'A final leap into heaven': Sam Maguire and Liam MacCarthy cups held over coffin of great Teddy McCarthy

Billy Morgan, Jimmy Barry Murphy and Dr. Con Murphy shoulder the coffin of GAA Cork dual star Teddy McCarthy at St. Joseph’s Church, Springhill, Glanmire, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

The Sam Maguire and the Liam MacCarthy cups were held aloft above GAA legend Teddy McCarthy’s coffin before his funeral mass today, where mourners were told he had made his final leap into heaven.

In an emotional eulogy laced with humour and deeply personal insights, Teddy’s son, Cian, said his father had sacrificed everything for the GAA during his playing career but had “mellowed” over the last decade following the births of his grandchildren.

The Sarsfields players form a guard of honour for the late Cork dual star Teddy McCarthy St. Joseph’s Church, Springhill, Glanmire, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

Cian said: “I could go on and on about all the games he played, but to see all the tributes, it’s been absolutely incredible and everyone knows all of those stories.

“So I just wanted to say something about the last five or 10 years, especially when his grandkids were born.

“He really mellowed out over those few years.

“All his life, he was so wound up because he sacrificed everything he had to play GAA, and made sure that came first.

“But when my sons (Tiernan and Joey) were born, he really put time into them, teaching them how to play hurling, football. He was even giving out to me for giving out to them.

“Myself and Niall (his brother) were slagging that if only he was like that when we were growing up.

“It was great to see because he really took pride in it.

“He loved hurling and football and to see his grandkids getting a kick out of it, playing games, and carrying through his legacy to another generation, he was really proud of that.

“He used to look at Tiernan and say 'greatness always skips a generation’ and he would look over at me.” 

Billy Morgan, Con Murphy, Larry Tompkins, Tomas Mulcahy, Niall Cahalane and Jimmy Barry Murphy shoulder Teddy McCarthy’s coffin into the church pic.twitter.com/aOjISHm76x

— Eoin English (@EoinBearla) June 10, 2023

Cian recalled how last Monday night, his dad watched him and Niall win the MacCurtain Centenary Cup with Passage, and spent time with them afterward analysing the game over a few pints.

“I think it was a fitting day for everything he stood for - playing the game, watching the game, going out afterward, talking about the game, dissecting the game, that was what it was all about,” Cian said.

“And he even told Niall he played well, which was another rarity.

“I can’t say anymore that hasn’t already been said but I would like to thank you all again and I’m sure we will drive on and stand tall because that’s exactly what he did for all of us.” 

Teddy's McCarthy's sons Cian and Niall shoulder the coffin of their father Teddy McCarthy from the funeral home in Glanmire, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

Mr McCarthy died suddenly at home last Tuesday a month short of his 58th birthday.

Hundreds of mourners packed into Saint Joseph’s Church, in Glanmire, on the outskirts of Cork city this morning, while hundreds more lined the roads outside, to bid him farewell.

The devoted Sarsfield GAA club man first lined out for the Cork footballers in 1985.

He went on play inter-county for 11 years, winning two All-Ireland senior football medals, six Munster medals, and an All-Star over the course of a glittering career.

In his time lining out with the Cork senior hurlers, he won two All-Ireland medals, three Munster titles, and one National Hurling title.

But in 1990, he wrote himself into the history books as part of the all-conquering Cork hurling and football teams which won the famous double - bagging two All-Ireland medals in a fortnight.

He became the first and remains the only player to win All-Ireland inter-county hurling and football medals in the same season.

After hanging up his boots in the mid-1990s, he moved into management and coaching, managing the Sars and Bandon hurling teams.

He was part of Gerald McCarthy’s management team in Cork which stepped down in 2009 after a fall-out with the players and he went on to manage the Laois hurlers just over a decade ago, for just one season.

He was in Semple Stadium last Sunday to watch Cork’s Under 20s beat Offaly in the All-Ireland hurling final. He was found dead at home on Tuesday.

His funeral cortege left Barry Bros Funeral Home in Hazelwood at 9.45am and wound its way through the area he called home, past the sports pitches where as a child he first hurled and kicked a ball, and where he learned to defy the laws of gravity and soar head and shoulders above his opponents to fetch a sliotar from a forest of hurleys, or field a football from a midfield mangle of arms.

It passed through Brooklodge, and stopped for a moment outside the McCarthy family home in St Joseph’s Park, and on to the Sarsfields hurling club, where he was vice-chairman, and where on Friday night the Sam Maguire and Liam MacCarthy cups sat beneath a collection of photographs of Teddy through the years, displayed above a book of condolences.

It then made its way across the bridge to St Joseph's Church where hundreds more lined the route applauding one of their own who had become one of the greatest.

Marty Morrissey with Oonagh McCarthy and her grandchildren Tiernan and Joey at the funeral mass for Teddy McCarthy at St. Joseph’s Church, Springhill, Glanmire, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

The coffin, draped in the Sars, Glanmire, and Cork flags, was shouldered into the church by Billy Morgan, Dr Con Murphy, Larry Tompkins, Tomas Mulcahy, Niall Cahalane and Jimmy Barry Murphy.

Inside, mourners were led by his wife Oonagh, sons Cian and Niall, and daughter, Sinead, his two remaining brothers, Pat and Denis, and his sisters Breda, Philly and Mary. He is pre-deceased by another brother, Michael and a sister, Ellen.

Among the mourners were Lord Mayor, Cllr Deirdre Forde, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, Jerry Buttimer, President Michael D Higgins was represented by aide de camp, Capt Paul O’Donnell, and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was represented by aide de Camp Cmmdt Claire Mortimer.

Principal celebrant of the funeral Mass, Fr Pat Fogarty, co-parish priest, of Glanmire, said news of Teddy’s death had stopped people in their tracks.

“It was like a dark cloud descending over our community here in Glanmire, throughout the county, throughout the country, and beyond, bringing with it a wave of emotions - initially of course, disbelief, shock sadness, it can’t be true,” he said.

Teddy, he said, was one of the few people who were known simply by their first name.

“You didn’t have to say Teddy McCarthy or Teddy Mac because Teddy was so famous and so well-known, admired, and respected throughout the country.

“And Teddy wore that badge of fame and talent and giftedness very lightly.

“He was a very humble, kind man, who never sought the limelight.” 

The two All Ireland trophies were among the gifts brought to the altar to signify his sporting passion.

People wear their Cork jerseys while waiting for the funeral cortege for Teddy McCarthy in Glanmire, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

There was sustained applause when Larry Tompkins and Tomas Mulcahy carried them forward.

His 1990 teammates and lifelong friends John Considine and Niall Cahalane presented two Cork jerseys, and a hurley, sliotar, and football, and Sars and Glanmire club jerseys were also presented.

Among the family gifts were the two Cork jerseys, the number 9 and number 12, he wore when he won the double, presented by his grandsons Tiernan and Joey, while his daughter Sinead presented his two All Ireland medals from that year.

Other gifts included a shirt to signify his sense of style, presented by his niece Deirdre, and a framed photo of his mother, Mary, presented by his nephew Keelan.

Jimmy Barry Murphy and 1990 Cork hurling captain Tomás Mulcahy at the funeral mass for Teddy McCarthy at St. Joseph’s Church, Springhill, Glanmire, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

In his homily, Father Martin Barry SPS, a Kiltegan Father, a native of Glanmire, and a family friend, whose brother, Mick, was Teddy’s first trainer, and who gave him his first pair of football boots, said Teddy was a regular churchgoer and had attended the 10.30am he celebrated at the church last Sunday.

“It’s very hard to imagine that we are back again today six days later for his funeral,” he said.

“I would not rate myself to be a very strong and powerful man but at the same time, I don’t cry very easily.

“But I do admit to shedding a few tears when I heard that Teddy had died.

“He died in his sleep. At least he had a peaceful death.

“In Teddy’s hurling and football career, he was most noted for the spring in his step, and for the leap into the air to catch the sliotar or a football.

“This was his greatest talent. The press described it in many different superlatives.

“I remember reading once that Teddy jumped into the clouds and brought the ball down with him.

“Now, if he jumped into the clouds, he was halfway to heaven.

“And now Teddy has made a final leap in his life, and he’s leaped into heaven where he will be reunited with his mum and dad, Denis and Mary his brother, Michael, and his sister, Ellen.” 

Bishop of Cork and Ross, Fintan Gavin, prayed over the coffin before his remains were carried from the church to the strains of the Cork anthem, The Banks of my Own Lovely Lee.

Burial is taking place in Rathcooney Cemetery this afternoon.