Passionate footballer Glenn was known for his warm smile

TRIBUTES have flooded in for hardworking footballer and soldier, Glenn Fullam, who has been described as a “shining light” and “kind-hearted” following his death.

Glenn died last Sunday morning, April 16, following a short battle with illness, aged just 26-years-old, and was buried on Thursday following a full military funeral in St Anne’s Church, Bohernabreena.

The Killinarden native joined the Defence Forces (DF) in 2017 and served on the 114th Infantry Battalion with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and with the Communication and Information Services in the Irish Air Corps.

Following his death, members of the Irish Defence Forces currently stationed in Lebanon held a mass in Glenn’s memory.

In a touching tribute, the Irish Air Corps said Glenn made “significant contributions and to the DF community as a whole”.

“His unwavering commitment to his friends and family, his duty to the Air Corps and his exceptional skills and passion for soccer, were evident to all who had the privilege of working with him,” the Irish Air Corps said.

“Glenn was known for his warm smile, his sense of humour and his devotion to his soccer teams, including the DF International Soccer Team. Glenn will be deeply missed by all of us.”

Glenn Fullam from Killinarden represented Ireland with the Irish Defence Forces soccer team

Players who don the green jersey on the pitch for the Irish Defence Forces are given full international honours, with Glenn making his international debut against the UK in 2018.

The Irish Defence Forces soccer team described their combatant on the field as “passionate about playing for his country and was a warrior in games against the UK, France and Lithuania to name but a few”.

A player who could dominate the middle of the park with pace and power, Glenn was a key component in the team that qualified for the European Championships in Holland in 2018.

The Ballycragh resident started playing football with Sacred Heart as a young lad before joining Crumlin United.

While he had stint at senior level with Sacred Heart/Firhouse Clover, Glenn played most of his adult career with Crumlin United in the Leinster Senior League.

“I knew Glenn from when he was a kid, he would have played schoolboy football here from Under 10 to Under 16s, in a good team with the likes of Dan Cleary from Shamrock Rovers and Jake Mulraney of St Pat’s,” Crumlin United stalwart Martin Loughran tells The Echo.

“He went to Stella Marris for a year or two but then came back to Crumlin United, where he would have spent a lot of senior career as well.

“In his last year with the Saturday team, he won the league and was named Player of the Year and then progressed on to win the Senior Division last year with our first team.

“He was always going to play for the first team, he was a good midfielder, a hard worker.

“He was a really good kid that was just well liked, nothing phased him.

“Everyone who knew him, knew his tan, his teeth and his hair, that was Glenn, he was always smiling.”

Crumlin United were crowned Leinster Senior League champions last May, with Glenn playing a part in the title win and the club later saying his “smile and positivity was like a shining light”.

Glenn Fullam is survived by his parents John and Paula Fullam, siblings Carla, Jason, Nicole and Lee, partner Kirsty Forde and young son Cruze.