Cormac McAnallen - Tribute, Tyrone GAA

http://www.thecormactrust.com/

Cormac McAnallen was born on 11 February 1980 in Dungannon. He lived in the Brantry, a rural area in Dungannon district, with his parents Brendan and Bridget, and his brothers Donal and Fergus.

RIP CORMAC

LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS
Here follows a list of some of Cormac's notable sporting and academic achievements:

Cumann Naomh Pádraig, An Eaglais
Tyrone MFC (2): 1996, 1997
Tyrone MFC (2): 1996, 1997
Tyrone IFC: 1997
Trath na gCeist, Scór na nÓg Thír Eoghain (3): 1992, 1993, 1994
All-Ireland Scór na nÓg Trath na gCeist: 1995 Trath na gCeist, Scór Sinsear Thír Eoghain (3): 1999, 2001, 2003

Tír Eoghain
Ulster MFL: 1998
Ulster MFC (2): 1997, 1998 -- latter as captain
All-Ireland MFC: 1998 -- as captain
Ulster U-21 FC (2): 2000, 2001 -- both as captain
All-Ireland U-21 FC (2): 2000, 2001 -- both as captain
Ulster SFC: (2): 2001, 2003
NFL (2): 2002, 2003
McKenna Cup: 2004 -- as captain
GAA Young Footballer of the Year: 2001
Ulster GAA Writers' Personality of the Year 1998 & Footballer of the Year 2001
Belfast Telegraph GAA Personality of the Year: 2001
GAA All-Star: 2003 (as full-back)

Scoil Ghramadaí Naomh Pádraig, Ard Mhacha
Nannery Cup (Ulster U-15½ FC)
Ulster Schools 'A' Basketball titles from U-14 to U-19
Blackboard Jungle RTÉ quiz winners, 1996/97

Ollscoileanna (QUB & UCD)
Ryan Cup: 1999
Sigerson Cup: 2000
Graduated from Queen's in 2000 with B.A. in History, and in 2001 with Postgraduate Diploma in Computer-Based Learning
Dublin SFC: 2002
Graduated from UCD in 2002 with Higher Diploma in Education (first-class honours) Graduated in 2002
Queen's University Graduate of the Year: 2004

Uladh
Railway Cup FC: 2003 (also played in 2001)
Represented Ulster at basketball from U-14 to U-17 levels

Éire
Represented Ireland at International Rules v. Australia: 2001 (as winners), 2002, 2003



TRIBUTES

Many tributes have been paid to Cormac. Here are just a sample:

Uachtarán na hÉireann, Mary McAleese said: "Cormac was revered throughout the country as one of the greatest Gaelic footballers of his time. It is hard to believe that one who died so young had already packed into his short life every possible honour in the game. It has been said that he has "left behind much, much more than an empty jersey hanging on a peg." For Cormac left the gifts of exemplary leadership, of passion for life itself, of discipline, sacrifice and courage, of generosity and service to others. Here was a life built on good choices, built in fact on goodness itself."

Archbishop Seán Brady, Primate of the Catholic Church in Ireland: "Cormac was an icon in the proper sense of the term. He was a role model, gentle and modest, dedicated and disciplined, joyful and happy."

GAA president Sean Kelly: "Cormac exemplified everything that was good in a Gaelic footballer and human being. He had that great and rare gift of greatness, allied to humanity. He won everything with style, skill and sportsmanship, in tandem with great academic achievement."

Tír Eoghain manager, Mickey Harte: "He was such a good guy, a brilliant athlete and dedicated player...His maturity belied his years, and he was everything you would want in a young man. He was just a gem of a man."

Tír Eoghain colleague Peter Canavan: "He was so enthusiastic and so keen to learn and it was a great honour for me just to be able to play alongside him. What Cormac tried to do, the other players tended to follow. Everybody knew from his early days that Cormac would become captain of the Tyrone senior team. Tyrone has lost a great leader."

Margaret Martin, Principal of St. Catherine's College, Armagh: "Cormac's contribution to the life of the school has been immeasurable and we were privileged to have had Cormac, one of Ireland's top athletes, among our staff. There is a sense of national loss and he epitomised someone who was committed to education, to Irish culture and Gaelic games."