Fagan, Michéal
June 14, 2011Mick (Micheal) Fagan, Kildavin, Co. Carlow, who died at his home on Saturday 4 June, was a member of the Kildavin GAA team which won the Carlow Junior Football Championship in 1957.
He was a lifelong dedicated Gael. Despite his advanced age and even though he had been hospitalised in Wexford County Hospital in recent months. Mick's passing was unexpected. The night before his death, he attended a football match in the local Spellman Park and had been watching television with family members that evening.
A native of Craanmore, Kildavin, Mick came from a farming background. A very industrious man, Mick purchased a digger-loader and went into the hire business for himself and spent a long number of years working for Carlow County Council. In the late 1970s, Mick went to work his land as a sheep farmer at rossacurra, Myshall and continued to farm up to a few years ago, feeling no need to submit to advancing years.
Fr Jimmy Doyle, CC, Sallins himself a Craanmore native, who celebrated Mick's funeral Mass in St Lazerian's Church, Kildavin on Tuesday morning last week, reminded the huge congregation that Mick was known on the football pitch as "The Iron Man'. He played at left-corner-back and while he would never claim to be a skillful player, knew very well how to protect player, knew very well how to protect his defensive patch. Fr Jimmy, who himself played for Kildavin and Carlow, brought smiles form the congregation with his anecdotes about Mick playing days at a time when the rules were less rigorously applied than in the modern game. In essence, Mick will be remembered as a fearless defender who made many an attacker fearful. After his playing days, Mick gave back to the game he loved by becoming involved in the promotion of Gaelic football with the Kildavin juveniles.
It is recalled that he would convey a load of budding young footballers in his green van to games- there was no room for any Fagan family members- with the complete emphasis being on getting the 15 young players on the field.
Mick was also an avid supporter of the great Eire Og Football team of the 1990s, following them all over the country as they brought great sporting honour to the county. Mick married Margaret Moran from Half-Way-House, Bunclody and they hand three daughters, one of whom Joanna, died in infancy.
Very much a devoted family man, his two grandchildren Alena and Ela were the apple of Mick's eye. Members of Kildavin GAA, young and old, formed a guard of honour at his removal on Monday evening of last week. The Kildavin No4 jersey was placed on the coffin.
Mick is survived by his wife Margaret, daughters Breda Fagan (Kildavin) and Nuala Moore (Kildavin) , grandchildren Alena and Ela, son-in-law Terry, brother Pat (Kilinure, Tullow), sisters Maura Ryan (Kildavin) and Sheila Kavanagh (Myshall), sister-in-law, brothers-in-law, by his nephews, nieces, other relatives, neighbours and his many friends. He was predeceased some ten years ago by his brother Jack (Craanmore), while another brother, Laurence, died in infancy, May he rest in peace.
Courtesy of the Carlow Nationalist
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