Axel’s son launches tribute with Facebook mass appeal

The 11-year-old son of Munster rugby star Anthony Foley has launched a Facebook appeal in his father’s memory.

Two days after attending Munster’s emotionally charged victory over Glasgow Warriors at the spiritual home of Munster rugby, Thomond Park, Foley’s eldest son Tony, 11, set up the ‘Axel Foley Memorial’ Facebook page.

The Facebook site — Axel Foley Memorial — was launched shortly after midday yesterday and had over 17,900 likes at the time of going to print. In the campaign — #8masses4no8 — Tony is asking people to go to mass for the next eight Sundays, poignantly starting this coming Sunday — his father’s birthday.

The page explained that Tony and his family have been overwhelmed by the support they have received since his dad Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley passed away.

“Tony has been busy thinking of a tribute to his Dad and has asked that this page be set up in his memory. He wants to use it to ask people, who want to show their support, to attend mass on each of the next eight Sundays to pray for people who have died and while there to offer a prayer for his Dad also.”

It goes on: “The Number 8 is, of course, a special number for Tony and his family but the eight Sundays also bring us up to that special family time of year, Christmas.

“So, Tony has asked if you would, in his Dad’s memory, Like and share this page. As you do, tag eight Facebook friends to go to mass over the next eight Sundays and, at that mass, light a candle for a loved one or, indeed, for Anthony, take a photo of that lit candle and post it to this page using #8masses4no8.

The sons of the late Munster Rugby head coach Anthony Foley, Tony, left, and Dan, join CJ Stander, and the rest of the squad on the field to sing ’Stand Up and Fight’ after the European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 1 Round 2 match between Munster and Glasgow Warriors at Thomond Park in Limerick.

“By doing this you will be bringing additional comfort to this mighty young man and his family at this time.”

Meanwhile, the Samaritans in Limerick has reported a spike in calls from grief-stricken Munster fans who have contacted the service, after news first broke of the passing of their rugby hero. Eamon Fortune, a counsellor in Limerick, who is also a regional representative of the Irish Association for Counselling Physiotherapy told the Limerick Leader: “You get the sense that a huge family has lost one of its members.”