The Richard Farrell The death occurred recently of Richard Farrell and his passing marked the departure of an honest man and a footballer of note, who first came to prominence with the Cashel team of the 1930's and 40's, first at centre field and later at full back on the Championship and League winning teams of 1942 and '43. This was a man, whose outstanding qualities of honesty, dedication, commitment and loyalty to the task in hand, shone through every aspect of his life, and will continue to be an example to the rest of us, who now mourn his passing. His packed lifetime stretched over ninety years and throughout it all, he displayed admirable qualities - whether that was on the field, at the fair in the mart. A few years ago, Cashel celebrated its GAA centenary. Somebody, writing about it then, divided the century into two halves, with the first fifty years ending about 1935 and the second fifty beginning at the same time. The club records show that Richard, played for Cashel at centre field in 1934 and at full back in the record breaking years of 1942 and 1943. One of the main tasks of a full back in those years was to protect his goalkeeper, as the rules then permitted what was euphemistically known as "charging the goalkeeper", but which in modern times, might be more accurately described as "frontal assault". Richard's success of carrying out that duty, as well as his other responsibilities as a full back, is reflected in the success of the team, in League and Championship in those years. The captain of the 1948 Championship team, Tom Mulvihill, when writing about it, named Richard, along with Jimmy Connolly, Johnny Skelly and his own brother, John, as the people responsible for the revival of the club's fortunes in the mid 1940s that led to the success of 1948. In the 1950's and 60's, as well as supporting the club, Richard was a very active member of Seamus O'Cualain's Tournament committee, that organised and ran successful tournaments for parochial funds from 1956-1974. In the 1970s and '80s he enjoyed, as a supporter and a parent, the successes of the Cashel team at Senior Championship and Leader Cup level, which came about mainly because he and many others had laid the foundation through their sacrifices and commitment to the cause, in good times and in bad, down the years. Richard Farrell was a towering figure of a man. He worked the land all his life and took a great work ethnic and will to make the best out of life with him where ever he went. He was an astute judge of stock and also a man other farmers could turn to for advice, which he in turn was happy to give. He was a man who was happy to see people get on and he delighted in the successes and triumphs of those that he knew. He was also known as a great horse man and at a time when the horse was the main machine on the farm, Richard Farrell had few rivals when it came to training them and it was generally held that there was no horse that Richard would not have been able to handle. While the GAA loomed large in his life it would be a mistake to remember Richard solely as a GAA man, he was passionate about all sports. In more recent years, he had a fierce affinity and respect for Roy Keane, the soccer star, who in many ways epitomised Richard's own 'never say die' outlook on sport. To the surprise of many perhaps, another of his great interests was snooker and back some years ago when it was one of the big TV sports, he stayed up late into the night to follow the big competitions and he took special delight in Denis Taylor World Championship triumph in the mid eighties. But above all else, he was a great family man, a loving husband, devoted father and doting grandfather. Sadly his wife, Annie (nee McCormack) passed away in the late 1980s, and no doubt they are reunited in heaven along with baby, Nuala and reflecting on the next generation that follows them in their beloved Cashel. His passing is most acutely felt by his family, namely his sons, Richard and Pat; his daughters, Helen and Dolores, his sister,Kitty and also Brenda, Helen, Joe and Bobby; his grandchildren; brother-in-law; sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and other relatives. The attendance at his removal and funeral mass was one of the largest seen in the Cashel parish and reflected the esteem and regard in which the late Richard Farrell and his family are held in, locally and further afield. Much of Richard's passion and great love for Cashel came through in his football and his commitment to the local GAA club and the wider community. He was a great believer in all things Cashel and its unlikely that you could do something for you, he would have. He wore his alliegances to the Fine Gael party very much on his sleeve and supported the party all his life and it was a commitment reflected in the large number of party activists and elected representatives who turned up to pay there respects. Richard's loss to the community of Cashel is greatly felt, and especially so in his own townlands of Cross and Carrodger, but as a balance to that sense of loss, we know that he is remembered as the man that he was, and for the contribution he made. In his case, certainly, the words of St Paul ring most true: "The life and death of each one of us has its influence on others" Ar dheis De go raibh d'anam dilis - A Friend Courtesy of the Longford Leader January 2nd 2004. Tweet

Most Read Stories