Christy Ring - Death

Death

As Ring was walking past the Cork College of Commerce on Morrisson's Island on 2 March 1979 he suffered a massive heart attack and collapsed. He was taken by ambulance to the South Infirmary Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. He was fifty eight years-old. The news of his death came as a great shock to the people of Ireland, and particularly to the people of Cork. His funeral was one of the biggest ever seen in Cork with up to 60,000 people lining the streets. It was also a remarkable hurling occasion with many of Ring's former Munster and All-Ireland foes in attendance. Farrenferris pupils formed a guard of honour, draped in the famous black, green and gold Glen Rovers colours. The funeral Mass was presided over by Bishop Cornelius Lucey while the chief celebrant was Fr. Charlie Lynch, brother of former Cork team-mate and Taoiseach Jack Lynch. Other former Cork team-mates involved included Fr. Con Cottrell, Fr. Bernie Cotter and Fr. J. J. O'Brien. Ring's coffin was shouldered into St. Colman's churchyard by renowned sporting celebrities from Cork and other counties. "We carried him at last" was former team-mate Paddy Barry's remark, in reference to Ring often saving the Cork hurlers from almost certain defeat.

Ring's graveside oration in Cloyne was delivered by a former team-mate and the then Taoiseach, Jack Lynch. Lynch finished by claiming that:

"As long as young men will match their hurling skills against each other on Ireland's green fields, as long as young boys swing their camáns for the sheer thrill of the feel and the tingle in their fingers of the impact of ash on leather, as long as hurling is played the story of Christy Ring will be told. And that will be forever."

It was also related that Professor Seán Ó Tuama heard an old Cork lady say at his funeral. "Tis a sin to bury that man"