Popular Brendan was so dedicated to football club

A POPULAR Tallaght man is being remembered by many for his dedication to the community and heavy involvement in the local Fooball Club in Kiltipper after he passed away last week.

Brendan Kavanagh, a native of Bancroft Road and late of St. Maelruan’s Park in Tallaght, passed away peacefully at Tallaght Hospital on November 1 at aged 78. He will be sadly missed by his loving wife Pat and sons Graham and Ed as well as his daughters-in-law Michelle and Síobhán and five grandchildren who he adored – Sean, Darragh, Eoin, Daniel and Aoibhe.

Brendan worked for Roadstone for 43 years as a quarry manager and retired at aged 63. He was very much involved with Newtown Rangers AFC in Kiltipper, Tallaght throughout the years, having played on one of the first teams at the club.

“He always kept a strong connection with the club throughout the years,” Brendan’s wife Pat told The Echo. “Up to recently he was up there having a look at the pitches and finding out what was going on.”

Newtown paid tribute to Brendan with a statement on Facebook following his passing and held a minute’s silence before their match last Saturday in memory of Brendan.

The statement read: “Everyone at the club is saddened to hear of the passing of former player Brendan Kavanagh this week. Brendan first joined the club as a 16-year-old and went on to be a permanent fixture on the Newtown scene.

“Some of Brendan’s teammates down the years included Noel Ennis, Vinny Hanlon, Eric Cahill, Mick Glennon and Gary Kavanagh.”

The club mentioned that Brendan’s brothers Denis, Ger and Johnny all played with the club at different stages, with Denis going on to become club secretary.

“The brothers became a force to be reckoned with both on and off the pitch,” the club said in their statement.

In his time at Newtown, Brendan won several league titles and cups, including the Leinster Junior Cup in the 60s. Despite all his honours the one that he held special memories for was lifting the Bradmola Cup.

“Brendan was a very easy-going man, and he was just a gentleman. He just went about his business, and everybody liked him, and I can’t believe he is gone,” said Pat.