Castlepollard hurling club lost one of its oldest and most dedicated members on July 13 last with the passing of club president Danny McLoughlin. He was a rising star of 'Pollard hurling before he, along with many of his generation, was forced to emigrate to England in the 1950s in search of work.

On returning to Ireland, he played a leading role in the revival of Castlepollard underage hurling. Along with fellow stalwarts such as Moss Finglas, Pat Joe Boylan and Peter Reilly (all sadly now deceased), Danny got the famous Castlepollard Street Leagues up-and-running in the 1980s. Many of 'Pollard's current senior players, and those who played in the 1980s and 1990s, owe a great deal to him, after the huge amount of time and effort he put into coaching them.

Back in the early 1980s, Danny was involved in the committee which purchased and redeveloped the current pitch. He was one of the club's chief fundraisers, being a promoter of the club lottery, and also manned the gates on numerous occasions.

He derived enormous satisfaction from seeing his children wear the blue and gold of 'Pollard and the maroon and white of Westmeath. Sean and JoJo won senior championships with the club in the 1990s, with many rating Sean as the top forward in the county during that period. Danny's daughters Eileen and Shirley played camogie for Castlepollard and later for St. Munna's.