Minute’s silence held in memory of GAA player

Minute’s silence held in memory of GAA player

22 August 2018

THE former Dundrum Gaelic footballer who died in America was honoured with a minute’s silence this week.

Players from Dundrum GAC and Liatroim Fontenoys stood silently in memory of Conal McKee before the start of their Down Intermediate Football Championship clash on Monday evening.

The 26 year-old died in Florida where he was living with his partner, Kata, and seven month-old baby son Danny.

Conal was a highly regarded and popular player for Dundrum and news of his death plunged the local club into mourning. 

With the help of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, Mr McKee’s remains were flown back home last Thursday.

The club provided a guard of honour as his remains arrived back at his former home at Castle Heights in the village.

Members also lined up as Conal’s coffin were carried into the Church of the Sacred Heart in Dundrum on Sunday.

Many players and members, past and present, lined up to carry the coffin in and out of the church.

Conal’s elder brother, Darrell, gave a moving eulogy to his brother at the Requiem Mass and received a round of applause from mourners.

The service was broadcast live to Conal’s close friends and former work colleagues in New York and Miami.

Afterwards, in what was an extremely poignant moment, his remains were driven around the Dundrum GAC ground, Páirc Seán Ó Caoilte, and a player stood at each corner of the field. 

Conal, a former St Patrick’s Grammar School pupil, had left Dundrum to live and work initially in San Francisco three years ago.

He is survived by his parents, Stephen and Deborah, partner Kata and son Danny, and siblings Darrell, Natasha and Niall.

His remains were interred at St Patrick’s Cemetery in Byransford.