Death of Fr Tom Colreavy, founder of St Mark’s club

By Mary Dennehy

FORMER GAA star Fr Tom Colreavy who passed away suddenly in South Africa is being remembered this week by the community of Springfield, where, in 1975, he was instrumental in the establishment of St Mark’s GAA Club.

A Leitrim native, Fr Colreavy was the first curate in St Mark’s parish in Springfield, working alongside parish priest Fr Sherry in building a new community on the outskirts of the city.

A former fullback, Fr Colreavy played in the Connacht finals in 1957 to 1959, before bringing his love of GAA to Springfield and establishing St Mark’s GAA Club with resident Tony Keegan.

Patsy McCann, chairman of St Mark’s GAA Club, told The Echo: “Fr Colreavy made a huge difference to the community.

“Himself and Tony Keegan were the first people to get football going in the community and from that St Mark’s developed.

“The club is his legacy, and is still here after all of those years.”

He added: “He was a great person and very caring, and people always rowed in behind him.

“Fr Colreavy made a huge difference to the development of Springfield and brought the community together . . . and we are all thinking of him after his passing.”

Fr Colreavy, who was based in the parish of Ayrfield on the Northside of Dublin, died suddenly on January 30 while on holiday in Cape Town, South Africa.

Having celebrated his Golden Jubilee as a priest in 2013, Fr Colreavy also returned to Springfield in recent years to lead the club’s 40th anniversary Mass.