The late Raymond Lyons The death of Raymond Lyons left a family without a father, a town without its greatest crusader and a Doheny in the truest sense of the word. It could be said with some certainty that the club will never again see his likes and will be so much the poorer for the loss of a man whose funeral attendance was one of the biggest seen in the town. The graveside oration was delivered by club chairman Jerry O'Mahony and its fulsome tribute went as follows: "No doubt if Raymond had the choice of a time and place to die (outside of his own home) he would surely have chosen a GAA meeting in the Doheny pavilion. It was fitting that when the Lord called him he was still very much involved in what had been a life-long vocation, the promotion of the Gaelic Athletic Association and particularly Dohenys' part in this great Gaelic organisation. 'As a young lad he showed distinct promise as a footballer and hurler and these talents remained with him right through a long career during which he proudly wore the green jersey. In The History of the Dohenys, which he wrote and which still stands out as one of the best and most comprehensive record of any club, he emphasised the enjoyment he got from being involved with Dohenys which he said "far outweighed any desire for rewards or recognition." 'Indeed much of the work he did was removed from the public eye with the cutting of the grass, lining of the field and upkeep of the pavilion going unnoticed by many. In recent years he was the club PRO and was part of a team that won the McNamee Award for the best GAA website in the country. Long before IT, Raymond was immersed in the playing activities of the club and actually made his debut (complete with trademark beret) on the junior football team in 1963, as a 16 year old. Despite a serious knee injury received in 1969 he continued to play into the early 80s and one of the most treasured prizes he had in his collection was a West Cork junior hurling medal which he said was "won against all the odds." 'His greatest thrill in the green jersey was the last-minute defeat of Newcestown in the '66 junior football divisional final while his biggest disappointment was the loss to Na Piarsaigh in the 1965 County final, but this was more than made up for when Dohenys won the county the following year. These are just a small sample of his ups and downs throughout a long sporting career during which he also distinguished himself as a badminton player and golfer. In both these sports he also took responsibility for the running of affairs and was chairman of the St Patrick's Badminton Club which also featuring prominently in the revival of the Dunmanway Golfing Society. Following his retirement from playing activities he joined the administrative side of Doheny affairs where he was to leave an even more indelible mark. 'He became Dohenys longest-serving secretary as well as serving in the position of assistant secretary, PRO, assistant treasurer and chairman, and it could be safely said that in the course of his various positions he was instrumental in helping the club embark on some of their most ambitious developments in its history. He never lit a fire he allowed die and believed nothing was impossible to a willing heart. A willing heart he most definitely possessed and he threw himself wholeheartedly into the development of the club and its many teams. 'He fervently believed that no matter what expansion the club undertook it couldn't fail because of the spirit and goodwill shown to Dohenys by their followers. From the U8 players to seniors he was there to nourish their interests and so often he was the man to collect the jerseys, switch out the lights and lock the gates. His talent as an orator had him preside at almost every social gathering in the club and if any man has left his footsteps in the sands of Dohenys history then Raymond has. 'As a teacher in Hamilton High School he had the respect of his fellow teachers and pupils during his long career and even when in school he was steeply involved in GAA affairs. He watched with pride as 'Hammies' gathered some serious silverware and was even prouder still when young lads from Dunmanway were involved. He was so dedicated to a teaching profession that runs in the family, he always maintained he would remain, until age or death removed him. Unfortunately, just a short time before his retirement, he has been called to organise things in heaven, leaving behind him a family he adored. The pride he experienced when Dennis and Fergal wore the green jersey was unbridled and he even forgave Niamh for marrying a Kilmeen man because her husband Donal came from a family also steeped in GAA tradition. "The love of his life was Eileen who was there by his side during traumatic and troubled times of major illnesses and it must be said that when he married her he got his first glimpse of heaven. She nursed him back to health after major heart and stomach surgery and again in The History of the Dohenys he expressed his love and gratitude to her for her patience and understanding, not merely for the endless hours he spent writing the book, but also for putting up with his almost total involvement in the club. 'Now Eileen, Dennis, Niamh and Fergal will no more have to produce the stock answer "He's over in the field" when asked where Raymond is. Instead they will proudly proclaim he has joined God's Dohenys, and with so many ex-players having departed this earth in recent years there's surely some use for Raymond's undoubted talents to reorganise them in the heavenly championships. While alive he left an indelible mark on all our lives and especially on the lives of his family who must never forget that "love is the only ink that never fades." Southern Star February 21, 2009 Tweet

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