McManus, Thomas
July 14, 2009
The death has occurred in Hudson, New York of Thomas McManus, who was formerly from Clonliff, Macken. It followed a lengthy illness.
Aged 76 years, he was the son of Patrick and Celia McManus, Clonliff, Macken, and was one in a family of 10 children.
His family was steeped in the GAA and is well known in GAA circles. In fact, Thomas and all his brothers played for either Club or County or both at some level.
Thomas will be remembered as a legend in football circles. He was a very skilful player, hard, but honest. Any opponent that ever won a ball against him certainly earned it. A pure natural, there was never any 'put on' with him. What you saw is what you got, his skills and quick thinking were invariably a trade mark of his play
Thomas played for Kinawley and also for Fermanagh County Minors during the 1950s on a number of occasions, usually in the back line.
He began his working career at a young age when he went to work in O'Reilly's General Store, and later in Robinson's Garage, both in Enniskillen. There he remained until deciding to go to England, where he lived and worked for a couple of years. Unsettled, he returned home and went to work in the garage of the late William McEnhill of Belnaleck.
But he always had the urge to travel more, so he went back to England where he later joined one of the cruise ships docked there and worked his way up to head waiter. Some of the cruise ships that he worked on included the famous Cunard and the P&O lines, bringing him to many parts of the world, including the US, which he took a great liking to.
Thomas returned home quite regularly and it was on one of his home visits that he met his future wife Dotty Cassidy from Swanlinbar. Following their marriage, they eventually settled in Cornwall on Hudson, New York where they had been living until Thomas' death.
His funeral Mass took place in his local parish church in Cornwall on Hudson, with burial to the adjoining cemetery.
Thomas is survived by his wife Dotty, sons, Gerard, Sean and Thomas and daughter Jacinta. He is further survived by his brothers Fr Jim (Scotland), Frank (Enniskillen), Fr Sean (Washington DC), Myles (England) and his sisters Mary Kate (Clonliff, Macken) and Alice.
He was predeceased by his parents, brothers Patrick and Terence and most recently by his sister Celia Ferguson.
Fermanagh Herald, 14th July 2009
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