Love of the game

Charlie gives respect and gets respect as one of Galway's finest referees

A LIFELONG love of Gaelic Games has been encapsulated in over 35 years of stewarding Galway matches for referee Charlie Ward, a staple of the Tuam sporting scene for generations of young athletes.

The great grandfather, who turns 71 later this year, continues to tog out in the distinctive black strip, despite coming close to retirement in recent years. But being talked out of that decision has seen him continue to officiate at both football and hurling underage and junior games throughout the county, in what he describes as ‘a labour of love’.

One of the very few Tuam people to have won a county medal in both football (Tuam Stars 1984) and hurling (Tuam Hurling Club 1986) Charlie has a deep love of and encyclopaedic knowledge of both codes.

As manager of the Tuam Stars Under 12 football team in the late 1990s, Charlie knew first-hand the difficulty of trying to secure the services of a referee for matches…

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