This article is from page 47 of the 2008-05-20 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 47 JPG
IN January, when Anthony Foley of- ficially anounced his intention to re- tire at the end of the season, it only confirmed the rumours that had cir- cled the Killaloe native for months. At 34, the inexorable decision came after almost 15 years at the top level with a career path that saw him be- come Munster’s most capped player (201), leading try scorer (45) and also represent his country on 62 oc- casions.
Behind the scenes, those who knew him best had already prepared them- selves for the inevitable and wanted to reward the 2006 Heineken Cup winning captain for his immense contribution to the province and in- deed the game in general. Contem- plating Foley’s impending retirement, Chairman Roger Downer and a few others formulated an idea for a tes- timonial that eventually snowballed
into a three day event on May 27-29, consisting of a two day Golf Classic, an Audience with Anthony Foley and a Gala Banquet in the Hilton Hotel, Limerick on the final night.
Considering his stature in the game and the fervent Munster support, Event Coordinator Michelle Payne admits that the testimonial week was an easy Sell to the public.
“IT think everyone knows that An- thony of all people deserves a good send-off. He has given so much to the game and there is so much good will for Anthony. People haven’t hesitated in terms of sponsorship and there is also a lot of support for the two chari- ties he has chosen to donate a portion of the funds raised.”
While the Gala Banquet sold out in under a fortnight, there are still some places available for the Golf Classic and the Audience with Anthony Fo- ley on the Wednesday evening in the UL sports arena and with the timely
matter of the Heineken Cup final on the previous weekend, Payne consid- ers the whole week a fitting tribute to a true legend of the game.
“T think it is a unique way for peo- ple to show their appreciation for An- thony and his family for everything they have done for Munster rugby. All three events are coming together nicely and I think it’s going to be a fantastic occasion for everybody.”
The preparations have been metic- ulously carried out. The only aspect the organisers couldn’t plan is the Heineken Cup final itself. It’s up to the players themselves to secure that end of things.