We’ve lost the best..
FINAL FAREWELL TO SOCCER HERO LIAM:
TRAGIC soccer star Liam Miller was remembered as a “family man” as hundreds of mourners attended his funeral yesterday.
Leading names from the sport also paid their respects to the midfielder, who died from cancer on Friday aged just 36.
One message about the player, who had spells with Celtic and Manchester United, which stood out was that he was a sportsman with decency, humour, honesty, integrity and humility.
Mourners packed into the small St John the Baptist Church in the village of Ovens, near Ballincollig, Co Cork. Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’neill and assistant boss Roy Keane also turned out to pay tribute.
They were joined by former internationals John O’shea, Denis Irwin, Kevin Kilbane and Kevin Doyle, as well as p managers Brian Kerr and Steve Staunton.
After the rousing words of soccer anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone were read out to the congregation, Miller’s brother-in-law Dan Sheedy gave an emotional eulogy. He said: “To those who knew Liam best, Liam’s legacy won’t be about anything he achieved on a football pitch, though, on that, he achieved what was to most of us an impossible fantasy. Liam was that most
rare of things – he lived his dreams. He dreamed of playing for [his father] Billy’s beloved Celtic. And he did.
“He dreamed of playing for Man United. And he did. And he dreamed of playing for Ireland. And he did.
“He achieved these dreams with a combination of his skill – sublime as it was – his humble personality and a fierce determination we have all seen resurface these last few of months.”
Mourners heard how Miller was known by Billy, a Scot from Motherwell and a passionate Celtic fan, as “my little Stanley Matthews”.
He was also said to be utterly in love with his wife Claire and that he gave every fibre of his being to his children’s happiness. Mr Sheedy told mourners: “There was never a father like Liam.”
Among the gifts brought to the altar during the Mass were soccer jerseys, rosary beads and photos of his family.
The service was told how Miller’s bravery was never more apparent than when he was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer.
Mr Sheedy added: “Liam attacked his condition with a ferocity and determination to survive it that is impossible to comprehend unless you saw it. Liam was different. His motivation to survive wasn’t for him. It was, as it has always been, for others and specifically for his family. Liam wanted to survive for his family. They are all that mattered to him.
“Liam Miller a decent man, an honest man, a humble man, a gas man, a sportsman.
“But I’d like to think by now you’d have figured out the true way to remember Liam Miller – Liam Miller was a family man. The loss of the best is the worst.”
Miller – who is survived by his wife Clare and three children Kory, Leo and Belle – was buried in St John the Baptist Church cemetery.
He was a decent man, an honest man, a humble man, a sportsman
DAN SHEEDY MILLER’S BROTHER-IN-LAW YESTERDAY
THE drop in the number of children receiving vaccinations is extremely worrying and every possible effort must be made to reverse this trend.
While a 3% fall in the uptake of tetanus and meningitis jabs in a two-year period might seem modest it could have very serious implications and allow the spread of potentially deadly infections.
In some ways public vaccination programmes have been victims of their own success as they have all but eradicated once common diseases.
The reduction of the threat posed by these conditions has led to complacency with some parents deciding not to have their children vaccinated or failing to have them return to receive a booster.
As Dr Karina Butler points out it is important that a rate of 95% be achieved to break the chain of transmission of infection.
Social media has also contributed to the fall-off in inoculations by raising unfounded fears about harmful side effects of vaccines.
The reality is that without vaccines diseases such as meningitis and diptheria would once again become common and undoubtedly lead to fatalities in some cases.
While it might be a step too far, if it became mandatory for parents to have their children vaccinated, the Government and the HSE must do more to encourage them to do so.
There must be a new campaign to highlight the benefits of inoculation and warn the public of the extreme danger posed by the diseases they protect against.