President McAleese to unveil Dermot Earley monument

President McAleese to unveil Dermot Earley monument


Michael Commins

A West Roscommon community will come together in a very special way at the end of August to once again remember and honour their most famous son. President Mary McAleese will make a special visit to Gorthaganny to officially unveil a spectacular life-size memorial statue of Roscommon football legend Dermot Earley.
The memorial ceremony has been arranged for Saturday morning, August 27, and will culminate with the formal unveiling of the bronze sculpture next to the Earley family home in Gorthaganny. The sculpture will capture the essence of a player at the height of his sporting career.
The Earley family, centrally involved in the undertaking, are extremely pleased with the work of Seamus Connolly, one of Irelands’ leading bronze sculptors. Based in West Clare, Seamus is best known for his highly acclaimed real-life commissions. They include sculptures of film actor Richard Harris as a young man in Kilkee – which was unveiled by Hollywood star Russell Crowe - and that of writer John B Keane in Listowel.
The Dermot Earley bronze figure will stand on a black granite base and will be set in front of a stone surround bearing two plaques, one highlighting both a proud football and army career, the latter which culminated in his promotion to Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces in April 2007.
The other plaque will contain the words of a philosophy of life which Dermot held dear, namely: ‘1. Enjoy time with my family. 2. Give the best to my work. 3. Give back to my community 4. Spend my leisure time well 5. Make time for God in my life.’
Feelystone in Boyle, who sourced Seamus Connolly for the main sculpture, were commissioned to make the plaques.
“We are absolutely thrilled that President Mary McAleese, who herself has strong Roscommon connections through the Lenihan family of Ballinameen, will be our special guest of honour at an event which honours one of the county’s greatest ambassadors both on and off the pitch,” said Seamus Crawley, Chairman of the Gorthaganny Community Development Company.
Organisers of the memorial event are also pleased that the special occasion will play host to the well known sounds of the Army Number One Band. They will feature in a Dermot Earley Memorial Concert in Loughglynn on Thursday, July 28. The concert will mark the start of the annual Loughglynn Music Festival.
The first anniversary of Dermot Earley’s death took place on June 24 last.