The Furlong name is renowned within New York GAA and the Irish community over the years.

Mickey Furlong was a star with New York sides in both hurling and football while his brother Tommy also proved to be one of the top players to ever grace Gaelic Park in the history of the New York GAA.

Tom Furlong played minor and senior football for his native Offaly before emigration called and he arrived in America in the early 1960s. He was one of the stars in the Offaly side that claimed the 1964 senior football title, and followed it with a National League medal with New York when they defeated Galway over two legs at Gaelic Park in 1967.

He toured with the New York side on a number of occasions as they battled against a host of county sides in the glory years of New York.

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Australia, London, Meath, Down, and Dublin were just some of the other teams that Tom Furlong faced off against in his illustrious career.

He has also been a long time host to all that have traveled to the Catskill mountains over the years as the proprietor of the Furlongs Tavern on route 145 in East Durham.

Tommy's younger brother Martin was part of the historic Offaly side that stopped the Kerry quest for five in a row in 1982 in a monumental victory highlighted by his penalty save from Mickey Sheehy.

Tommy Furlong is presently facing one of his biggest fights. Over the last two years he has been hospitalized on a number of occasions for long periods including the present time. His medical bills are tremendous and his friends are organizing a fundraiser to help defray some of his staggering expenses.

The fundraiser will take place on January 22, 2012 at the Kerry Hall at 305 McLean Avenue, Yonkers. It will run from 1-10 p.m. on that date. Further information on the fundraiser will follow.