Sad death of Francie Tuite.

 Word has just filtered in of the sad death in his 93rd year of Francie Tuite formerly of Tullaghanstown of this Parish.

I knew this total gentleman ,not that well ,but well enough to know that he was the real deal.

As far as I know he was the oldest Dunderry GAA player still alive.He played with my uncles Paddy and Joe Mc Cormack and they often spoke of him,always with the highest respect.

He was a totally honest player,played in the forwards and went full bloodedly for every ball.After a match you knew from the bruises unintentionally inflicted on you ,if you were an  oppenent ,that you had been in a competitive match.

When he was growing up there were few,if any companions around to practise with.He honed his catching skills by hitting a ball up into a tree and lepping to catch it as it cascaded down through the branches.

He was a brave man.Well into his late sixties I  met him at his brother,s Tommy;s house.He was struggling to walk with two walking sticks to the extent that you would wonder what kept him at the attempt to walk ,such was the obvious pain endured in the effort.

Whether it was a result of his boisterous footballing career of whether the determination he had in competing at football kept him going I  don't know but he underwent surgery with miraculuous results, disgarded his crutches and could walk nearly perfectly.

Some men are so elegantly religious that you would say they were cut out to be priests.Francie was one such.That is not to say that he was not the most perect of husbands and fathers and grandfathers.He was.

When his nephew Thomas was killed in an accident some years ago ,his funeral Mass was in Dunderry.I  was sick at the time of the Mass and my better half ,by far ,went to the Mass.She was in total awe at the quality and sincerety of the homage the Francie paid to Thomas in the Mass to the extent that she rememnbers it to this day.

He was a geat man for the Rosary and I  have seen a photograph of him praying with members of the Travelling community as a young man.

His nephew Brian is a friend of mine and shares many of his uncles traits ,excluding the fiootball side of things.

His mortal remains will arrive at Rathmore Church this Saturday evening at 5p.m. and the funeral Mass is at 2.00 p.m.tomorrow ,with burial afterwards at the adjoining cemetery.

To his wife Vera ,his daughter Edel ,his son in law Martin cCooroon,his grandchildren and extended family I  offer my sincerest sympathies.

Ar Dheis De go raibh Anam an Fior Gael suid.

The DunderryGAA Club formed a guard of honour,of which Iwas glad to participate, for this devout member of the Legion of Mary on his arrival at the Church.