Former Finn Harps and Galway United coach Ollie Horgan laid to rest

Hundreds gathered in Galway this afternoon for the funeral of former League of Ireland manager Ollie Horgan.

The former Finn Harps manager and Galway United coach died on Thursday, August 28, aged 57, following a brief illness.

Mr Horgan, son of the late Joe and Bernie and brother of the late Martin, is mourned by his wife Anita and their children Emma, Anthony, Brendan, Conor and David, sister Mary and brother Ger.

His funeral mass took place today, September 1, at Church of Christ the King, Salthill, where a large crowd gathered to remember Mr Horgan.

A beloved father and teacher

A family man, teacher, and football manager, he was revered by both those who knew him personally and those who were familiar with him through the stories that became part of League of Ireland folklore.

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins was in attendance, as well as a vast number of faces from the League of Ireland consisting of the Galway United and Finn Harps squads and many former players.

Several of Horgan’s managerial peers also travelled to Galway to pay their respects, including Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley and ex-Shelbourne manager Damien Duff.

Mr Horgan was remembered as a “good father” by his son, Brendan, who said his dad was “great craic” growing up, although he was well able to put his children back in their place, if needed, he added.

Brendan used the opportunity to recount several stories from his father’s younger years. He described his childhood, growing up a keen pianist and playing a range of sports for clubs across Salthill.

“His honesty was evident from a from a young age, and my granny told me a story years ago,” he said. “When he was in town and she brought him into the shops, she bought him an anorak that that she probably shouldn't have.

“She made him promise that he wouldn't tell his dad. He said ‘No, no, I won't tell Dad’.

“When he landed home anyway, he walked into the sitting room, and he said to his dad ‘We didn't buy no anorak!’

Mr Horgan began teaching at St Eunan’s College, Letterkenny, following his studies at University College Galway. It was there that he met his wife, Anita, and created countless memories within the football community at Fanad United. During his playing days, he had a glittering career as a tough-tackling left-back and was a vital cog of the team that captured the club’s second FAI Intermediate Cup in 1995.

He added several Ulster Senior League and Knockalla Caravan Cups to his medal collection before the wind down of his playing career and entry into the world of management and involvement with the Irish Schoolboys teams.

“I've been told that that as a player, Dad was more than happy to take both man and ball with him and over the last few days I've met many of his past opponents, and they all seem to have the same limp,” he said.

Several Ulster Senior League medals were to follow when he took charge of Fanad United alongside his friend Colm McGonigle, as well as a handful of league cups.

At St Eunan’s College, Mr Horgan was known as a mentor and guide to pupils and a friend, confidant and joker in the staffroom, Brendan said.

His dedicated efforts in the classroom did not go unnoticed as in 2021, he received a 2021 ASTI Achievement Award in recognition of his contribution to his school community and to sports in Ireland.

“He taught for over 30 years in St Eunan’s. He taught science and maths initially and as the years went on, he kind of moved more towards the PE classes.”

“Whether that was from his love and devotion to sport, or whether it was from the maths classes grades, I'll leave that for you to decide,” he added.

“There was never a dull day in there. Whether he was parking certain teachers’ cars in the middle of the football pitch or whether he was slagging the principal in staff meetings, he always kept the craic going.

“He can't stop us telling this story now, but one day on the way into school, we had an incident with the lollipop man… we hit the lollipop man.

“He spent a few seconds on the bonnet of the car, but he was fine. It was a long wait before we were allowed to tell our mother that one.”

“He was so unapologetically himself. He didn't care about how he was perceived by others and certainly there was no sleep lost over what people might think of him.”

Tributes from the football community

Galway United first-team manager John Caulfield also spoke to the gathered crowd to remember his former rival, assistant and long-term friend. He said that knowing and working with him was a “privilege” and a “blessing”.

Ollie Horgan died aged 57. Photo: Sportsfile

“There are lots of stories about him, he’s been just a phenomenal character, phenomenal person,” he said.

“Everyone has a story, a unique [story] about Ollie. So it was just a privilege for us and for the players that we met such a fantastic character and all the stories about him were so good.

Saying goodbye to his colleague and friend, Mr Caulfield added his knowledge and passion were both “incredible”.

“The people on the league will see him and know him, because he wasn't everyone's friend or everyone's cup of tea, but you got what you saw, and his passion and his strength were phenomenal.

“So farewell, my friend. You're leaving. It's time for you to go. Your friendship was a blessing. And we will miss you so.”

A man of faith and humility

Parish priest Father Michael McLoughlin remembered Mr Horgan as a kind man who helped many in the community.

“Ollie had a profound acceptance of who he was. He seemed, you could say, extremely comfortable in his own skin,” he said.

“And then this combined with his high intelligence, a phenomenal memory, great insights, a really kind, compassionate and caring heart, and a real gift of reading situations and where people were at.

As well as a humble man who liked to live “under the radar” as Fr McLoughlin added: “That under the radar [way] applied to his faith, and yes, Ollie had faith. Ollie was a man who prayed. He prayed regularly, and sometimes he would be spotted going in and out to the church for what you could call a short visit – and sometimes these short visits were extremely short.

“The engine still running, the door open, and he was in, blessed himself and was out again. Obviously, he was in a rush, probably heading to Finn Park and praying for a good and just referee. You could say [that was] another unanswered prayer.

“And because all his life was built on such a solid foundation, it freed him to be the Ollie that we all knew and loved.

Ollie Horgan

“The Ollie who gave so much of his time and talent, of course, to sport making such a positive contribution to the lives of so many players and fans alike.

“Ollie, the family man who, along with Anita created such a loving, strong family unit who in their own under the radar way, are making positive contributions to the community.

Fr McLoughlin also described him as a man who loved life, loved pranks, the piano, to party, to tell stories, loved his students and everything about sport.

He added: “For those of us and for many of us who had the privilege and honour of knowing him for many years, who worked with him, socialised with him, played football with him in serious games and not so serious games, he was without doubt magnificent company.

“Any time you spent time in his company, whether it was in the staff room, whether it was in the car, the minibus, maybe a bar stool or a late-night chipper. Even once digging turf in the bog,

"Every conversation, every phone conversation you had, you felt your life was enriched, you felt the better for it, and you were always guaranteed in that conversation a good laugh.”

Fr McLoughlin concluded: “Today in this requiem mass, as we pray for the repose of all his soul, we certainly thank God for the gift of his life.

“A man who enriched all our lives, who brought so much fun and laughter and excitement into our lives, and who taught us an important lesson, that the road of humility that he undertook, a road that is indeed less travelled, is a road that opens many doors and builds many bridges of friendship among people from all walks of life.”

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