‘Weekend For Thomas’ to honour hugely-popular Ballinagh man

GAA news

The passing of Thomas Moore was a devastating blow to his family, friends and community but, a year on, he will be remembered with a fundraising tournament this weekend, writes Paul Fitzpatrick.

A year ago today, March 13, Thomas Moore was taken away. The loss of Ballinagh’s brilliant footballer, their championship-winning captain, county man, community stalwart, father of a young son, was shocking, distressing and tragic on a level which words cannot really encapsulate.

The torrent of grief which ensued spoke to the man’s standing in the affections of everyone who knew him; his carefree personality, beaming smile and wit and dashing sportsmanship on the football pitch had endeared him to all.

Twelve months on, Thomas will be remembered this weekend with the inaugural ‘Weekend for Thomas’, a celebration and fundraiser. When Thomas’s wife, Caroline, came up with the idea, a 13-strong committee was put in place and the work started.

For Caroline, this weekend will be about preserving Thomas’s memory and giving back. Life can be so cruel and unfair but it must go on and this event has given Caroline, the Moore family and Thomas’s friends and teammates something to channel their energy into.

“We want it to be a happy event,” Caroline said last week.

“Hopefully it’s a success and it’s something we can carry on over the years. I want Tom (their son) to be able to grow up listening to people talking about his Dad and the legacy that he left behind, just remembering his name, that’s just really important to me.

“He asks about him, you’d swear he knew this week was (the anniversary). I talk about Thomas to him all the time.”

Thomas’s illness started suddenly when he collapsed during a gym session. Over time, he and his family were assured he would get better; that changed, all of a sudden.

“We were told it was never terminal… we were told he was lucky because it wasn’t a terminal cancer,” said Caroline, “and then we got one week.”

From the previous November, Caroline had a gnawing feeling that something wasn’t right. Thomas underwent surgery but in her gut, she sensed something was wrong, despite well-intentioned assurances from the experts.

“It was just like a car crash to us, we did not know this was coming whatsoever. It was just so sudden. We were so positive all the way through… They had said to us to push our wedding out to the far side of Spring to when the radiation was over. We did and that’s a big regret.”

The condition, Ewing Sarcoma, is extremely rare, particularly in adults. The tumour was very aggressive. In the days before his passing, Caroline and Thomas got married, as they had planned – but, of course, nobody had foreseen the tragic circumstances.

In the year since, family, friends and the wider community have wrapped Caroline, Tom, Thomas’s parents Tom and Kathleen and sisters Joanne, Lorraine and Karen in a warm embrace. Thomas was a special individual and that brings a degree of comfort.

“He was a leader, his character was very easy-going, no player ever fell out with him on the pitch, ever. He was always so happy,” recalls Niall McDermott, former county star and friend and teammate of Thomas’s since childhood.

“It was more what he did in relation to his commitment, he was the only man that would never miss a training session. Never got injured, just always there. Lads looked up to him for that reason as well and when he spoke, you could see he had the respect of every player.

“It’s an unbelievable loss, you’d still nearly expect him to walk in to the dressing-room still.”

Club officer Damian O’Reilly agreed.

“He talked to every player the exact same, no matter if they were playing for Cavan or playing on our junior team, respect – so he garnered that respect back,” said Damian.

“When you see the likes of Shercock and clubs like that who Thomas wouldn’t have played against much saying how they’d love to take part, it’s great to see. The Moores are very well known and respected in the county anyway.

“You could tell from the wake in Lakelands funeral home, it just beat out. People thought there was a game in Breffni there were so many cars. The county team had a game that day in Armagh and the amount of county players who rushed home to make it to the wake…

“He was the most popular man in Ballinagh but he was also probably the most popular man in Lacken as well… and he started getting fairly popular in Ballyduff! He was popular everywhere.

There is solace in that, says Caroline.

“It’s hitting home,” she said, “how popular Thomas was, which makes me smile.”

Throughout his illness, Thomas remained central to the Ballinagh footballers’ group and to community activities, at one stage borrowing a van to tail a group of cyclists just to help in any way he could.

“Even at the start of last year,” says teammate Alan Smith, “we were down as a group doing strength testing and Thomas did the whole strength testing as well, this was late December. He was still lifting fairly heavy!”

Last October, Caroline contacted a few people and the committee was formed. Immediately, the response was overwhelming. Seamus O’Rourke performed to a packed house in Ballinagh community centre, refusing to take a cent. Others, too numerous to mention, have stepped up, donating prizes for the auction (which takes place in the Imperial Bar at 7pm on Sunday), organising teams and logistics.

In all, 28 teams, featuring men and ladies, will take to the pitch on Sunday for the adult tournament on the 3G and back training pitch at Kingspan Breffni, including Carrigallen and New York. On Saturday, there will be an U10 tournament in Ballinagh.

“People have been mad to volunteer, asking can they do anything,” said Alan.

“Everyone wants to help, people just mean so well… Nothing has been an obstacle from day one,” reflected Caroline.

The general sense from the group is that organising the event is fitting because, for certain, had circumstances been different, Thomas would have led the charge for someone else.

“If the boot was on the other foot, Thomas would be the first man to organise it. It’s only doing what he’d do anyway,” said Damian.

Smith pointed out that Thomas “was the first man at every community event”, coaching kids and even litter-picking. That was who he was and that will be celebrated this Saturday and Sunday.

“He had Tom down at U6s training, the child was only two! He was so proud of him,” Caroline smiled.

Prior to his passing, Thomas attended a meeting of the Ballinagh senior panel and their manager, Mark Monaghan, asked each man to write out a list of their aims for the coming year. Monaghan still has that piece of paper, cherished like precious treasure.

“One thing that I thought was unbelievable was that Mark, the manager last year said that Thomas had written down a few things when the players were asked their goals for the year ahead,” Caroline said.

“He said about getting married, we were due to get married in July, and then to win the Division 2 league.”

Ballinagh produced two massive performances to win that league final. They did it for their friend, although it didn’t need to be said.

“Mark Monaghan kept that and he showed it to us after the league final,” said Niall. “It was powerful.”

What’s also powerful is the force of a community pulling in one direction.

This weekend will exemplify that as the football fraternity come together as one to honour one of their best.

“It’s something to look forward to and a way of giving back as well,” said Caroline.

“What we said in the invite to all the clubs was that we’d love as many past players that Thomas would have played against to play.”

The entries have poured in, lots of great players dusting off the boots. Caroline will play herself alongside Castlerahan legends like Cian Mackey and Ronan Flanagan. Kingscourt, they say, are bringing a stellar line-up including some veterans. Many other clubs said they wouldn’t miss it and are coming in force for a day of fun and football.

“It’s a happy weekend,” said Caroline, “to celebrate his life and give back.”

A fitting tribute to an extraordinary footballer and man.

Fundraiser

The adult seven-a-side tournament throws in at Kingspan Breffni at 9am on Sunday. All proceeds go to Cuan Cancer Support Centre in Cavan and Ballyjamesduff Cancer Support Fund, which have been an enormous help to Thomas Moore’s family and friends before and since his passing.

There will be an auction in the Imperial Bar at 7pm on Sunday evening.

Prizes include a signed Armagh jersey, a one-night stay in the Europe Hotel in Killarney including breakfast and dinner, two tickets to Man Utd v Wolves at Easter including accommodation, two All-Ireland football final tickets and a stay in the Skylon Hotel, two premium level All-Ireland hurling final tickets, two tickets to the 2025 Open Championship in Portrush and two tickets to the Oasis concert in Croke Park in August this year.

To donate, click here.