Frank called me Wednesday lunchtime, to let me know the sad news, which totally took the wind out of my sails. I was lucky to have Damian as my room mate while on that infamous Ealing & Benedict’s Barbarians tour (one of my favourite tours ever) in Rome! Damian & I often went together for warm, lazy long day walks around the beautiful city, especially along the much lower level banks of the Tiber river. Grabbing Pizza slices en-route.
I will remember Damian well as an unbelievably stoic rugby man, not just for Ealing, despite everything, NEVER giving in to his pain, or complaining about himself. We had some great fun & laughs together all over Rome including the Black Falcon with you & the boys.
I told the LIARFC Vet Boys last night & they passed on our club condolences. They flew out on Tour at 7am to Sofia, today.
Sadly I will see one & all again for much unhappier times of the funeral in Ealing Abbey.
Damian RIP will not be forgotten, & it is a tribute to him that the Ealing & London Irish clubs are so very close today.
