Colm McGurk Bio

Colm McGurk - Many things to many people

Much has been said and written about Colm over the years. His exploits on the football and hurling pitches for Lavey, Derry, St.Pat’s Maghera and Queen’s made the newspaper headlines throughout his career from underage to senior. Colm dedicated himself to his architecture career with the same gusto as he had to his sporting career, and this also led to plaudits. Being the driven, competitive person that he was, McGurk Architects evolved from a start-up business, to a multi award winning practice, ultimately winning the coveted Liam McCormick Prize in Architecture for Building of the Year N.Ireland, 2022.

This website page will share and archive some of the tributes written about Colm, the public persona. The unstoppable, hard working, intelligent, entrepreneurial and philanthropic man. The man with many, many stories in his repertoire.

However, while Colm was many things to many people, most importantly he was husband and father; son, brother and uncle. Friend.

Colm was the seventh son of Hugh A. and Catherine (Teenie) McGurk, the twelfth of thirteen children. Born in November 1966, Colm grew up in Gulladuff, the parish of Lavey. Primary school in Mayogall was followed by St. Patrick’s Secondary School, Maghera. In 1985, Colm went up to Queen’s University in Belfast to study architecture. He had a very mathematical brain, and had considered studying civil engineering like his older brother Anthony, but in his own words “Architecture was for a much more creative gentleman.”

He enjoyed his time at Queens immensely, making friendships he sustained throughout life. This was a hugely successful time in Colm’s life on the playing field. He won a Sigerson medal (1990), played in six Fitzgibbon Cup campaigns, won two university blues, and was selected on the combined universities hurling team.

Although he had major commitments training and playing football with Derry throughout the successful 1993 All Ireland campaign, Colm simultaneously studied for and completed his Post Graduate Certification Professional Practice, and registered as a Chartered Architect.

Colm’s father Hugh A. unfortunately passed away suddenly in 1992, but he knew Colm was well on his way to becoming an Architect, and of this he was extremely proud. Colm’s Mum’s work ethic was a great inspiration to Colm, and gave him the drive to set up his practice in June 1995. Colm remembered his mum in his speech whilst collecting the Liam McCormick; this accreditation of his professional success was dedicated to her memory.

Colm’s family life evolved throughout this time. Colm and myself (Sinead) met in 1990, married in 1996, and set up home in Magherafelt. We were blessed with four children, Orla, Aoife, Medb and John. There was never a dull moment in our house, and at times it could be quite mad. But there was always laughter involved with whatever it was that Colm had going on (sometimes after the dust had settled). And also a lot of love. Being a husband and father, brought so much joy and enrichment to Colm, and ultimately it was the most important job in the world to him.

We have been heartbroken since 12th July 2022, when Colm passed away at the age of only 55. Whilst nothing will ever fill the gap that is left in our lives by Colm’s absence, he made us aware of how he wants us to carry on. Orla is now an R&D Biomedical Engineer; Aoife is a Chemical Engineer; Medb is in her final year studying Maths at Queens, (having won an All Ireland camogie medal with Queens in 2023), and John hopes to study Aerospace engineering at Queens later this year. Colm would be extremely proud of how they are progressing, and developing as young people.

Colm had many varied interests outside of architecture and sport. He loved travel, history, good weather, classical music, stylish clothes, poetry, gardening (and his lupins), the dog, Mediterranean food, skiing, his bike, the BBQ and going on random adventures. He was kind, loving, funny, generous, dependable and always at something new.

Colm is loved and missed by his family every day, and by his very many friends.

Sinead McGurk

Colm McGurk
A Tribute by Lavey GAC

"Pound for pound he was probably the bravest Lavey man of all time." ~ Paddy Chivers (Chairman, Erin's Own, Lavey)

Erin's Own Lavey are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Colm McGurk. The thoughts and prayers of our entire community are with his wife, Sinéad, daughters Orla, Aoife and Méabh, his son John, and the entire McGurk family.

The words 'Collie has passed' has spread across our community today.

In his playing career Collie McGurk won four Derry senior football championship medals, twelve senior hurling championship medals, two Ulster club football championship medals and one All-Ireland club championship medal. With QUB, Collie won a Sigerson medal and was selected on the combined universities hurling team. With Derry, Collie McGurk won Ulster and All-Ireland football championship medals and Ulster hurling championship medals.

However, despite being an All-Ireland winner with club and county, Collie McGurk represents something greater than sport and Gaelic games. With his insatiable spirit, energy and lust for life, Collie McGurk was not made for defeat in any walk of life. No challenge, big or small, ever went unmet and his focus was always on the next challenge, the next task. On tomorrow.

Having managed Derry senior hurlers, Collie was currently guiding a group of young Lavey minor hurlers on a path he had journeyed, playing a game he had so much passion for.

Director of an award-winning firm of architects, Collie McGurk literally transformed the modern landscape of our club, our community and many similar communities throughout Ulster and Ireland.

No words will ever do justice to the life and memory of Colm McGurk, but we must try. A brave, generous, determined, talented, kind, altruistic, inspirational and loving man with a formidable life force has left us. His unbreakable spirit and legacy of service to his family, community and county will endure.

Our Captain, Our leader, Our Director, Our friend.
By McGurk Architects

It is with shock and sadness that we announce the passing of our captain, our leader, our director and our friend, Colm McGurk.

Colm first established McGurk Architects in 1995 and has been a personal mentor to every staff member that has had the pleasure of working with him.

Colm was well known for his sporting accolades, most notably his 1991 All-Ireland Ireland medal where he lined out for his beloved Lavey alongside his brothers. He brought the same energy and enthusiasm to the workplace. Every day Colm operated at 100-miles-an-hour. Projects were constantly being evaluated, both on the drawing board and on site. He constantly strived for perfection.

The pinnacle of Colm's professional career came just a few months ago when he was awarded the holy grail of architectural awards, the Liam McCormick Prize - Building of the Year for Áras Uí Chonghaile / James Connolly Visitor Centre.

As Colm accepted the award, he recalled the last few days of the construction phase of this project. With the deadline for opening looming, Colm spent these days with a brush and mop. He was architect, project manager and labourer - with all roles carried out with the same commitment and humility that made Colm who he was.

A man of intellect with huge ambition and utterly fearless, Colm was respected and loved in equal measure by his employees and colleagues from the design and contracting teams with whom he frequently worked. His passing leaves a huge void in all our lives.

Our thoughts are with Colm's wife Sinéad, daughters Orla, Aoife, Méabh, son John and the McGurk family.

McGurk Architects

His Own Man: A Colm McGurk tribute
By Paddy Heaney

It seems like no time at all since I was last chatting to Collie McGurk and he told me a yarn which perfectly captured this remarkable man.

The previous night Collie had watched the TG4 Lochra Gael profile on Terence 'Sambo' McNaughton.

The programme stirred up memories of an old clash in the Ulster Club Championship between Lavey and Cushendall. In typical Collie style, he told the story at the same speed as the game.

"The ball was thrown in and their midfielder came across our John. I says to 'Sambo' 'Gone youse Cushendall b******s'. Sambo says to me 'there's no b****** in Cushendall' and he drove the hurl right across my ribs and I put the butt of my stick into him."

Smiling with great fondness at the golden memories, the adrenaline was coursing through Collie and he started speaking even faster.
The action moved to the goalmouth.

A high ball is coming down from the heavens, but there is nothing divine about what occurs next as Sambo is the victim of an ungodly McGurk ambush.

"The ball came down between both of us and I drove the hurl into him as hard as I could, and as I was doing that our Ciaran came flying down from the side of him."

The way Collie described his brother's aerial assault on Sambo it sounded like something from a Bruce Lee movie. In the end Sambo's hurl goes flying up in the air and man is left standing dazed, and according to Collie, Sambo addressed the following remark to one of the umpires: 'I don't know which one of those baldy wee b******* it was, but it was one of them.'

That yarn tells you so much about Collie McGurk.

First of all, there was zero residue of animosity towards McNaughton. In fact, it was the exact opposite. There was only admiration and very obvious respect for a fellow gladiator.

In Sambo, the McGurks found a fellow warrior worthy of an ambush.Not everyone would be afforded such an honour!

Then, there was just the pure unadulterated joy with which Collie relived that incident. Lavey.-Hurling.-The thrill of the game. The love of total combat.

Life didn't get much better for Collie McGurk than that.

I can't pretend I knew Collie McGurk very well. I didn't. But I knew him well enough - and like anyone who knew him, I am in total shock.-I thought he was indestructible.

My earliest memories of Collie were watching him play at corner-forward in the great Lavey team of the early 90s. Even then it was impossible not to admire his craft, courage and deep footballing intelligence. He wasn't one of those busy bee corner-forwards who buzz around all day but produce nothing.

Collie's ability to win possession was astonishing. Always the team player, his focus was solely on the team, or to be more precise, Lavey.

It was never about getting his name in the newspaper. It was all about Lavey. Lavey, Lavey Über Alles.

I remember Collie telling me that even though he would have loved to manage the Lavey senior football team, he didn't think he was capable of the necessary detachment. The bond went too deep. Despite his considerable intelligence, the orange jersey just ignited something primal in him.

To illustrate his point Collie recounted something that had happened the previous week. He had turned up at the Lavey pitch for an underage training session. He parked the car. A game was taking place on the main field. A Lavey side was playing. A free-kick was awarded against Lavey.

"The next thing I know I'm screaming over the fence like a mad man," said Collie before noting, "I didn't even know who we were playing."

While Collie was the prototype corner-forward, he often played at centre half-back in hurling teams.

About 10-and-a-half stone at his heaviest, it was entirely fitting that Collie could hold down a big man’s position.

Because he was a big man.

Big in heart. Big in spirit. Beyond brave. He was a giant. His determination had to be seen to be believed.

Collie would occasionally go out on the bikes with us. It was very random. Given that he was always doing 1,001 other things, it was difficult for him to get the time.

One year because he was managing the Derry hurlers, he decided to do the Man of Sperrin Sportive (the proceeds from which go to Club Derry).

The Man of Sperrin is difficult for cyclists who ride their bikes all the time. No-one does it without any training.
No-one except Collie McGurk.

By the time Collie completed the 60-mile circuit which included six mountain summits and more than 6,000ft of climbing, he was wiped out.

When he got back to Owenbeg, nearly everyone else had finished.

He was banjaxed. It was only when he was safely home and semi-recovered that Collie realised he’d left his bike in Owenbeg.
He was so far gone, he parked the bike against his car, then just drove off.

When he returned to Owenbeg his bike was lying in a heap where his car had been parked.

It takes a monumental effort to leave yourself in that physical and mental state. But Collie McGurk could do that.

His determination was scary. His mind never stopped. He never stopped.

And yet, he was much more multi-faceted that many would imagine.

In the WhatsApp Group we were both in, many topics could be discussed. But if Collie McGurk was posting, it was more than likely a photo from his garden.

He loved his lupins. And his cherry tree. And his roses.

One of his more recent posts was of his ‘Watty Rose’ which he predicted was going to have another ‘smashing year’.

One thing that has to be said about Collie, he was impossible to put in a box.

He was his own man and what a man he was.

It is difficult to fathom how his wife, Sinéad, daughters Orla, Aoife and Méabh, his son, John and the entire McGurk family will come to terms with the chasm he leaves behind.

For his friends, former team-mates and the people of Lavey, the loss will be huge.

It was an honour to know him.

PH