Offaly great Johnny Egan passes away
December 15, 2015
Offaly - 1969 Leinster Senior Football Champions. Front l-r: Willie Bryan, Mick O'Rourke, Sean Kilroy, Pat Monaghan, Eugene Mulligan, Greg Hughes, Sean Evans, Pat Keenan. Back l-r: Paddy McCormack, Nicholas Clavin, Ambrose Hickey, Martin Furlong, Mick Ryan, John Egan, Tony McTeague
Offaly GAA is mourning the death of legendary football corner back Johnny Egan.
The Doon clubman, who was due to enter the Offaly GAA Football Hall of Fame next month, made 99 league and championship appearances for the Faithful County between 1957 and 1970.
He starred on the side that won Offaly's breakthrough Leinster SFC in 1960 and secured further provincial honours in '61 and '69. Johnny togged out in two All-Ireland finals - against Down in front of a record crowd of 90,556 in 1961 and against Kerry in 1969. The Doon man was captain in 69.
Named on the Offaly Football Team of the Century and regarded as one of his county's finest ever footballers, he made his league debut at wing back against Louth in 1957 and his championship debut the following year against Laois, at full back.
But it was the No.4 jersey that Johnny made his own as he went on to form a formidable full back line with Paddy McCormack and Greg Hughes. Sadly Greg Hughes also passed away in recent times.
In total, 87 of Egan's appearances for Offaly were at left full back. He played his last championship game in 1970, in the first 80-minute decider, when Offaly were defeated by 2-22 to 5-12 by Meath. His last game for Offaly was in November of that year, when he lined out in his customary corner back position for the final time against Longford in the national football league.
Funeral Arrangements
Egan - John (Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath and formerly of Doon, Co Offaly and Dublin) - December 14, 2015 (peacefully), surrounded by his family following a short illness in the compassionate care of the staff at St James's Hospital, Dublin; loving and loved husband of Betty (nee Donnelly) and dear father of Marge, Elaine, Sinead, Liz and John. He will be very sadly missed by his wife and family, his adoring grandchildren Conor, Sinead, Meabh, Aoife, Tara, Michael, Fergal, Freja, Orla and Luke, his sons-in-law Ian and Fergal, daughter-in-law Kajsa, brother Kieran and brother-in-law Paddy, sisters-in-law Moira and Bridie, nieces, nephew, relatives, friends and neighbours. MAY HE REST IN PEACE. Removal on Tuesday to St Nicholas' Church, Multyfarnham, arriving at 6pm. Funeral Mass on Wednesday at 11am, followed by burial in The Rock Cemetery, Multyfarnham. Family flowers only, donations in lieu to The Keith Shaw Unit, St James's Hospital, Dublin. House private please.
