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Hall
of Fame
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Ian
Beirne 1960 - 2004
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On
Sunday morning 18th July 2004, Boyle Celtic lost one of
its greatest ever assets. The word legend is sometimes
thrown about liberally for a range of things, but Ian
Beirne was certainly a Boyle Celtic legend.
In an era where very few are willing to give up their
free-time, Ian gave every second to Boyle Celtic. Ian
was a player's man. He loved every player who ever wore
the shirt for his beloved Celtic. His dressing room banter
lifted a whole team. Nobody ever left the Boyle dressing
room nervous or afraid of failure.
Such was Ian's enthusiasm that players entered the pitch
for each game with cup final fever. Defeat was never the
players fault, always the referee or the pitch or the
weather. "Never mind we'll thrash them at home", Ian would
say. Even collecting the €2 for the referee created a
buzz of anticipation as players waited to hear Ian's tirade
of mockery for the weekly dodgers who sought to avoid
payment.
Ian never forgot who had promised reimbursement from the
previous week and if the would be "Scrooge" tried the
same line again he faced a very public "outing". 2004
was a good year on the pitch as the team travelled throughout
Ireland to the last 16 in the FAI Cup and a good run in
the Connacht Cup beating favourites Galway Hibs.
The premier league title was secured with only one defeat
all season and the coup de gras, beating Abbey Utd in
the Champions Cup final. Ian wore a smile as wide as the
River Mersey, home of his other love Liverpool, only last
Friday night the 16th July as he and Eddie and the players
basked in the glory of success at the Sligo Leitrim dinner
dance. Nothing was going to deny him his moment as he
posed happily for the photos.
Sadly 2004 will be remembered for the only thing that
could ever separate Ian from his beloved Boyle Celtic,
his premature passing away. We are all left with a huge
void, one that will never be filled but also with individual
memories of a laughing and joking Ian. One will never
be sad when you remember Ian…….. |
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