A man who had a huge influence on all who met him – that’s how Brother Damien Brennan will be remembered.
The former All Ireland winning Minor hurling manager passed away peacefully after a long-running battle with cancer at 3 o’clock this morning in a Dublin Hospital.
He was a mentor to many well-known hurlers of all grades and also to those he worked with as Principal of Coláiste Éamann Rís in Callan.
Students are remembering him there today with a special service.
Colleague Canice Hickey says he touched the lives of many telling KCLR News “He had a huge influence on our school, on Kilkenny sport and wider afield also; I don’t think any one person could really express the influence that Damien had had on people throughout the country really, he was fantastic teacher, deputy principal, principal, colleague, mentor & a friend to all of us here in Coláiste Éamann Rís”.
Mr Hickey added “He gave what he could to help other people, be it in the school or be it in sport, He was a hugely proudly Laois man, he was proud of his involvement as a Christian Brother and he was a hugely proud Callan CBS man as well”.
A former student of Brother Damien’s as well as becoming a colleague in later life Mr Hickey noted “The one thing that stood out for me as a teacher here was all the way during his battle with cancer he always spoke about our school, up til the last moments and it shows the pride he had in our school and certainly here in Coláiste Éamann Rís we’ll be doing our level best to carry on the great work that Damien had started in our school”.
He concluded by saying “He’s going to be a huge loss”.
