Tributes pour in as Monaghan legend Eugene 'Nudie' Hughes passes away
The legendary Monaghan footballer has passed away after a long battle with illness.
The GAA community is in mourning today at the sad news of the passing of Monaghan football legend Eugene 'Nudie' Hughes who has passed away at the age of 67 after a long battle with illness.
Considered by many to be one of if not the greatest footballer ever to come out of Monaghan, Hughes had been battling cancer since being diagnosed in 2018.
The Castleblayney Faughs clubman became the first Monaghan man ever to be awarded an All-Star in 1979 when he starred as Monaghan won the Ulster Senior Football Championship.
Two more All-Stars followed in 1985 and 1988, with Monaghan taking home the Anglo Celt Cup in both of these seasons.
'Nudie's' first All-Star came as a corner-back, with his second and third awards coming courtesy of his performances as a corner-forward.
At club level, he won numerous Monaghan titles with Castleblayney and was also a member of two Ulster Club Championship wins in 1986 and 1991.
In a statement on social media, Monaghan GAA said: “It is with deep and profound sadness that Monaghan GAA has learned of the passing of one of our greatest ever players, Eugene ‘Nudie’ Hughes.
"Nudie’s contribution to our county was immense. Nudie fought his illness with immense courage and dignity. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.”
BBC journalist Thomas Niblock wrote "The great Nudie Hughes has died. I can’t find the words to do him justice. A beautiful human being. He joined us on the GAA Social Podcast earlier this year. He’s been living with cancer since 2018. In football and in life, his attitude was different class."