“I must go down to the sea again….”
The opening words of John Masefield’s renowned seafaring poem ‘Sea Fever,’ which was the Reflection on the funeral Mass Card for Ted Crosbie…evoking memories of his passion for sailing.
That was, perhaps, unsurprising.
It was also unsurprising that there was a very big attendance at SS. Peter and Paul’s Church in the heart of Cork City, at which State and municipality were officially represented for his funeral.
Respect for Ted was immense, as the Celebrant, Fr. Pat McCarthy, recalled when he referred to him as a man of immense achievements, of ‘robust independence,’ who valued life, with democracy of thought and action which he showed in his life in the newspaper world.
There were people from the newspaper and publishing world, past Admirals from the Royal Cork Yacht Club, where he had also been Admiral, representatives from clubs around the country, employees from the newspapers the Crosbie family had owned – the Irish and formerly Cork Examiner, The Echo and many people from the vast and varied community of Corkonians whom he had known and whose respect he had earned. A long queue that had formed at the Church took nearly two hours to pass up the main aisle to meet the family, so large was the attendance.
Tom and Andrew Crosbie shoulder their father's coffin after requiem mass for Ted Crosbie at Saints Peter and Paul’s Church in Cork City
Looking at Ted Crosbie’s coffin in the church, I remembered the lively, always jovial and helpful man whose newspapers I had worked for and later met as a colleague sailor, whose encouragement and advice helped me into the sport. We had often talked when getting ready for Thursday evening weekly racing at the RCYC changing room when we might both have hurried from the office for the start line.
I once asked him if he was “a tough sailor”, – to which he responded: “Ask the opposition….”
As Ted Crosbie’s coffin was carried by family, led by his son, Tom, also a strong sailor at the RCYC, from the church to the hearse for the burial in St.Finbarr’s Cemetery on the western side of the city, people gathered outside. They recalled Ted’s life with many anecdotes about him.
“It is,” I was told, “a celebration of his life. There is sadness, of course, but also joy amongst all those here because he was unique.”
His passion for sailing was a subject I had often suggested to Ted, when we met that would make a good interview for my Afloat Podcast and radio programme.
He was a bit elusive about agreeing, but in March 2018, he did when I began by asking him how he got into sailing.
It was at the age of ten.
He chuckled as he told me how it happened….
You will too when you listen to that Podcast, which is appropriate today to repeat below
