocket, he found himself now being able to travel to Old Trafford to support his beloved Manchester United and watch his teenage heroes Denis Law, George Best, Bobby Charlton and Alex Stepney all play at The Theatre of Dreams.
Mick Bermingham (third from left, back row) on the Greenhills Boys U14 1967 team
In 1971, as the troubles in Northern Ireland were escalating, Mick and some of his friends joined the local unit of The Civil Defence and it was while serving in this voluntary organisation that he met his future wife, Trisha. Mick and Trisha spent much of their time together from the summer of 1971 to the winter of 1972 providing help to refugee families from the North of Ireland who had travelled to Dublin in search of safety for their families, before becoming engaged in 1973.
Mick and Trisha set up home in Tymon North before moving to Kilnamanagh in 1985, where Mick quickly signed for Kilnamanagh A.F.C, once again back in goal.
“Mick was a gent, a top man, played with us for a good few years”, said Paddy Ennis, Kilnamanagh A.F.C club official.
“I remember one weekend going back a few years Mick played for the second team on Saturday, first team Sunday morning and third team Sunday afternoon, no other players can say that.”
Mick on his wedding day with his wife Trisha
In the years that followed Mick would play in goal for Tymonville and eventually in 1989 signed for Cuckoo’s Nest F.C. that year despite Mick saving two penalties, in a penalty shootout they were beaten in the final of the Ned Brady Cup. Mick would later go on to manage the Cuckoo’s Nest and in 1998 under his leadership they achieved success wining the Leinster Senior league division 2b title.
Speaking about her dad, Mick’s daughter Clare says that he was a “larger-than-life character who loved people”
“His six children were lucky enough to inherit some of his best qualities – his strong moral compass, his infectious sense of humour, his love and knowledge of all things history, his impeccable taste in a football team and most importantly his amazing taste in music. But never was there a softer side to my dad than when he was in the company of his five grandchildren.”
Mick finally hung up his football boots before finding a new passion in the form of Golf, playing at Grange Castle Golf Club, where his wife Trisha was an active member serving both as the Lady President and Lady Captain. The world of golf rekindled his passion for sport and was a place where he made new friends who will all miss him deeply.
