The late Seamus McCormick (right) pictured with Seamus Lynch at the MacCumhaills Dinner Dance earlier this year.
BY CHRIS MCNULTY
THE Twin Towns was in mourning today as one of its best known characters was laid to rest.
Seamus McCormick (75) was a stalwart of the Sean MacCumhaills GAA club and was well known to anyone who attended games, at either club or county level, in MacCumhaill Park, where he was an ever-present.
Late of Goland, Ballybofey, Seamus passed away peacefully on Thursday after a short illness.
St Mary’s Church, Sessiaghoneill was packed as hundreds of mourners turned out to bid a final farewell.
Funeral Mass was celebrated by Fr Patsy Arkinson, while family friend Fr Martin Chambers concelebrated.
The coffin of the late Mr McCormick was draped in the green and white flag of his beloved Sean MacCumhaills, while local fiddler Paddy McMenamin played as his remains were carried to the adjoining cemetery.
“He was an ardent supporter of MacCumhaills and he was very much a familiar figure in the clubhouse there. It is only right and proper that a guard of honour of club members took place this morning to honour his contribution over the years to the club,” said Fr Arkinson.
“Seamus was a great Gaelgoir, he had a great love for Irish and particularly the Scór competitions. People came from far and wide to the wake as they had got to know Seamus through his involvement in Scór.”
Seamus McCormick was a trojan worker for the MacCumhaills club, particularly in the Scór competitions, Scór Sinsear and Scór na nOg, as well as being a strong supporter and promoter of hurling in the club.
In 2010, when he was chairman of the club’s hurling board, MacCumhaills won the Donegal senior hurling championship – which brought great delight to Seamus.
A number of items were presented at the altar celebrating his life: a MacCumhaills jersey, symbolising his love of the GAA; a bicycle, which was his mode of transport; a deck of cards to represent his social life; a model farm animal, outlining the farming background that he came from and carried on; as well as a Scór shawl in respect of his love of that aspect of the GAA.
“The qualities that everyone associated with Seamus McCormick were kindness, goodness, loyalty and faith,” said Fr Arkinson.
Members of the MacCumhaills club formed a guard of honour outside the chapel, and previously at his treasured MacCumhaill Park – where the flags flew at half mast – as the funeral cortege passed.
A former caretaker of the old Butt Hall, Seamus McCormick is survived by his brother Peter, sisters Maureen, Jane, Patsy, Kitty and Margaret, and a wide family circle including 54 nephews and nieces.
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