Devoted family man Eric was a part of the fabric of Greystones

FOUNDING member of Greystones Rugby Club, Eric Archer, died recently attheageof97.

The flag hung at half mast at Greystones Fire Station following the death of the beloved local man.

His sons Derek and Robin are former members of the fire service.

‘He was a great father to all of us. He didn’t chastise us and always pointed us in the right direction,’ said Eric’s son Derek.

‘He was good humoured. He had a very dry sense of humour and didn’t get ruffled much. He was very easy-going and wouldn’t lose the cool.’

He was extremely devoted to his wife Ruth. They married in 1953 and went on to have Yvonne, Gillian, Derek, Robin and Douglas, as well as 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Eric was a builder, like his father and his grandfather before him. He built his own home, and the Archer name is in the very bricks and mortar of Greystones history.

Eric’s grandfather was born in Greystones around 1800. Some of the buildings that followed include the library in Enniskerry, the cinema in Greystones, and many houses in the area.

Eric really loved Greystones and was happy there. His five children remained living locally and have been devoted to their parents.

The furthest Eric strayed from his home town was to work in Coleraine for a period during the war.

He couldn’t wait to get home and remained there ever since. Derek said that Eric’s doctor, Brendan Cuddihy, looked after his father extremely well, and the two men shared a mutual interest in sport.

Eric, along with Leslie Doyle, Donal O’Sullivan and Billy Dennehy, founded Greystones Rugby Club at an inaugural meeting on October 15, 1937, in The Carnegie Library in Greystones. There were 25 present at the meeting. Eric was a witty and articulate man and always a huge club supporter in all of those remarkable 80 years.

He will be missed by not only Greystones Rugby Club but the wider rugby community in Ireland.

A few years ago a letter was sent to him, simply addressed: Eric Archer, Greystones. It got to him, no problem.

Among his many achievements, he was the President of the club in 1976 and again in 1977, when they achieved senior status.

He described it in his own unique manner:

‘Yes I was President for those two years, in fact I made such a bags of the first year that I had to stay on for the second. Getting senior status was a big achievement and I think that’s probably how I lost my hair!’

He was a life member of both Greystones and Rathdrum rugby clubs.

Eric’s funeral service took place last Saturday morning at St Patrick’s Church, followed by burial in Redford Cemetery.

A large number of people from the Greystones community and rugby community at large attended to pay their last respects.