Heartbroken Tributes Paid as GAA Star Caolan Finnegan Dies After Cancer Battle

A 20-year-old Crossmaglen and Armagh GAA player has passed away following his battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Caolan Finnegan, who was known by his friends and family as 'Stringer', played Gaelic football for his club, Crossmaglen Rangers, Armagh and St. Colman’s College, in Newry.

In a post on social media this morning, Crossmaglen Rangers announced the passing of Caolan saying he "will be forever remembered as one of the greatest who ever donned the black & amber".

Caolan lost his battle earlier this morning. A battle he fought with enormous courage, strength & dignityWe are so proud of you CaolanYou will be forever remembered as one of the greatest who ever donned the black & AmberRest in peace StringerAll club activities are suspended pic.twitter.com/nLuGJYi7Bq

Caolan underwent surgery last year to remove a brain tumour and received specialist treatment in Germany.

Caolan's family, friends and the wider Armagh community had been raising money to help fund his treatments through the 'Care for Caolan' campaign. Through their efforts they were able to raise over £330,000.

Recently, Caolan and his family were visited with the Sam Maguire cup after the county’s success against Galway in the All-Ireland final.

Armagh senior football manager Kieran McGeeney said he would've been part of his All-Ireland winning squad, but for his illness.

Crossmaglen Rangers say all club activities are suspended.

THE true value of their famous club and the GAA shone through as Crossmaglen’s players found refuge and support among each other in the days after they laid their friend and team-mate Caolan Finnegan to rest.

The Rangers squad returned to training last Wednesday night and were back in action on Sunday when they finished strongly to see off Sarsfields and claim their first championship victory of the season.

Football was over-shadowed by the tragic death of 20-year-old Caolan who played for Cross in last year’s championship before he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer.

“We tried to keep it low-key coming into the game because a lot of these boys who grew up with ‘Stringer’ and it has been so difficult for them to say the very least,” Crossmaglen manager Anthony Cunningham explained.

“We had to get on with it and that was it, it’s football and all the boys wanted to play football. We buried ‘Stringer’ on Monday and we had a full panel at training on the Wednesday. We kept it very light and it was the out for a lot of players just to get back on the field.”

Cross were without suspended Rian O’Neill for the round two game against Sarsfields but seven points from Cian McConville saw the defending champions to a three-point win. Afterwards the Sarsfields players gave them a respectful and fitting guard of honour as they left the field.

“It was a tight game,” added Cunningham.

“It was a difficult game for us. It was unsure what way it was going to go for us in terms of the players’ heads but we came out on the right side of a tight game and we move on.

“It was extremely difficult for all of us to get our heads in football, there’s no getting away from that. We weren’t sure what we would get in terms of performance, all we were asking for from the lads was a result and we got that.

“We go into the last game against Granemore now and, if we can win that, we’ll probably finish second in the group.”

The 20-year-old Crossmaglen Rangers star was laid to rest on Monday

Caolan Finnegan was given one final lap of honour at Crossmaglen Rangers GAC on Monday morning before being laid to rest.

The 20-year-old died on Friday following a year-long battle with brain cancer.

He had played for the Armagh county champions as recently as last summer’s clash against Clan na Gael and scored a goal in the 2022 Championship final win over Granemore at the Box-It Athletic Grounds.

Read next: Brian Fenton's touching message to 'brave young man' Caolan Finnegan following his sad passing

Read next: Caolan Finnegan: Tributes paid as young Crossmaglen Rangers star, 20, dies after cancer battle

Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney said Caolan Finnegan would have been part of this season’s All-Ireland winning squad had it not been for his illness.

McGeeney and Armagh coach Ciaran McKeever helped carry Caolan’s coffin across the pitch at St Oliver Plunkett Park before requiem mass at St Patrick’s Church.

As per the family’s request, mourners wore the famous black and amber of Crossmaglen Rangers with guards of honour formed on both sides of the route to the church while GAA president Jarlath Burns was also among those in attendance at the funeral.

Before the final prayer, the priest thanked those for their contribution to Caolan’s funeral mass, adding: “Before we go our separate ways, let us take leave of Caolan. May our farewell express our affection for him.

“May it ease our sadness and strengthen our hope. One day we shall joyfully greet him again when the love of Christ, which conquers all things, destroys even death itself.”

Crossmaglen posted a final tribute to ‘Stringer’ on their social media channels on Sunday night, saying: “Stringer, when you were are on the field, you left everyone spellbound.

"Off the field, your gentle and unassuming manner endeared everyone you met. Your beautiful smile engraved in our hearts forever. ‘It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later’- Rest Easy Stringer.”

A fundraising effort to provide special treatment for Caolan in Germany had raised over £300,000 while Crossmaglen had postponed all club activities until after Monday’s funeral.

Crossmaglen Rangers and Armagh underage footballer Caolan Finnegan passed away Friday Morning after a battle with cancer. As was requested by his family, many attendees wore their GAA colours to honour the young man at his funeral on Monday morning.

The 20-year old had been fighting an aggressive form of brain cancer since last year, leading to the 'Care for Caolan' campaign which was set up in aid of his recovery. The young man's story has touched the lives of so many and the campaign even exceeded a target of £310,000 to help with his costs of treatment in Germany.

His teammates carried him on a final lap of his club Crossmaglen Rangers’ ground ahead of his funeral at St Patrick’s Church as he was laid to rest on Monday morning. A fitting send-off to the young man.

Among the hundreds of tributes paid, Caolan was described as “a true warrior through his biggest fight of all”.

A desperately sad scene, as Caolan Finnegan is laid to rest in Armagh this morning Finnegan was brought to Crossmaglen's Oliver Plunkett Park one final time this morning 🧡Ar Dheis Dé📹: @newsoncool pic.twitter.com/1k9lRc1cRA

— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) August 26, 2024

His Crossmaglen club-mates and Armagh's All-Ireland winners regularly referenced him as an inspiration throughout their incredibly successful 2024 campaign.

Following the county’s All-Ireland success last month, manager Kieran McGeeney said were it not for his illness, Caolan would’ve been part of this year’s panel.

‘Stringer’ as he was also known was a star for Cross’ during his senior team career as well as lining out for Armagh through every underage grade.

⚫️🟠Stringer, when you were are on the field, you left everyone spellbound. Off the field, your gentle & unassuming manner endeared everyone you met. Your beautiful smile engraved in our hearts forever. ‘It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later’ Rest Easy Stringer. pic.twitter.com/IhpIN0fcrT

— Crossmaglen Rangers (@crossrangers) August 25, 2024

Over the weekend tributes have poured in from across the country, with Caolan remembered as an ‘inspiration’ to many.

Dublin star Brian Fenton took to X to pay tribute to the young man.

Had the privilege of meeting Caolan in Croke Park earlier this year. In the second photo he’s showing some of our lads the goals he had scored for Crossmaglen over the years. What a star. What a brave young man. Rest in peace.

— Brian Fenton (@BrianFenton08) August 23, 2024

May he rest in peace.

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