Greg Ennis An Appreciation
There was wide spread sadness and grief around Rhode Parish and the wider community when the news filtered through of the death of Greg Ennis. He was one of life’s true gentlemen who will be sadly missed by all but particularly by his wife Frankie, sons Michael ,Jimmy, Paul, daughters Aine and Angela, grandchildren, great grandchildren. brother Joe and sisters Nuala, Marie and Monica.
His life was tinged with sadness when he lost his first wife Ann at the early age of 42 in 1981 at a birthday party function. A great family man who Provided for them in exemplary fashion and was always on hand to guide them in their future life’s .
Greg was also a very successful business man and was the proprietor of Ennis’s now Killeen’s of Rhode for a number of years where he along with his family and staff had a thriving licenced bar and lounge. He was also for many years employed in Farringtons of Rathcoffey (Kildare) in the grain and fertiliser business where he was one of the directors of the company. In both businesses Greg provided a lot of employment for many local people from Rhode and indeed the surrounding area’s.
Greg’s contribution and commitment to the Rhode GAA Club was immense serving as a Club Trustee right up until his death. He became the youngest secretary of the club from the early fifties to the mid sixties in that time Greg was also county board delegate for a number of years and played his part as an administrator/ selector on the winning Rhode Senior teams of 55,58,66,67 as well as the loosing teams of 53,54 and 64. At County board level Greg was a member of different committees and was a selector on the Offaly Senior Football team who were narrowly beaten by Meath in the 1954 Leinster final.
While he was a great follower of both Hurling and Football Greg had a keen interest in all sports and attended these events regularly. He had a keen interest in hurling and was ever present at Munster hurling championship games. In Rhode he was one of the leading organisers in the 70’s/80’s of the Rhode Parish All Stars which were hugely successful at the time and was instrumental in bringing such greats to Rhode as Eddie Keher (Kilkenny) Tom McCreesh (Armagh) and Moss Keane to name but a few.
Greg was to the foremost in the sponsoring of local clubs and organisations and he was extremely generous to the Rhode GAA Club.
We all have lost a true and loyal friend who will be solely missed by us all but particularly by his loving family. Greg was laid to rest in Daingean Cemetery on Thursday last. Friends and colleagues of Greg’s formed a guard of honour from Rhode GAA Club at his Funeral. A fitting honour for One of the Finest Rhode GAA Family’s . Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
