Hundreds pay tribute to GAA legend Egan

Glowing tributes were offered in memory of the late John Egan last night as hundreds gathered in Cork for his removal in Wilton.

Friends and fans travelled from Mr Egan’s native Sneem in Co Kerry, only to return home to repeat the journey to attend his funeral this morning.

“He was an absolute hero in Sneem, our greatest ever export,” said Sneem GAA club chairman Jim O’Sullivan.

Mr O’Sullivan carried the bright orange jerseys of Mr Egan’s home team to form the first of three guards of honour as the remains were carried from O’Connor’s Funeral Home on the Sarsfield Rd, a short distance from the Egan family home.

Members of the Kerry panel formed a second guard of honour as the coffin was shouldered into the Church of the Real Presence on the Curraheen Rd in Bishopstown.

Bishopstown GAA Club players will form a third and final guard of honour from the church following requiem mass at 11am today.

A six-time All-Ireland winner and a member of An Garda Síochána, Mr Egan passed away on Sunday, aged 59.

He is survived by his wife Mary, son John, and daughter Maureen.

At a civic reception held for the gardaí in Cork last night, the Lord Mayor Cllr Terry Shannon remembered Mr Egan and said that while he may have played for Kerry, he was fondly remembered as somebody who worked in Cork for the police force for many, many years.

Chief superintendent Michael Finn, who is in charge of policing the city and is also a native of Kerry, said he had brought as much passion for playing with the Garda team as the Kerry team.

“He was totally unselfish as a guard and also as a footballer,” he said.