On my way to Monaghan I pass through the small village of Eglish. This headstone is in Eglish graveyard and marks the final resting place of Cormac McAnallen. Cormac McAnallen was born on 11 February 1980 in Dungannon. He lived in the Brantry, a rural area in the district of Dungannon. He was part of the first ever Tyrone senior gaelic football team to win an All Ireland championship in 2003, also winning the Ulster Senior Football Championship twice and two National League titles. At underage level he won an All-Ireland Minor and two All-Ireland Under 21 Championships with Tyrone. He also won an All Star Award for his performances in the 2003 Championship. I was driving to work in Belfast when I heard about Cormac’s death on the radio. It was March 2004 and it was one of those announcements on the news that you were sure you misheard the first time and you try to tune into other news bulletins to have it confirmed. This young man had been one of our heroes who had achieved the ultimate in winning a first All Ireland for Tyrone so that his sudden and seemingly unexplainable death was all the more shocking.