Michael Coyle will be a big loss to the Church and his town
MICHAEL COYLE DID SO MUCH FOR HIS TOWN, COUNTY AND COUNTRY
ARCHDEACON Jim Carroll had his orders. ‘Keep it simple, faith centred and none of the palava.’ All he could do was obey.
The funeral mass of Michael Coyle last Wednesday in St Peter’s Church brought people from across the spectrum, sport, politics, religion, education and more.
They came to say farewell to a man who gave so much in his life, a man of the community.
As he looked around the large congregation, Archdeacon Carroll said Michael ‘ loved the place’ - St Peter’s was his second home.
‘He turned up here constantly and looked after things. He had a sense that this place was the heart of Drogheda,’ he stated, adding that Michael looked after the shrine of St Oliver too.
‘If you want to put it in footballing terms, he was a safe pair of hands,’ the celebrant added. ‘I know there will be a gap there now and it will be up to others to step up to the mark.’
He asked people to pray for ‘a good man who meant so much to us’ and who always had people in his heart.
He was President of the O’Raghallaigh’s but it was back in 1956 that he won a Louth County minor medal with the Newtown Blues.
That same year Cardinal Sean Brady won a minor medal in Cavan and whenever the pair would meet, the talk would turn to the great names of that era.
‘ The GAA was very important to him and he loved stewarding in Croke Park and it was part of his life and family.’
The Archdeacon explained that the ceremony would be a simple one, as Michael wished. ‘He’d have a fit if we did the ‘extras’ so there will be no boots or jerseys.’
One thing Michael loved were quizzes and he was often asked to set the questions. But his love of the events wained a little where people started to bring smart phones to them.
The ceremony was dotted with the wonderful singing of the St Peter’s Male Voice choir and they didn’t let Michael down on the day.
All around, familiar faces from the past were easily spotted, old colleagues and rivals, united now for a final reunion with the O’Raghallaigh’s man.
The likes of Thomas Byrne TD and former TD Seamus Kirk were there, Michael a great Fianna Fail man.
Outside, members of the O’Raghallaigh’s flanked the coffin in a final tribute to their member.
“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious. “
~ Vince Lombardi