An extraordinary character and a brilliant journalist . . .

I LOST a brother this week. Taken by a lifetime of joyful excess, long days and great times at just 64 years of age, reports Des Gibson.

But he wasn’t an ordinary brother, husband, son, father and grandfather. He was an extraordinary character and brilliant journalist.

And I don’t just say that as he was my older brother. The lasting impression that Eamonn Gibson left on Irish sports journalism was immense.

The hundreds of tributes and messages to the family and the volume of the crowd at a packed St Agnes Church in Crumlin on Monday was a touching testimony to a life less ordinary.

Eamonn was a giant of Irish Sports Journalism. He worked hard and played hard.

The second child of 10 children to Jimmy and Florence Gibson, Eamonn was quite a handy boxer growing up in Greenhills in the 70s and he had a decent left foot while playing through the schoolboy ranks of his beloved St Patrick’s Athletic in Inchicore.

A talented artist, Eamonn graduated from NCAD and taught Art in local schools in Greenhills.

While looking for permanent work, he took a job as a messenger in the now defunct Irish Press newspaper, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Eamonn rose through the ranks of The Irish Press until its closure in 1995 and then on to this newspaper, and then to The Irish Times and Herald before finding his spiritual home in The Sunday World, where he worked as Sports Editor for over 20 years.

After his soccer playing days, Eamonn went into club management, and he was central to the formation of a new football team in Greenhills called NWS before he was recruited by Templeogue United where he got involved in the senior setup.

This was where Eamonn gave so much of his time, from being on the first team management and then on the Executive Committee for almost 25 years and then elected as Chairman where he was central to so much of the development of the club.

Later he would be a loyal and regular supporter of his own local club Kilnamanagh FC, a club he loved with a clubhouse that he loved even more.

He had so many friends in that club, and many a laugh, debate and insults were exchanged. But Eamonn will be most remembered for his contribution to Irish Journalism where he became a legendary figure.

Eamonn had a special talent of being able to work across several styles of newspaper and improving every one.

Here at The Echo, I particularly remember one time in history that will always stick in my mind. It was an ordinary Wednesday at the end of June 1996.

I was Editor of this newspaper and I was invited to Brussels alongside a selection of provincial editors to a European Conference.

The paper had to be ‘put to bed’ by 8pm before going to print for the Thursday morning and I had it almost completely signed off bar two pages which were left for live or breaking news.

I asked my brother Eamonn to step in for me for the day to steer this talented group of journalists such as Jackie Hennessy, Audrey Kane, Daithí O’Hanlon, Dermot McGrath, Brian MacCormaic and Cian Murphy through the final hours of production.

Once through security and boarding the airplane I got a call from Eamonn that stopped me in my tracks.

Acclaimed and brave investigative Sunday Independent journalist Veronica Guerin had been shot and killed at Newlands Cross.

With no desire or time to grieve nor panic, Eamonn quickly jumped into action.

Sourcing news, reaction, commentary and obituaries, Eamonn and his team changed the first 15 pages of this paper to produce one of the finest editions ever witnessed.

Eamonn always had time for young journalists and was incredibly talented at spotting talent and helping them nurture their craft. He was patient, and a consummate professional when it came to training others in.

He always had time for young journalists and was always happy to train, advise and mentor these young journalists and help them in their trade.

One journalist told me the night before Eamonn’s funeral that you could learn more about newspapers from spending one hour alone with Eamonn in a pub than you would with a roomful of journalists in a year.

And that’s the type of guy he was. He was equally comfortable in the company of sports icons, and they loved his company and volume of knowledge.

He was regularly seen holding a pint as well as the attention of sports legends such as John Aldridge, Brian Kerr, Pat Dolan, Pat Spillane, Mick Galwey, Jimmy Magee and the wonderful Con Houlihan.

While we lost a great brother, friend and colleague, his wife Pamela lost a great husband, and their children Craig and Kerri lost an incredible father.

I suppose in sporting terms, the final whistle has blown . . . the race is now run and the chequered flag flown.

It pains me to write that this is the end but the legacy lives on . . . sleep well, brother, and rest in peace.