Johnny Fennell An Appreciation
by Sean McGoldrick
The sudden passing of Johnny Fennell has left all of us who were privileged to know him in a deep state of shock. He was present in our lives for so long that going forward without him seems unthinkable.
Johnny was a man of numerous talents who filled many roles. A son, a husband, a father, a craftsman, a friend, an athlete, a warrior for whom no obstacle was too big to overcome. He was a man who was always in good humour and whose story telling, anecdotes and jokes illuminated all our lives.
He was involved with Raheny Shamrock Athletic Club for over a quarter of a century and had the uncanny ability of being able to regain his form even when he took the occasional sabbatical from the sport.
A talented distance runner, he represented Ireland at the 2009 Deaflympics in Taiwan where he displayed his characteristic courage and resilience in completing the marathon in searing temperatures. In additional he won a National Championship marathon bronze team medal in 2000. His only regret was that he was so dehydrated after the race that he had to go straight home to bed and missed the medal presentation.
Over the decades he ran numerous distance races both in Ireland and abroad including the famous Two Oceans ultra-marathon in Cape Town in 2004 when his aquaplane dive across the finish line in a muddy field was shown live on South African TV.
The stories he told about his exploits on foreign soil were truly legendary and included watching helplessly as a kangaroo ran off with his expensive leather jacket in the Australian outback and losing a tooth after an encounter with a shark off the coast of South Africa.
But it was his unselfishness in every aspect of his life which set him apart. In recent years the launch of the Parkrun movement in Ireland provided him with the perfect forum to encourage others to fulfil their running potential. He epitomised the spirit of the event by pacing individual runners and groups.
More recently he became involved in another worthy project and had committed to run in the New York marathon in October to raise funds for Temple Street Children’s Hospital.
His devotion to Raheny Shamrock’s was all embracing. No job was too big or too small: be it to make a special medal presentation podium, stewarding at club races or making his van available to ferry equipment around the city.
But his family’s well-being always took priority and he was a very proud Dad when his eldest daughter Alice won an All-Ireland cross country title in 2011.
Johnny Fennell enriched the lives of all those he met. He may be gone, but he will never be forgotten such was the indelible mark he left on those of us fortunate enough to call him a friend.
To Rosemary, Alice, Jack and Ruth and extended family we send our deepest sympathy.
Sheer joy! John Fennell of Raheny Shamrock Athletics Club celebrates finishing the SSE Airtricity Dublin Half Marathon, in Phoenix Park! pic.twitter.com/tzgnPJuOX6
— sportsfile (@sportsfile) September 24, 2016
