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Tag Archives: Olive Foley

Axel’s death brought family to its knees

  The death of former Munster Head Coach, Anthony Foley brought his family to “their knees and many, many others also”. That’s according to his widow, Olive who penned a heart-rendering tribute to coincide with the anniversary of his unexpected death in a Paris hotel before Munster’s Pro 12 clash with Racing Metroin October 2016. The death of the 42 year-old father-of-two sparked a global outpouring of grief as tens of thousands of people wrote to the family to share their own personal memories and express their sympathy. A few weeks after his death, the #8Masses4No8 campaign, the “Axel Foley Memorial” appeal, set up by his son, Tony, secured worldwide support exceeding the capacity of his beloved Thomond Park in Limerick. Olive stated: “It goes without saying that the past year was one that no preparation could help with.  Losing Anthony in any circumstances, not least one with no forewarning brought us as a family to our knees and many, …

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Anthony Foley’s son’s social media appeal

A new Facebook appeal in memory of Munster and Ireland rugby legend Anthony Foley has been launched by his 11 year-old son. Last Saturday, Tony joined his brother, Dan (8) with Munster players in the middle of the pitch at full-time for a poignantly charged rendition of the Munster anthem ‘Stand Up and Fight’ in Thomond Park. It proved to be a very emotional moment, as over 25,000 in the packed stadium united to remember Munster Head coach, Anthony “Axel” Foley, who died suddenly in Paris the previous Sunday. His untimely passing has prompted an unprecedented outpouring of grief as Munster and rugby fans throughout the world struggle to come to terms with the loss of the 2006 Heineken Cup winning captain at the age of 42. Now, Tony (11) has set up a new Facebook site – Axel Foley Memorial, which is gaining huge traction on line since it was launched shortly after midday on Monday. At the time …

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Olive Foley’s tribute to ‘soulmate’

Details of the last conversation former Munster legend, Anthony Foley had with his wife, Olive and son, Tony were revealed during his funeral mass in St Flannan’s Church, Killaloe on Friday. Olive recalled the last time she spoke to her husband was last Saturday week, just hours before he passed away from a heart attack at the Munster team hotel in Paris. “We chatted about the lads and how they were getting on in the athletics, and how Tony was faring in the javelin.” “Tony had a chat with too. It was a lovely conversation… I didn’t know it would be our last,” she said, breaking down. During a heart-rendering tribute, she praised her “soul mate” with whom she had spent “seventeen wonderful years” of marriage. She drew laughter from the packed church of 500 several times, describing life with Anthony, affectionately known as “Axel” and their two boys Tony and Dan. Foley, who wasn’t known as a talker, would …

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