IN THE chapel to which he was a regular attendant, the spirit of Ollie Horgan lived on, writes Paddy Walsh.
Lived on in the touching words spoken in tribute to him and in the beautiful music and song that accompanied the special Mass held in his honour in St Eunan’s College on Friday afternoon. Here was where he inspired numerous students, and indeed his colleagues, since he arrived to take up a teaching post there in 1989.
And here is where he will be remembered fondly by all who came in contact with him – a personality that shone brightly in the classrooms and sporting arenas where his voice will echo resoundingly in the years to come.
In her moving reflection at the end of the Mass, Gracie Peoples, a teaching colleague and close friend, described him as someone who lived a life “rich in kindness, purpose, and quiet strength. The life of one of a kind, Ollie Horgan.”
He was a man who carried with him the best of his native Galway and his adopted Donegal, “the warmth and wit of the West, and the rugged loyalty of the North West. He may have left Galway, but it never left him. And here in Donegal he built a life of meaning, of service, and of love.
“Ollie was more than just a teacher. He was a guide, a mentor, a coach, in the classroom, on the pitch, and in life. Whether it was explaining a tricky bit of algebra or training a team on a cold wet evening, he gave his all, with patience, with good humour, and with an unwavering belief in the potential of every student and player he met.”
He had taught maths and PE but his real subjects had been resilience, respect and heart. A man of huge intelligence and charisma, Ms Peoples added.
Students knew they were seen and valued while colleagues knew they had a friend.
Describing him as an “incredibly kind and generous person”, she said there was a humility about him that made his presence all the more powerful. “He never looked for praise, but he earned it. He never sought the spotlight, but he shone in it.”
And now, gone too soon, he had left behind a silence that felt too vast to name. “We grieve for the loss of his voice in the corridor, his whistle on the field, his wicked sense of humour and his steady presence among us.”
They gave thanks for the legacy he left, not just in the trophies or accolades, but in the hearts he lifted, the lives he had touched, and the example he had given. “A legacy of integrity. Of humility. Of love for life.”
They said goodbye with sorrow but also with deep gratitude. “Rest easy, Ollie. You ran your race with grace and grit. You taught us more than you ever knew. And though you may be gone from our sight, you will never be gone from our hearts.”
Also paying tribute, St Eunan’s College Principal, Damian McCrory said the news of Ollie’s passing 24 hours previously had caused “huge devastation” within the school community and continued to do so. “It is with a heavy heart today that I stand before you,” he told the congregation.
“Ollie was a character, one of a kind. He was a wonderful colleague and a friend who brought great laughter to us all. He was a man with principles, with passion, with great faith and with a caring heart. He was an all-round professional who saw the best in every student and every person, and who fought and argued about what was right.”
Referring to the many statements of sympathy that had been pouring in from all corners of Ireland and further afield, he highlighted in particular the tribute from the President Michael D. Higgins. “Ollie would have so enjoyed, laughed at the thought of this. He would have milked it too and never let us forget it,” said the Principal to loud laughter.
“Ollie was a modest man who would shrug off the pleasant things that were said about him – modest until he got onto a football field or sideline and then he showed his passion.
“To St Eunan’s College, Ollie was Ollie – he was a friend, a person you could confide in, a man of many talents, a man of humour and wit, a man full of mischief, a man of strong faith which was symbolised in our offertory procession, a man who educated and advised a huge amount of young men over his long career here.”
He had first met Ollie when he, Mr McCrory, had arrived at the College. “He was a great support to me then and continued to be so during the years that followed.
“That did not exclude me or anyone else being hit with brussel sprouts during our in-house Christmas party or Mr Teddy being flung your way during break-time!”
Supportive to all the staff, he wasn’t someone who wanted recognition for his great work.
“We, as a staff, will truly miss this massive character in the days, months and years ahead.”
On behalf of the Board of Management, the staff and students of the College, and the local and wider community, the Principal extended deepest sympathy to Ollie’s wife, Anita, daughter Emma, and sons, Anthony, Brendan, Conor and David, his sister, Mary, brother, Ger, and the wider family circle.
Acknowledging all the messages of sympathy that had arrived in the previous 24 hours and thanking the priests who had celebrated the mass and the canteen staff and Parents Association for helping with the refreshments, the Principal concluded: “Ollie, rest in peace and continue to look down on us. Rest well – you will be sorely missed.”
In his homily during the Mass, chief celebrant, Fr Damien Nejad – the concelebrants included Monsignor Kevin Gillespie and Fr. Michael Carney – said that Ollie had been a regular visitor to the College chapel during his time there.
He referred to the three F’s in terms of his passions in life – family, football, and faith. And there was a fourth in the form of the friendships he had made.
“Ollie was loved by so many, staff, pupils, parents and, of course, his family.” He had left this life far too young.
“He was the kind of person that everybody wanted to be around,” Fr Nejad declared, referring to his “profound sense of humour”.
He had helped turned students’ lives around and was always looking out for their welfare.
A very humble man and one with a good heart, the celebrant added.
A description shared by all who attended and who gathered later in the study hall to avail of refreshments and many a story of the personality that had lit up St Eunan’s College and all other aspects of his all too short life.
