The entire Cavan GAA community was left devastated by the tragic death of former Bailieboro and Cavan footballer Paddy Bird in a work accident in Darwin, Australia, in December 2011. The 24-year-old refrigeration and air conditioning engineer had been working in Australia for just over three months when the tragic accident occurred. Paddy was an exceptional football with Bailieboro Shamrocks. During his short career, he won two junior titles, a county U16 Division Two championship and a Division Three league. With Cavan, he collected a Hastings Cup medal and lined out in two Leinster junior finals. Paddy also represented his county at U21 level. He was always a prodigious talent, playing U14 football at aged ten and breaking into the Shamrocks first team at 17. Paddy had emigrated shortly after the first team's exit from the championship and the club had hoped that the exceptionally-talented clubman would one day return to don the Shamrocks jersey again, as he had done with such obvious pride. A masterful free-taker blessed with tremendous speed, balance and high-fielding ability, Paddy Bird was a joy to behold during his all-too-brief days of lining out with distinction at St Anne's Park and on pitches across the county and beyond.