News Story
TOM ROSS RIP - (Number of times read: 3435)
Daniel O Donovan | Monday 24 March 2014
The Doheny GAA Club has been rocked by the sad loss of yet another young man. Thomas (Tom) Ross passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday evening having battled illness for the last 7 months.
To his wife Lorraine and loving father of Cassiopeia and dear brother of Mary, Christina, Jennifer, Martina and his late brothers John & Aidan, we pass on our sincere sympathies and deepest condolences.
His death has devastated his family and friends and the wider community, and has compounded the grief of the Doheny GAA Club, who are still coming to terms with the loss of Ray Kelleher, a friend and team mate of Tom’s, who passed away a fortnight ago.
Tom made a great contribution to Cumann Lúthchleas Gael both at home and abroad. He was a very prominent footballer for the Dohenys, Cork, New York-Donegal & San Francisco-Clann naGael. Tom was part of the Doheny Minor team that won the West Cork Football Championship in 1978 and went onto to play Senior/Intermediate for the Club. He won an All-Ireland U21 medal for Cork in 1981, beating Galway in the final and he also played National League games for the Cork Seniors in the early 80s before a serious knee injury curtailed his inter-county career. Tom emigrated to America. When his knee injury abated he played for New York-Donegal with some very well known footballers in the likes of Larry Tompkins and Anthony Molloy of Donegal. He could mix it with the best of them. Tom played for San Francisco-Clann naGael from 1985-91. The team encompassed players from all over West Cork, expatriates from Dunmanway, Drinagh, Drimoleague, Skibbereen, Kilcrohane & Bantry etc. Tom was a very highly rated footballer amongst his peers, a high fielding powerful midfielder.
Tom was a selector for the Doheny Senior team in 2005 & 06 when the team made the semi-final in 05 and played in the County Final in 2006. Tom brought some very fresh ideas to the table, systems of play etc which the players themselves appreciated and benefited greatly from. The Senior team were unlucky not to win the Senior County Championship in 2006.
Tom was an extremely charismatic man, very well thought of. Although he had a relatively short life he lived every day to the full. He travelled the world in his day, been to places as far reaching as Alaska, San Francisco, New York etc. He could keep you captivated for hours with stories of his travels, his playing days, his work and the people he met. He adored his wife and child.
He has now past to his eternal rest and will be rightly welcomed by the deceased members of the Doheny community that have gone before him and with them, will not be forgotten.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. Mo chóbhrón dá chlann is dá cháirde uilig. Is mó an chailiút dóibh suid ná dúinne.
Funeral Arrangements
Monday 24th - Visitation at his house in Droumdrastil 3pm - 8pm.
Tuesday 25th - Visitation at his house in Droumdrastil 2pm-6pm....
Wednesday 26th Prayers at his house in Droumdrastil at 12 noon followed by removal at 1.30pm (approx). GUARD OF HONOUR & SHOULDERING OF COFFIN from TOM’S HOME PLACE (Chapel St ) to LONG BRIDGE.