Conlon, Terry
December 30, 2005
The Late Terry Conlon
The death of our club Vice-President Terry Conlon caused widespread sorrow throughout the entire area and indeed much further a field as Terry was one of the best known and most well regarded personalities anywhere Gaelic games were played within the county. He gave a lifetime of support to the GAA and in particular to the Cullyhanna club of which he was a member since the revival of football in the locality after the war.
Indeed Terry, along with his brother the late Mick Conlon, were heavily involved in that revival and the fruits of their labour are everywhere to he seen in the thriving football club which has developed here.
Terry took great pride in the successes of the club and he was thrilled when the new development was opened this year. Unfortunately he did not love long to enjoy its splendid facilities but the fact that it is a fitting tribute to men like Terry and Mick whose foresight and hard work helped to get the local club up and running and placed on a firm footing so that future generations can enjoy playing the games they loved so much.
Terry was a man of many parts, a larger than life character with a ready wit who could always see the bright side of things even when few others could. He was a natural comedian whose witticisms along the line enlivened many a game over the last 50 years. He was a man who seldom seemed ever to be in bad form despite being sorely provoked at times by the antics of some errant referee.
Still when the game was over Terry would inevitably be in forgiving form and his usual summation was, "Och, sure maybe he couldn't help it".
Wherever there was a game featuring Cullyhanna, regardless at what age group, Terry was sure to be present urging on the players to greater heights. Formerly, along with his late brother Mick and later with is good friend Mickey Joe he took great delight in seeing the young players and indeed the not so young doing their best to gain success for his beloved club.
Regardless of the weather Terry was always present and even in times when his health was not what it might have been he tried to get to as many games as possible. He was especially delighted to see his grandson Aodhan play a leading role when Cullyhanna won the U-10 division one final this year. And of course he was lucky enough to live to see Armagh capture the Sam Maguire in 2002 when so many contemporaries were not so fortunate.
The unfailing good humour which was a feature of Terry's character did not fail him when faced with his terminal illness and the courage which he showed in these last few months was indeed inspirational. The packed church in Cullyhanna last Wednesday was testimony to the high regard in which Terry was held by the entire community.
The St Patrick's club members formed a guard of honour which accompanied the cortege the whole way from home to chapel.
The underage footballers, girls and boys, formed a guard of honour up the church drive and no doubt this would have been much appreciated by so devoted a clubman as Terry. He would also have been happy with the NFL, Anglo Celt and Ulster minor championship cups were brought to the altar by his grandsons before the funeral mass.
A fond farewell was bid to Terry on Wednesday by his family, by his many friends and indeed by the whole local community. And if ever a man deserved such a good send off then Terry was that man. He will be sorely missed but he leaves many happy memories will ease the parting.
Courtesy of the Armagh Observer
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