The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Widow brings tears and laughter
Tears for Anthony “Axel” Foley gave way to laughter and applause as his widow Olive gave mourners a window into the couple’s life.
As hardened heroes of Irish rugby struggled to quell their emotions, the grieving mother eased the pain with an intimate and honest portrait of her soulmate and a doting father.
She recalled her thoughts as she flew to Paris with a plane-load of relatives and friends to bring the rugby great home.
“I’m ashamed to say that I said a prayer on the way over on the plane,” she told mourners.
“And I said... please Jesus, let him have shaved.”
The sentiment highlighted how the heart-breaking eulogy offered moments of mirth and relief when they were least expected. Irish rugby star Anthony Foley has been remembered at his funeral for the warm, indelible marks he left on life.
The Munster head coach died, aged 42, in a hotel in Paris, hours before the team were due to play Racing 92 in the European Champions Cup last Sunday.
His coffin was carried into St Flannan’s Church in his home town of Killaloe in Co Clare to the Toreador Song from Bizet’s opera Carmen, adopted by Munster Rugby for the club’s anthem Stand Up And Fight.
Players from the province, past and present, formed a guard of honour inside the church grounds.
Among them were former Irish and Munster stars Paul O’Connell, Ronan O’Gara and Peter Stringer, along with ex-Ireland team-mate Brian O’Driscoll.
Hundreds of other mourners packed into the church and surrounding