Brianwasavery talented sportsman
BRIAN Finn, ‘ The Orchard’, Rock Road, Blackrock, Dundalk who died peacefully after a short illness in the Mater Hospital Dublin on 24th June was a retired Dundalk branch manager of the Irish National Insurance Company and was a keen and talented sportsman.
He won an Ulster Minor Championship with his native Monaghan and was a former honorary secretary of Dundalk Golf Club and a member of the committee that oversaw the extension of the course developing it into a championship layout that opened in1980.
From Castleblayney, Brian was educated by the Christian Brothers in Dundalk where he and his family moved to live and spent the second half of his long and active life in Blackrock.
He was a dynamic and fit man right up until the week of his final illness.
Despite his 88 years, he continued to maintain his own home and carry out his chores with a high level of energy and commitment.
A convivial individual with a beaming smile Brian always found time to chat with everyone.
Brian’s main focus in life was always his family and friends, and in his latter years, his four grandchildren, Brian and Francis Kelleher in London and Ana and Mario Pedrosa Finn in Spain. He is fondly remembered by all of them and by his three great-grandchildren, Rosette, Anise and Lyra.
He was the second eldest of five siblings born on April 26 1928 into a family that hailed originally from Inniskeen. He lived in Castleblayney until 1973, when the family moved to The Square in Blackrock.
He had met with Bazie Kieran from Monaghan and they married in 1957. They were blessed with two daughters, Anne and Bernice. The family lived first at Bree, Castleblayney, and later settled in Blackrock.
Brian worked in the Irish National Insurance Company for most of his professional life, ending his career as Branch Manager in Dundalk.
In his younger years he was a talented Gaelic footballer with Castleblayney Faughs and was a member of the Monaghan minor team which beat Armagh and then Cavan in the semi-finals, followed by Down in the final to lift the Ulster championship in 1945.
It took another 68 years for Monaghan to win the title in 2013, and Brian was honoured and very proud when two of the then current Castleblayney Faughs, Mark Kelly and Ronan McNamara, came to see him with the trophy.
Brian’s heart was always in sport, especially Gaelic football and athletics, and he adapted his playing skill to golf of which he was an accomplished player as a member of the Dundalk club.
He served as Honorary Secretary of the club for three years from 1975. He was also a skilled fly fisherman all his life and derived much pleasure from it, and followed many other sports.
He was fortunate to have had a long and healthy retirement and he used the time to look after his family, indulge his grandchildren, look after his home and garden, and enjoy the company of his friends with a boundless generosity of spirit and time.
He is survived by wife Bazie, daughters, Anne and Bernice, grandchildren, Brian, Francis, Ana and Mario, son-in-law JoaquÌn, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
After reposing at home, Brian’s remains were removed to Saint Fursey’s Church, Haggardstown. Rev. Brian White C.C., celebrated Requiem Mass which was followed by cremation at Glasnevin Cemetery.
His daughters Anne and Bernice participated in the Mass during which the music was provided by the beautiful soprano voice of Sarah McCourt, accompanied by her father, Brendan McCourt.
At the end Anne gave a personal reflection on Brian`s life and read a poem by Derek Mahon, `Everything Is Going To Be All Right`. The sisters also then sang a touching harmonised arrangement of William Butler Yeats`s `Down by the Salley Gardens`.