Crossmaglen Rangers and Armagh underage footballer Caolan Finnegan passed away Friday Morning after a battle with cancer. As was requested by his family, many attendees wore their GAA colours to honour the young man at his funeral on Monday morning.
The 20-year old had been fighting an aggressive form of brain cancer since last year, leading to the 'Care for Caolan' campaign which was set up in aid of his recovery. The young man's story has touched the lives of so many and the campaign even exceeded a target of £310,000 to help with his costs of treatment in Germany.
His teammates carried him on a final lap of his club Crossmaglen Rangers’ ground ahead of his funeral at St Patrick’s Church as he was laid to rest on Monday morning. A fitting send-off to the young man.
Among the hundreds of tributes paid, Caolan was described as “a true warrior through his biggest fight of all”.
A desperately sad scene, as Caolan Finnegan is laid to rest in Armagh this morning
Finnegan was brought to Crossmaglen's Oliver Plunkett Park one final time this morning 🧡
Ar Dheis Dé
📹: @newsoncool pic.twitter.com/1k9lRc1cRA— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) August 26, 2024
His Crossmaglen club-mates and Armagh's All-Ireland winners regularly referenced him as an inspiration throughout their incredibly successful 2024 campaign.
Following the county’s All-Ireland success last month, manager Kieran McGeeney said were it not for his illness, Caolan would’ve been part of this year’s panel.
‘Stringer’ as he was also known was a star for Cross’ during his senior team career as well as lining out for Armagh through every underage grade.
⚫️🟠Stringer, when you were are on the field, you left everyone spellbound. Off the field, your gentle & unassuming manner endeared everyone you met. Your beautiful smile engraved in our hearts forever. ‘It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later’ Rest Easy Stringer. pic.twitter.com/IhpIN0fcrT
— Crossmaglen Rangers (@crossrangers) August 25, 2024
Over the weekend tributes have poured in from across the country, with Caolan remembered as an ‘inspiration’ to many.
Dublin star Brian Fenton took to X to pay tribute to the young man.
Had the privilege of meeting Caolan in Croke Park earlier this year. In the second photo he’s showing some of our lads the goals he had scored for Crossmaglen over the years. What a star. What a brave young man. Rest in peace.
Had the privilege of meeting Caolan in Croke Park earlier this year.
In the second photo he’s showing some of our lads the goals he had scored for Crossmaglen over the years.
What a star. What a brave young man.
Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/wp67I7NVH3— Brian Fenton (@BrianFenton08) August 23, 2024
May he rest in peace.
