A HEARSE CARRYING the body of Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley stopped briefly outside Thomond Park tonight as up to 1,000 fans welcomed home the local rugby hero on his final journey.
Fans stood in silence as his coffin, draped in a giant red Munster flag, paused for four minutes in front of a shrine of jerseys, scarves, and flowers which supporters had been constructing since news of Foley’s passing broke last Sunday.
Foley’s former teammates and colleagues at Shannon Rugby Club stood in a line in their official club suits to honour the 42-year old, as the hearse, chaperoned by two Garda motorcycle riders, approached the Limerick stadium where ‘Axel’ had earned his hero credentials.
Former Munster player, and Shannon RFC president, Noel Healy, led the large assembled crowd in an emotional rendition of the club’s anthem ‘There Is An Isle’.
As Foley left Thomond for the final time, fans wept, applauded, and sung on to the final words of their melodic tribute: “And my home, my home is there.”
The hearse, followed closely by Foley’s wife Olive, and their sons Tony and Daniel, continued through the streets of his native Limerick towards his former school, St Munchin’s College, where it stopped again briefly as students performed another guard of honour.
Special
Earlier, at 5.59pm, a specially-chartered Ryanair flight from Paris (Le Bourget) carrying the Munster great touched down at Shannon Airport.
The flight number on the aircraft FR008p represented the number 8 jersey Foley had worn for Shannon, Munster and Ireland.
The results of a post-mortem on the Munster icon’s body, released to the media on Tuesday, concluded he had died from a build up of fluid in his lungs caused by a heart condition.
Destined for greatness
Standing outside Thomond Park, chairman of Shannon Rugby Club, John Leahy, said: “He was probably one of the most resolute characters ever in our club. We probably didn’t realise it when he was younger. Afterwards, as he grew older, it was obvious he was destined for greatness.
“His greatness manifested itself when he won five All-Ireland’s with Shannon. We would have won some of them, but not five, not if Anthony Foley hadn’t been on the team.
He was the glue that kept it all together.
Leahy added: “He was a thinker, a very focused man – He was always at the back of the scrum which would be edging 70 metres forward and his eyes would be darting left and right, and then he’d tap a teammate on the backside when he saw an opportunity for a score and the team would go forth. He was an incredible reader of the game. We loved him.”
Of the dozens of personal fan tributes left at the gates of Thomond, one handwritten note by “Dave F” seemed to sum up how important Axel was to rugby and to the fans. The note reads: “The axel is the most important part of any vehicle, and he made it work so well. I’ll miss him so much, I am so sad.”
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