The late Tony Cannon hailed as a devoted son and friend
HUNDREDS of mourners lined the streets of Donagh on Wednesday to pay their final respects to a beloved clubman, brother and friend. Though the rain was heavy and the day dark, those in attendance were undeterred in marking the memory of Anthony (Tony) Cannon, who sadly passed away on Saturday.
The late Mr. Cannon was perhaps best known as a stalwart of St. Patrick’s GAA, Donagh.
There, he took pride in looking after the club grounds, and the club said that there wasn’t a match where he didn’t line out the field, or cut the grass on the banks beforehand.
Fittingly, the club’s colours - white and red - draped Mr. Cannon’s coffin as he was carried into St. Patrick’s Church, surrounded on each side by a guard of honour formed by members.
Fr. Kevin Malcolmson said Mr. Cannon was a man who was “so well, so respected”, with “the gift of being able to light up a room”.
“This tragic loss has cast a shadow of darkness over the hearts of so many people in this area,” the priest said.
The dulcet tone of a violin rang out as relatives brought up symbols of Mr. Cannon’s life.
First, a family picture. Mourners heard that Mr. Cannon was “deeply, deeply heartbroken” at the death of his parents, Anthony and Kate, whom he “missed every day”.
Second was a small wooden robin. This, Fr. Malcolmson said, reminded Mr. Cannon of his mother, Kate, and it had once been on the family Christmas tree. It had once become weathered, but Mr. Cannon had restored it.
Finally, a St. Patrick’s GAA jersey was brought up.
The club was “a second home and second family”, Fr. Malcolmson said, where “he loved his time volunteering”.
Indeed, it was St. Patrick’s GAA club that perhaps most benefitted from Mr. Cannon’s “extremely generous” nature.
“Tony was extremely generous; generous in giving help to anyone who needed it,” Fr. Malcolmson said.
“You never had to ask him twice. Once he put his mind to something, he would do it to the highest possible standard.
“One organisation that benefitted so so much was St Patrick’s GAA club. He was always willing to be of assistance, in any way.
“The club was like a second family and a second home for Tony, where he was treated with respect and with care. He enjoyed nothing more than going down to the clubhouse for a pint and bit of banter.”
Aside from his beloved GAA club, Mr. Cannon also had a profound love for his family.
“Tony had a very gentle nature and was a very caring man,” Fr. Malcolmson told mourners. “He cared with great love and dedication for his parents.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, he was really protective of them. He stayed in and he kept other people out, ensuring that they didn’t get the virus.
“The loss of his beloved parents affected Tony very deeply, but they never left him in spirit, or in his heart.”
In the wake of Mr. Cannon’s passing, visual reminders of his talents have been left behind.
Wood was a material that he was particularly fond of, and as Fr. Malcolmson said, he built many impressive things in his garden shed.
“He was skilled at fixing things, and finding a use for things that most of us would throw away,” Fr. Donegan said. “I have heard a story about him turning old washing machines into fire pits for gardens.
“I also noticed, in the house, handmade wooden reindeer that were by the fireside at Christmas; the wheelbarrow he made for his dad’s grave; and the little robin that he lovingly restored in memory of his mother.”
In a tribute, St. Patrick’s GAA Club, Donagh, described Mr. Cannon as
“irreplaceable”.
“Tony was a friend to everyone, and did everything he could for so many in the Donagh Community,” a tribute read. “If you asked Tony to do anything he found a way to get it done and never, ever let us down.
“He has left a deep void that will be irreplaceable.”
of Health has also acknowledged these outcomes, including a recommendation that this model should be extended throughout the north.
“The Children and Young People’s Strategy has identified services like the Brighter Futures Project as the preferred model going forward.
“The number of children with a disability requiring additional support is increasing because families are no longer able to cope. It therefore seems counterintuitive not to make funding available. Rather than supporting services which at their heart are about prevention, there continues to be a focus on crisis interventions.”