Bus loads of friends and fans travelled from John Egan’s native Sneem, Co Kerry, only to return home and repeat the journey to Cork to attend his funeral Mass this morning.
“He was an absolute hero in Sneem, our greatest ever export,” local GAA club chairman Jim O’Sullivan said.
Mr O’Sullivan carried the bright orange jerseys of Egan’s home town team to form the first of three guards of honour as the remains were carried from O’Connor’s Funeral Home on
the Sarsfield Road in Wilton, a short distance from the Egan family home.
Former Kerry players Pat and Tom Spillane, Tommy Doyle, Timmy O’Dowd, Ger Lynch and Brendan Lynch gathered to share stories of Egan’s career.
Members of the Kerry panel formed a second guard of honour as the coffin was shouldered into the Church of the Real Presence on the Curraheen Road in Bishopstown.
Described as great company, a man of great wit and a scholar, Egan’s status as one of the great heroes of Kerry GAA was evident last night as the line of sympathisers extended down out through the gates of the funeral home.
Gaelic games commentator Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh was among those lining up to offer his sympathy to the family of six times All-Ireland winner, who is revered as one of the legends of Mick O’Dwyer’s team of the 1970s and 1980s.