Eamon Freeman, former Tooreen and Mayo hurler, dies in Cork

Former Tooreen and Mayo hurler, Eamon Freeman, died recently in Dunmanway, Co Cork. He had resided down in Cork for many years where he was well known as an agricultural advisor with Teagasc.

Eamon won several Mayo senior club hurling medals with Tooreen and was a member of the first Tooreen team to win the county title in 1966 when they defeated Cong in the final. He played alongside Tony Henry at midfield on that day.

“Eamon and I entered St Mary’s College in Galway as first years in 1960 and our love for hurling blossomed even more there when we played with the U-14 team. Fr Leo Morahan from Louisburgh was a teacher in the college in those times. The Tooreen club had been founded just three years earlier in 1957. Eamon spent just one year in St Mary’s before moving to St Jarlath’s in Tuam.

“We featured together over many years on the Tooreen and Mayo hurling teams. Eamon became a resident defender on both teams, lining out mainly at full-back or centre half-back. He was a teak-tough hurler and along with Michael Nolan, myself and a few others, was instrumental in keeping the Tooreen club going in the early years. He was a key player for us and we were saddened to hear of his passing in Cork,” said Tony Henry.

Eamon worked for a time with ACOT in Mayo before securing the appointment in Cork. He married Anne Rushe from Tooreen and they raised their family in Dunmanway while always retaining an abiding fondness for Tooreen and Mayo.

Warm tributes have been paid to Eamon by many friends in Cork and Mayo and further afield. Larry O’Donoghue said Eamon was a very pleasant gentleman. He was a Mayo GAA follower to the ground. He and his late wife Ann never failed to have the Mayo green and red flag draped on the house when Mayo teams were in action.

Anne Marie Murnane, Clonakilty, expressing the sentiments felt by many in the farming community in that part of Cork, said: “Eamon was an absolute gentleman both in life and work. He helped many farming families with his unassuming manner during his career in Teagasc Cork West.”

Tooreen Hurling Club issued a statement extending their deepest sympathies to the family and friends: “Eamon played for Tooreen for many years alongside his brother Seamus. He is also the uncle of current senior player Cathal. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.”

Reposing was at O’Neill’s Funeral Home, Dunmanway, with interment in St Finbarr’s Cemetery following Requiem Mass in St Patrick’s Church, Dunmanway.

Eamon, who was predeceased by his wife Anne and also by his brother Michael, sister Carmel (Marrinan) and his nephew Adrian, will be sadly missed by his family, Ciaran, Hazel, Patrice and Eamon, his brother Seamus and sister Bridie (Henry), sons-in-law Eoin and John, daughters-in-law Evelyn and Niamh, grandchildren Julien, Batt, Áine and Tess, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, friends, former colleagues in the Department of Agriculture and faithful companion dog Roxy.

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