Northern Ireland

Tyrone GAA legend Kevin Hughes profiled on sporting career and family tragedies for new TG4 documentary

REPRO FREE***PRESS RELEASE NO REPRODUCTION FEE*** EDITORIAL USE ONLY .TG4 And Tyrone GAA Launch Documentary TÝR EOGHAIN: THE UNBREAKABLE BOND, Clanna Gael Fontenoy GAA, Dublin 24/8/2018.Pictured is Kevin Hughes who has teamed up today to announce the documentary TÝR EOGHAIN: THE UNBREAKABLE BOND which will air this Sunday August 26th at 8.30pm on TG4. The EMM Production tells the story of how Mickey Harte❝s minor teams of 1997 and 1998, despite the despairing lows, went on to drive their county to three All Ireland senior titles. Ahead of next week❝s All Ireland final against Dublin, Journalist Eamon Mallie❝s documentary examines how a county that had failed to win Sam Maguire before 2003 found the belief to become champions..Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy.
Tyrone GAA legend Kevin Hughes has been profiled as part of the popular Laochra Gael series on TG4. PICTURE: INHPO/MORGAN TRACEY
By Allan Preston

THE story of a Tyrone GAA legend who lost two siblings to road crashes has been profiled in a documentary series for TG4.

Kevin Hughes won two All-Ireland football titles with Tyrone following the deaths of his brother Paul (22) in 1997 and sister Helen (24) in 2001.

Both accidents occurred on the A4, a road which has since been upgraded.

This month, he paid tribute to another road victim on the A5, Caolan Devlin (30) who is the brother of current senior Tyrone player Niall Devlin.

Mr Hughes will now feature on Thursday night’s episode of the long-running series, Laochra Gael.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Hughes said: “That’s the hand we’ve been dealt.

“You just try and find the strength to talk about it, as hard as it is. I done a podcast last year and it was nice just to get Paul and Helen’s names out there again.

“It’s over 20 years ago. So it’s nice from that sense. But unfortunately with time, it still doesn’t get any easier.”

He added that he was all too aware of the loss felt by Caolan Devlin’s family.

“It does bring it all back…unfortunately on that day that he passed away there was another objection that went in to the A5 (upgrade) going ahead so it is very disappointing from 2007, when it was initially passed that works would start on the A5, that 17 years later nothing has happened and there has been countless, countless deaths on that road.”

Construction for the A5 upgrade is expected to begin later this year, partly funded by a €600m commitment from the Irish government to the Shared Island Initiative.

Mr Hughes said he was glad the TG4 documentary would keep the memory of his siblings alive.

“The show will be there forever now, even for my children and my grandchildren. It will be something that we always have.”