The former Tribesmen ace passed away on Monday after a battle with cancer at the age of 49.
The late Paul Clancy. (Image: RIP.ie)
Galway legend Paul Clancy was remembered as a “strong, stoic and loyal” man at his Funeral Mass earlier today.
The former Tribesmen ace passed away on Monday after a battle with cancer at the age of 49.
His Funeral Mass took place at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Moycullen before he was buried in the adjoining graveyard.
The dad-of-two’s coffin was draped in both the Moycullen jersey and the Galway jersey. He was brought into the church as “Remember Me” by Christie Hennessy played.
In an emotionally-charged eulogy, his wife Johanna said: “Thank you to everybody here and everywhere for sharing in our impossible grief – an expression of how deeply we all loved Paul.
“We received an enormous outpouring of love and support from individuals, communities and clubs in all corners of the county, the country and the world.
“There are many words to describe Paul, I could praise him for the entire ceremony or for the rest of my life but instead I’m going to sum up Paul with a message his comrade Pat Comer sent on Monday last after Paul passed ‘Hi lads, I suppose we’ve all heard the news and coming to terms with its magnitude.
“Within earshot of the evening Angelus, 22nd of June, 2026, we lost our great friend and teammate, Paul Clancy, PC, where the C stood for Cool. Unassuming but cute as a fox.
“Humble, easy going with a bright smile and a down-to-earth manner that personified his iconic style, skill, football intelligence and most of all grace. God rest you Paul, you were a true true gem and we are totally honoured to have known you and loved you as a brother. May you rest in peace.”
She continued: “Other words being used to describe Paul and the legacy that he leaves behind are “strong”, “stoic”, “loyal”, courageous, witty, loving, honourable, charming, unpretentious, determined, straight-talking and pure class.”
Johanna also spoke about Paul’s love for working in the ESB, his admiration for his colleagues and thanked Paul’s friends for their help while building their new house.
She continued: “Now, while Paul was known for being humble, many of us will know him for his confidence and his self-assured banter. When slagged, particularly by sporting rivals, his one-liner was ‘I’ve medals falling out of my back pocket if you want one.'”
Johanna later said: “Paul did not want to be ill, he didn’t identify as being ill, and he didn’t see a future of illness, only resilience, resolve, and recovery. Methodically, though, throughout his illness, he kicked that same 2001 winning point against Armagh, and he blindly, yet with whole-hearted trust, kicked it over his shoulder to Deccy Meehan for that goal in 2000.
“He was never the limelight player but on reflection he was always the hero working hard to save the day.
“Paul was my husband, my best friend and my teammate. We were true partners taking on life side-by-side through the good times and the hard times.
“Always finding something to laugh about along the way. He was stubborn as a mule and never one to sugar coat his opinions, but that honesty, as we all know, is what made him who he was.
“Beneath that tough exterior was a loyal, kind and deeply loving man. Loving him was one of the greatest privileges of my life, and I will miss him every single day.
“Paul’s great pride and joy were our two children, Ellen and Finn. He brought them everywhere to the pitch, matches, swimming, fishing, golfing – my father used to call them the three amigos.”
Symbols to represent his life included a family photo, a Galway and Moycullen jersey, a fishing rod and a golf club.
Clancy helped the Tribesmen lift the Sam Maguire Cup in 1998 and 2001, and was also part of five Connacht Championship-winning teams.
The Moycullen clubman scored a famous winning point in a 2001 qualifier against Armagh after Galway had surrendered a seven-point lead at Croke Park.
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