?The worst thing he?s ever done to any of us is leave our lives too soon?

Alan Good

He was the man who was never too cool to talk to the first years; the guy who ripped the skin off his elbows and knees diving to score the goal that helped UCC’s men’s hockey team avoid relegation in the last minute.

But above all, Elmer Morrissey is remembered in Munster hockey circles as the gentleman with the sharp wit, who had an infectious lust for life. The fella who had time for everyone, and everyone had time for him.

Tragically, time wasn’t on the 32-year-old Glounthane native’s side when he was swept into the Pacific Ocean by a rogue wave last Saturday. He is one of four people missing, feared drowned — along with fellow Cork man and fellow experienced sailor, 36-year-old Alan Cahill — after their boat, Low Speed Chase, was hit by a series of waves 45km off San Francisco.

The US Coastguard took the “difficult decision” to suspend its search after two days on the basis that the “window of survivability” had passed.

Morrissey, a resident of California since last summer, having taken up a role at the prestigious Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, played hockey with UCC in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

He served as club captain, represented the college at intervarsities and was also named Club Person of the Year, before moving on to Belvedere, though injury restricted him to a handful of appearances for the Ballincollig club.

His friends and former team-mates have this week been swapping stories about him. Some involve his incredible propensity to injure himself in bizarre ways — he jokingly donned the number 13 shirt in a nod to this — while others recall his dedication to the many sports he played. All are told with obvious warmth and fondness.

“I was playing for Church of Ireland seconds against UCC, and they were 2-0 down at half-time, needing a win to avoid relegation, but they won 3-2,” explained current UCC hockey player Graham Catchpole.

“Elmer, normally a centre-back, got one of these goals. I remember he threw himself full stretch on the astro-turf to touch in at the back post — he destroyed his knees and elbows.

“A year later I was on the same team as Elmer in my first UCC huddle. I have one very distinct memory from this huddle — Elmer’s speech. He told us to play for the crest on the front of the jersey, not the number on the back. I will never forget the pride and the passion with which he wore the skull and crossbones.

“Off the pitch he was a gentleman who had time for everyone. It was impossible not to smile when you met him around campus. He was the life and soul of any night out.”

Another former team-mate, current Irish Hockey Association regional development officer Phil Oakley, recalled Morrissey’s forays into various other pursuits after his injuries ended his hockey career. In recent years, having discovered a gift for distance running, he was making impressive progress towards running a sub three-hour marathon.

“Elmer was on the more adventurous side with sports. He also got into running distances. We both got into writing a sports blog at the same time, and his was so funny.

“Whenever he was introduced anywhere we would say ‘this is Elmer’ and there was always the caveat that it was actually his real name. You wouldn’t forget him.”

Andrew Kingston spent just a season with Morrissey at UCC in 2000/01 but roomed with him at an intervarsities, where he found someone willing to help him and fellow fresher Eoin Bryan settle into the college club.

“His great wit, honesty and encouragement made him a pleasure to know,” said Kingston. “His advice was often good, as Eoin will attest to — it was due to Elmer’s advice to go on a class party instead of go out with the hockey team that he met the girl he is now married to!

“He was an inspiration to anyone who was lucky enough to meet him and despite the sadness it brings to so many of us at this time, we can all smile as we think about Elmer and we can learn so much from his attitude to life.”

Morrissey continued to leave a mark on those he encountered further afield, as his lab colleague at Berkeley, Spencer Dutton, can attest to.

“Elmer believed and lived the philosophy that if you are at peace you are living in the present,” recalled Dutton this week. “Through his sailing, meditation and sports, Elmer found peace. Brave, loyal and honest and strong, he was an inspiration to us all.”

His friends John Enright and Jeremy Sweetnam, now based in London, revealed that he took up the ukulele on a whim while living in San Francisco. The group he played with, mostly Americans, this week recorded a version of the Fields of Athenry in his honour.

“You won’t find a single person to say anything bad about him,” said Enright. “The worst thing he’s ever done to any of us is leave our lives too soon.”

Morrissey was due to be best man at a friend’s wedding in Italy this summer, which was also to serve as an unofficial UCC MHC reunion of the players of his era. Even in his physical absence, his presence will be felt, larger than life as always.

*A memorial service for Elmer Morrissey will be held in Glounthaune Church this Saturday, April 21 at 11am.

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/DRWoqzC5l_Y/post.aspx

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