Leo Flanagan
Whether it be singing on the school corridors, shouting words of encouragement from the side-line, yodelling to his cattle on the hill, voice echoing round the chapel as he sang alongside the choir or his booming signature laugh which could fill a room, the World is a lonelier place without Leo Flanagan’s voice and his zest for life. A strong proponent of all things Irish, Leo was a man of huge integrity and loved life to the full.
The former Primary school Principal had such an impact on a huge amount of people in life from a wide range of interests. He had five great loves in life; family, faith, Gaelic football, farming, and education.
Terence Leo Flanagan was born on 26th November 1947, the eldest boy of 12 to Kathleen and the late Hugh (Gutty) Flanagan. These early years gave him a great grounding for leadership in his role as the eldest brother of a large farming family. As the eldest son he attended St. Malachy’s college in Belfast, where he boarded. Term time was spent on the Antrim Road many miles from his Waterask home and farming background but holidays meant that he could return to his beloved family and the freedom of farming. It was longing for home and his family that compelled him to transfer to St. Patrick’s Grammar in Downpatrick for his A-levels.
In 1964 Leo once again headed for the city of Belfast as a Student of St. Joseph’s teacher training college, Trent House. It was here that Leo met some of his closest and lifelong friends and where he developed a love for teaching. As in his younger days, he often returned to the family and farming while ‘The ranch’ provided an opportunity to embrace Student life to the full.
Leo, like so many of his era boarded the emigration boat to England. He landed in Birmingham to his sister’s in Birmingham and he began working as a teacher. A regular at the Bull Ring, Leo met the love of his life, Marion Fanning, on 10th February 1973. After a period of home in Ireland, Leo returned to Birmingham to marry Marion on 10th April 1976.
One month later on the 10th May Leo received the devastating news of his Father’s sudden death and in 1978, he returned to live in Ireland his with wife and son. He worked for 10 years in St. Finian’s Primary School in Barrack Street, Belfast. He received his first principal ship in St. Colman’s Primary school Dromore in 1987 where we worked for 4 years. He then took charge in Christ the King Drumaness in 1991 where he led the school for 8 years and was exceptionally fond of the community.
In September 1998 he took over the reins at St. Patrick’s Primary School, Ballynahinch leading the school to various successes, including a grade 1 inspection. Leo was committed to Catholic Education and added a huge amount to the sector and the education of developing the whole child. He played a highly valued role in CCMS and he was a great proponent of developing emotional intelligences.
Leo’s love for Gaelic games came from his early childhood as he followed his beloved Down to the famous All-Ireland victories of 60, 61 and 68.
Indeed, one of his later party tricks was to emulate the great Micéal O’ Hare in his commentary of the 1960 All-Ireland Final. As the Gaelic football bug gripped the county, Leo along with Owen McGeown and their peers resurrected the old Aughlisnafin team in 1967. In their initial year they won the Junior league and the passion and pride of club and parish drove the team on to accomplish a variety of achievements over the next 5 years. They subsequently won the intermediate league and progressed into the C league. In total, the team played 23 matches; they won 21, drew 1 and lost 1. The untimely death of team mate Brendan McKibben left the team shattered and coupled with rising emigration, the ‘Mighty Fin’ were forced to fold again.
In 1973 Leo joined St. Malachy’s GAC Castlewellan. It was with the Castlewellan club, a club of which he later became a life member of, that Leo was to spend the remainder of his career. His role of honour include 2 senior Championship Medals, an All-County ‘B’ league medal, a Down Division 1 Senior League Runner’s up medal and Down senior league division 1 medal. Indeed Leo played club football until he was 48, playing in the same team as his son Shay to win a Down reserve Championship runner’s up medal. Leo further won a Ryan cup medal while studying for his DASE in QUB Belfast. He played his part in managing with the club too, leading the u14 team to County championship success for the first time in the club’s history in 1985. He was part of Colm McAlarney’s management team the late 1980’s and early 90’s and gee later joined forces with Colm Crilly under Barney McAleenan’s management team of Castlewellan in the late 1990s early 2000s.
Leo assumed a pivotal role in promoting Gaelic games at Primary school level throughout Down. Indeed, together with Anthony King, Paddy Campbell and Michael Hanley, he was described as the corner stone of Cumann na mBunscol in Down during the turbulent 80s keeping Gaelic games alive in Primary schools across the county. He remained an active member of Cumann na mBunscoil until his retirement. He was also appointed Children’s officer with the Down County Board. Both he and his late wife Marion were ardent Down supporters and later season ticket holders travelling all around Ireland with their 6 children to see Down play.
Leo was a man who truly lived his Catholic faith passing the gift of faith on to both his own children and the children in school, emulating Jesus’ message of Love for thy neighbour. Leo quietly embraced charity work on a number of levels including with St Vincent de Paul. This is a side of his life which he never publicised.
In September 2009 Leo retired from teaching to spend valuable time with his wife Marion and to focus on his family and farm.
On 30th August 2011, Leo’s life-long partner, his devoted wife Marion, 57, died from a heart attack while asleep in bed beside him. Leo was left crushed as he attempted to face life, and indeed football, without his most loyal partner and best friend. However, before Marion’s first anniversary Leo was given the news that he was suffering from terminal cancer. The devoted father and family man, who was affectionately known as ‘John Boy’, continued to steer the extended family right up until his death on 18th February 2013. He never allowed this illness to define him, and lived by the mantra, ‘I’m living with cancer, not dying from it.’ Leo is survived by his mother Kathleen, Son Shay, daughters Ciara, Aideen, Tara, Gráinne and Brídín, Brothers’ Gerard, Anthony, Hugh, Paddy and Martin, sisters Mary, Bernadette, Rosaleen, Monica, Pauline and Katrina, sons and daughter in law, grand children and extended family circle. Leo epitomised all that is good about modern Irish culture, he truly was a fíor Ghael. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam díl.
