BRENDAN WAS TRUE LEADER ON AND OFF PITCH
‘BRENDAN WAS A PURE ENTERTAINER AND LOVED TO TELL A GOOD STORY. HE WAS GREAT FOR A SING SONG’
the boys in blue from Naomh Mairtin lined the path to the sleepy village church in Tenure; a rainy guard of honour to welcome for the last time their beloved teammate Brendan ‘Benny’ Reilly.
More still on the sidelines, surrounding the stone steeple, stood huddled under umbrellas. Teammates from a 20 year career on the pitch with John Mitchels, Naomh Mairtin and Louth, quiet in disbelief that this ‘gentle giant’ had been taken too soon.
Inside the packed church, friends and family sat below a sea of blue in the balcony above the pews.
Benny’s beloved girls Saoirse (4) and Amy (2) resplendant in matching dresses, brought pictures to the altar, memontos of happy family times while little Harry slept peacefully in his mother’s arms.
Fr Hickey spoke of Brendan and Lisa’s union as ‘a match made in heaven’ and spoke of Benny’s ‘gentleness, his smile, his openess’.
Benny’s brother Barry spoke movingly of his beloved brother who was, he said: ‘First and foremost a family man. A devoted husband to Lisa, a doting father to Saoirse, Amy and baby Harry.’
He said his brother had been so excited about marrying Lisa ‘ he had the venue and the date booked before he actually proposed to her’.
‘He had only eyes for Lisa and with his black curly sue hair, his dark eyebrows and his cheeky smile he won her heart over,’ said Barry, who had the honour of being his best man.
‘On his wedding day, as he stood waiting with myself and Butsy, he took a quick glance down at Lisa and within a few seconds became overcome with love and emotion and the tears started flowing. And not before long both myself and Butsy were following suit. God only knows what poor Lisa was thinking when she got to the top of the altar.’
This love was only enhanced with the arrival of his two beautiful daughters and little Harry.
‘Along came Saoirse, then Amy. He was just smitten w ith the two little girls, he loved nothing more than to dress them up as little angels and show them off to the world, one in each hand. Then along came baby Harry and his family was complete.’
As Benny was involved in coaching the Martins underage team with his friends Karl, Ollie and David, ‘ his vision for Harry was pretty clear’.
Benny started his football career, like many before him, while in primary school in Stabannon NS where he formed a lifelong friendship with the boys he played with.
He also played with the John Mitchels where he quickly followed in his ideal Stephen Melia’s footsteps by donning the number six jersey.
The highlight came, Barry revealed, in 1998 when he inspired a team to winning a league and championship double going 30 games unbeaten in the process.
‘He was so proud to play alongside his six brothers.’
Benny represented his county under three different managers winning two different league medals.
When he relocated to Monasterboice, he moved to Naomh Mairtins, giving ‘so many years of great service, leading by examply, giving his all, busting a gut. The usual Benny.’
Just hours before his passing, Benny was a driving force in helping the Mairtins reach their first division one final in many years.
‘He was so looking forward to the upcoming championship semi final, he played a major role. He even scored a rare goal in the process against Cooley not so long ago.’ WHe spoke of Benny’s love of fashion and how he had recently won a best dressed competition in Donegans.
‘He loved his blazers, his tailored fitted shirts and lately his skinny jeans,’ said Barry. ‘He was a pure entertainer, loved to tell a good story, he was great for a sing song.
Not so long ago he was part of the infamous Westlife Four. His partypiece was always singing ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ I hear a train a comin’ by Johnny Cash.’
Benny was a leader both on and off the pitch, Barry said, a role which was echoed within the Reilly household where Benny was ‘ the go to man’ in the family, always on hand to offer counsel and advice, despite his status as the youngest.
‘Even though he was the youngest of nine, he was the wisest.’
Something which had been noted by so many of those who knew him in the days leading up to the funeral was: ‘If I could only be half the man Brendan was I’d be doing well’.
Benny had been cherished by his Mum Kathleen, Barry said and his Dad Eugene and sister Jean had been so proud of him. ‘We all were’.
He was loved and adored by Lisa’s family also and the huge crowds in attendance at his wake and funeral was evidence of what people really thought of Benny.
‘Brendan we love you so so much. We’re going to miss you. Catch up with you soon,’ a clearly emotional Barry signed off to his beloved brother.
The funeral Mass was concelebrated by Fr Bill Mulvihill, Parish Priest in Monasterboice, Fr Colm Allman from Balinasloe, Canon Peter Murphy from Ardee and Fr John O’Leary.
He is survived by his wife Lisa, children and Saoirse, Amy and Harry, his mother Kathleen, mother-in-law Gabrielle, sister Elizabeth, brothers Jimmy, Austin, Steve, Alan, Shane and Barry, sisters-in-law Fiona, Fionnuala, Karena, brothers-in-law Ciaran, Eamon, Ronan, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, nieces, his team mates of Naomh Mairtin and former team mates of John Mitchells and Louth GAA, cousins, relatives and a wide circle of friends.
He is predeceased by his father Eugene and sister Jean.