Olive Foley: ‘Losing Anthony created a void that’s impossible to fill’
Many’s the time rugby legend Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley heard the cheers of the crowd in the RDS as he lined out for his beloved Munster but this time it was his widow who brought the attendees to their feet.
Olive Foley’s words of remembrance and reflection about the husband she loved and the forces that pulled her through his untimely loss earned a standing ovation, sustained applause, and more than a few tears.
Olive was invited to speak at the three-day World Meeting of Families event that precedes the Pope’s visit this weekend. From the moment she stepped up to the podium, she stilled the 1,000-plus audience like a fly-half about to take a penalty.
Her words flew straight to the heart.
The last time I spoke at an event this size was at Anthony’s funeral,” she said.
That was two years ago this October after Anthony, then Munster’s head coach, died of a heart attack in Paris hours before the club was due to play in a Champions Cup match.
Olive paid a tearful tribute to her husband, who was just 42 and left behind their two sons, Tony, who was 11, and Dan, just 8.
“It’s fair to say he was an idol to many but nowhere was he idolised more than at home,” she said. “Many of you have experienced loss. Mine is no greater than any of yours, but losing Anthony with no notice — my husband, my confidant, my best friend but perhaps most of all the father of my children — it created a void that’s impossible to fill.”
She said, family, however, has helped her deal with the pain.
I have a great family,” she said. “My immediate family, I’ve Anthony’s family, I’ve my family of friends, I’ve my family of faith, and my family of church. And all of these are essential.
“But I also have the family of sport.
“In those darkest hours, the arms of that family wrapped themselves around me and my family in a way that was quite remarkable and they have done so ever since.
“Anthony gave so much to sport but sport has given so much back. He would be very proud today that all those that he soldiered with, those he coached, those he played with or against would join as one big family and wrap us, his family, in a blanket of support.”
The day after Anthony was buried, Munster won at Thomond Park and the players brought Tony and Dan into their post-match team huddle and sang the team anthem, ‘Stand Up And Fight’ for them.
“When the circle wrapped around my boys that day, it was a symbol of what the family of sport is about,” she said. “As much as it is about being there for the great days, it’s about being there for you on the worst of days when you’re on your knees.”
Anthony’s former teammate, Ronan O’Gara, who wiped away tears as he listened to Olive talk, also paid tribute.
“It’s a cliche, but the family that Axel led was incredibly tight,” he said.
