Final farewell to former GAA president Fanning

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen and President Mary McAleese were represented by their respective aides-de-camp at the funeral yesterday of former GAA president Pat Fanning in Waterford.

Top GAA administrators, together with players — past and present — from many counties, were among the attendance at St John’s Church for the funeral Mass.

Fanning died last Sunday at the Waterford Regional Hospital in his 92nd year. He had served as chairman of the Waterford County Board on three separate occasions, and then went on to become chairman of the Munster Council before realising a personal lifetime ambition when he assumed the presidency of the GAA in 1970.

A Mount Sion club legend, he also served as its chairman for many years, and at the time of his death was the honorary life president of both club and the Waterford County Board.

Heading up the GAA representation at the funeral Mass was the current president Christy Cooney and former presidents Jack Boothman, Paddy McFlynn, Dr Mick Loftus, and Nickey Brennan. The Association’s general secretary Paraic Duffy attended as did his immediate predecessor Liam Mulvihill along with Croke Park’s Games Development Officer Pat Daly, who is a native of Waterford.

Leading officials from many counties also attended as did former Munster Council chairman Jimmy O’Gorman and secretary Donie Nealon. The Waterford delegation was headed by chairman Tom Cunningham.

Chief celebrant Fr Brendan Crowley spoke of the huge contribution Fanning made to the GAA: “He was a great man who achieved greatness with very considerable modesty.”

The coffin, draped in the blue and white of club and county, was carried from the church to the strains of “The Hurlers Of Mount Sion’’.