HUNDREDS FILED into Egan’s funeral home in Thurles throughout yesterday afternoon and evening to sympathise with the family of John Doyle (80) as they mourned the passing of one of hurling’s greatest exponents
Hurling stars past and present are expected to assemble today in Holycross Abbey to say their last farewells to Doyle, who was never dropped from the Tipperary team during an inter-county career stretching from 1949 until 1967.
The eight-time All-Ireland winner, who died on Wednesday, will be buried after funeral Mass in Holycross at 11.30am. His remains were removed from Thurles to Holycross Abbey last night.
Among those in attendance at last night’s removal ceremony were team-mates from those all-conquering days with Tipperary, as well as clubmates from Holycross-Ballycahill, with whom Doyle won three county championships. Taoiseach Brian Cowen was among the mourners last night.
They paid their respects to Doyle’s widow, Anne, as well as sons Michael and Johnny and daughters Collette, Margaret, Anne-Marie, Sandra and Liz.
Celebrants included Fr Ray Reidy, a brother of Doyle’s widow.