A Tribute to Al Kilfoil: A Life Dedicated to Sport and Community

Al Kilfoil’s long association with Bristol & West Hockey Club began back in the mid 1980s when as a fresh-faced graduate moving to the Bristol area, he joined BAC Hockey Club.  Al was from the start, a solid and skilled fullback.  However, it will come as no surprise to all those who knew him, that while still in his twenties he took on the roles of both first team captain and then club captain, excelling in both.

From those beginnings Al went on to contribute to the running of the hockey club taking on various committee roles.  However, Al’s irrepressible desire to support, organise, encourage and grow sport, meant one club was simply not enough and so many other clubs and organisations benefitted from Al’s skills, dedication and passion.  He took on demanding organisation roles in many different directions such as at West Hockey, Clifton Robinsons HC and Avonmouth HC.  However, he always remained a member of Bristol & West Hockey Club and continued to play whenever he could and remarkably, still also found time to coach juniors and to umpire. 

His interest in sport was not confined to hockey.  He was a long-time member of Grittleton Cricket Club and Chairman of Hambrook Cricket Club.  He was by all accounts, a very decent cricketer and a Level 3 coach.  He worked tirelessly as a committee member of the Hambrook Sports & Social Club being instrumental in helping it continue to serve the local sports community (where he was very often to be found behind, if not in front of the bar).

It wasn’t just the number of challenges and the time and energy that Al devoted to both men’s and women’s sport that was remarkable, it was the fact that he did them all so spectacularly well.  Al had great intelligence and knowledge and was always a source of sound advice that will be very much missed by so many.  He was as a consequence, highly respected and loved by his hockey family. 

In later years, Al played masters hockey and was a Gloucester County Cricket senior player.  In 2024 Al was part of a master’s hockey tour to Sicily, accompanied by friends from Bristol & West HC, Westbury HC, OBHC and West Wilts HC.  It is difficult to come to terms with the thought that we will never again experience the sound of his quite unique laugh, usually rising to a crescendo as he recounted some humorous tale, but invariably told with warmth and affection.

Away from sport, “Dr” Kilfoil was a highly skilled engineer at Rolls-Royce and also served the local community as a volunteer magistrate for many years.

There is no question that Al’s untimely passing at only 63 years of age means that the local sports community will have a big gap to fill.  Hopefully however, part of his legacy will be that spirit of unselfish dedication to making other people’s lives richer through sport and expecting nothing in return.

Andy Bryce

B&WHC Chair