‘A final leap to heaven’
Priest’s tribute to hurling and football legend Teddy
BY PAT FLANAGAN
IN honour of GAA legend Teddy Mccarthy the Sam Maguire and the Liam Mccarthy cups were raised over his coffin before his funeral Mass yesterday.
During the packed ceremony at St Joseph’s Church in his hometown of Glanmire, Co Cork, he was remembered as a “humble, gifted person” who loved his family and Gaelic games.
After the famous football and hurling cups were brought to the coffin the congregation were told the GAA legend had “made his final leap into heaven”.
Mourners heard Mr Mccarthy’s family and the GAA community are still trying to come to terms with his unexpected death on Tuesday at the age of 57.
The co-parish priest of Glanmire Fr Pat Fogarty said the community was “stopped in their tracks” when they heard of the GAA great’s sudden death.
He added: “It was like a dark cloud descending over our community here in Glanmire, throughout the county, the country and beyond.
“My sincere sympathies to you Oonagh [his wife], his daughter Sinead, his sons Cian and Niall, to his
adored grandchildren, you could never underestimate the joy and pride you brought your Grandad, Tiernan and Joey.”
The Mass was told Teddy Mccarthy was the only man to win Allireland senior hurling and football championship medals in the same year, achieving that historic feat in 1990 when Cork won the double.
In a moving tribute, his son Cian said his father was never one to “stick to the script”, he followed his example and didn’t have one and instead spoke from his heart.
He also detailed his dad’s dedication to teaching his grandchildren how to play hurling and football.
He said: “He really loved hurling and football so to see his grandkids getting a kick out of it, playing games and carrying his legacy through to another generation, he was really proud of that.”
Then joking he added: “He used to say, ‘It skips a generation’, and looks over at me.”
But amid all the sorrow his son said that they also follow his father’s example even in their grief.
Cian added: “We’ll stand tall because that’s exactly what he did for all of us”.
Among the mourners was Tanaiste Micheal Martin as well as many highranking GAA officials. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and President Michael D Higgins were also represented.
After the funeral Mass thousands lined the streets to pay their respects.