There is a line we all learnt off by heart, long ago from Oliver Goldsmith’s poem.
“The deserted village, He is telling about the school master and all his pupils, And still they gazed and still their wonder grew, that one small head could carry all he knew.”
This line fits Fr Michael Sweeney or Father Mick as he is called by everyone who knows,likes and admires him.
Although there is no doubt that he knows far more than he would ever display ,it is certain that he has given and and accomlpished very very much more than many who know him well could ever enumerate.
The signs are all around in churches ,schools ,medical centres and in services for older people or those who might be disadvantaged in any way.The most important thing he ever gave was his time and he is always generous in giving that.
His life has been full of giving to others,and this was recognised when his own county,conferred him with the acolade of Donegal person of the Year.
On Friday next, the 30th of September in the Silver Tassie,he will be honoured in another very special and personal way.
Members of All-Ireland winning teams from PCC Falcarragh, Fanad United, Holy Cross boarders and his friends from all over will come together to thank him for those great days and fantastic victories.
Former pupils will remember going into his sitting room in Holy Cross to find a room crowded with students,sprawled or sitting or standing,the television at full volume showing match of the day.
It was all watched over by Fr Mick and Fr Sean who where as vocal and involved as everyone else there.It was the spirit and energy engendered in that room that transferred itself to the playing fields and to All Ireland glory.
There may well be another priestperson or manager who has taken teams to those heights but if ,they are ,they are few and far between,There may be other schools along the wild atlantic way who are just as worthy of praise but they would be very hard to find.
It is because of this that the friends and members of those great teams and all those involved at that unforgetable time will meet to celebrate and to remember.
They will gather to celebrate and to thank Fr Michael, a great Fanad man ,a great leader and sports man and a fantastic inspiration to all those people ,not so very long ago but very important years.
We will finish with a misquotation from a Goldsmith poem – “But present is all his fame the very spot where many a time he triumphed will be forever remembered.”
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