Fermanagh GAA volunteer – Tony Brennan
Tony Brennan of Tempo Maguire’s (more affectionately known as “Toots”) is the essence and part of the fabric of Tempo Maguire’s GAC. A former player and die-hard supporter; Tony has followed the club throughout the country to cheer them on at all levels.
Brennan admits he enjoys helping out at the club, “I love helping out and it’s a good way to get out and meet people.”
The quintessential Tempo Gael, Tony has been involved in the club since his primary school days and continues to give well into his senior years. Tony is omnipresence around the club grounds and when any team – at any level is playing, he is there, rain, snow or shine like a talisman adding his silent support and urging the under-age, adult or ladies teams to victory. No serious competition is complete without veteran Tony Brennan at a Tempo Maguire’s game, in the stand sporting his trademark maroon baseball cap and shouting in that raspy voice of his, “Go for the breaking ball Tempo”. He supports all club initiatives with total selflessness and for Tony nothing is too much to ask around the Tempo Maguire’s club.
However, it is in his capacity as Groundsman that Tony comes into his own. Tony keeps the playing pitch in tip-top condition which is a huge achievement when you see the amount of club and schools games the Tempo venue hosts; visitors to the grounds frequently remark on the quality of care and attention to detail that the Tempo club enjoy. Tony is always there; repairing, cleaning, improving – with no expectation of praise or reward.
Tony himself played for the Tempo side with medals to show for his efforts and he says it would be great for Fermanagh to get a win over Antrim, “It would be great to get past Antrim again. It’s also great that there are Tempo men involved in Damian Kelly and Aidan Breen, these boys put in plenty of effort and it’s a great reward for them.”
He serves the club unassumingly with humility, care, devotion and love for his club and community that is nothing short of inspiring for others. For Tony, pride in his Tempo club is expressed in the obvious ways; wearing club regalia, attending games promoting the club throughout conversation and it must be said through the example he sets to all members young and seasoned. However, his love for and devotion to the club is expressed most emphatically in the way that Tony cares for our facilities and ensures that standards of excellence are set and maintained.
Tony expressed that football has changed a bit, “In my days as Goalkeeper you could be fouled plenty and win no free, nowadays if a goalkeeper is touched at all he wins a free out, it’s got very soft of itself.”
For Tony, a mopped floor is more than a clean surface, it is an expression of the pride that he takes in his club, the gleaming floor is emblematic of the selfless effort that he puts in to ensure that Tempo Maguire’s show their best to the world.
We owe this special volunteer our deepest gratitude.
