The father of Hollywood star Colin Farrell has passed away at the age of 83. Eamon Farrell, a former footballer, succumbed to a prolonged illness. His death notice, released on Wednesday, conveyed that he “passed peacefully, after a long illness bravely borne, in the loving care of his family and the excellent staff of the Whitworth Ward.” Eamon was a beloved husband to Eileen, and a loving father to Eamon, Catherine, Claudine, and Colin. He was also a cherished brother to the late Tommy, Maureen, and Sean.
The announcement added that Eamon would be “sadly missed by Rita, step-children William, Keith, Sandra, Aidan, Deborah, Karl, Ciarán, and Gary, grandchildren James, Ellen, Henry, Stella, and Oscar, in-laws and partners, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours, and friends.”
Colin Farrell, who recently starred in “Banshees of Inisherin,” has previously spoken about his life with his father. Reflecting on his childhood, Colin shared, “I was the baby, so I got away with more. My parents weren’t as hawkeyed with me and I think my older brother got the brunt of it and my sisters a little less.” He humorously added, “They will all tell you I had the easiest time, but I don’t think it was because I was the favourite, I think just as a result of my parents’ fatigue!”
Colin also recounted his father’s sporting career, noting, “Dad played football till he was 26 or 27,” before turning to other ventures. Eamon transitioned to own a fish-and-chip shop and later a restaurant, eventually operating a health-food store in Dublin named Down To Earth.
During the Screen Actors Guild Awards in February, Colin acknowledged his family in an acceptance speech for the Best Male Actor award for his role in “The Penguin.” On stage, he expressed gratitude: “Thanks to my mum, Rita, my dad, Eamon, and the two people in my life who have made my life so much more special and so much more meaningful, so much more joyful than I ever truly thought possible – my son James and my son, Henry.”
Following the somber news, Shamrock Rovers paid tribute to Eamon with a monochrome photo on their official Instagram. Joining Rovers in 1960 at the age of 18, Eamon was remembered as a dedicated player. He played a key role in the team that clinched victory over Shelbourne in the 1962 FAI Cup final before 32,000 spectators. The post concluded with an Irish saying: “May his soul be at God’s right hand.”
Fans flooded the post with condolences, sharing traditional Irish sayings and expressing their sympathies through green heart emojis.
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