Fabian’s fire will be fondly remembered

THE Irish community in Scotland was shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden passing of much-loved Comhaltas musician, Fabian Greenan (above), earlier this month.

The Monaghan native—who lived in South Ayrshire with his wife Dawn and two sons, Wallace and Finn, and worked as a teacher—had been involved with the Irish community since he first moved over from the Emerald Isle.

Fantastic footballer

However, despite founding the Ayr branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in 2024 with his good friend and Tyrone man, Ruaire Glackin, Fabian’s earliest community involvement was with the GAA as Peter Mossey, President of Scotland GAA explained.

“My memories of Fabian Greenan in the context of the GAA in Scotland and are very happy ones,” he said. “Fabian arrived on the GAA scene here from Killeevan in Monaghan through the Universities GAA at a time when I was chairing British Universities GAA and he was a student at the Scottish Agricultural College in Auchincruive, Ayrshire.

“Fabian was the driver of that team both on and off the field and I embraced his leadership by inviting him to be a co-manager and selector with me in my Scotland Universities’ ‘Railway Cup’ team in 1999. That game still lives in my memory.

“It was played on Sunday March 7, 1999—immediately after a Mayo versus Kerry exhibition game—on a wet and muddy pitch at Old Bedians in Manchester. Fabian played in midfield alongside James Carmody of Limerick and demonstrated his character, determination and leadership as he played a ‘Braveheart’ role part in a very competitive game. At the end of the first-half he scored one of the most outrageous points from 60 metres out, in a game that Scotland eventually won by a single point.

“This one instance, to me, says everything about who Fabian was, what he represented and his character as a man and a true warrior. Go ndeanai Dia Trocaire ar a anam.”

Scotland GAA also reacted to the news by posting a heartfelt message on its social media channels, while a minute’s silence was held at the matches between Tír Conaill Harps and Dunedin Connollys and Dalriada and Stirling Carrigans in the immediate aftermath of Fabian’s passing.

“Scotland GAA extends its sympathy to the family and friends of the late Fabian Greenan, of Killeevan and Scotland, who died suddenly on May 6, 2025,” they wrote. “Fabian came from a family steeped in Killeevan history and was a dedicated Killeevan supporter and former player in his own right. He played on the Junior Championship winning team in 1994 and the league winning team of 1997 for Killeevan.”

Branching out

The character and determination that he showed on the pitch was also at the fore when Fabian—who had been playing music with his fellow Irishman Ruaire for many years—decided to form a new branch of Comhaltas in Ayrshire.

“I first spoke with Fabian when he called me looking for advice on getting Irish passports for his boys,” Paddy Callaghan, Operations Manager for Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in Britain said. “After we had dealt with the detail of how to process their applications, he started asking more about Comhaltas and what it was like in Scotland having come from Monaghan and played music.

“I had told him about the four branches that had existed and the others across England and Wales too and he seemed interested, but that was essentially the end of the conversation. He then called me up a few months later. He had been thinking about the conversation we had and he was looking to start teaching tin whistle in the primary school he worked in and wondered if we could help.

“At the time, we had just completed the first draft of a school’s syllabus for teaching whistle and I asked if he’d be interested in trying it out and feeding back to us on how it was going. He agreed and ran two pilots of this programme in his school, keeping in regular contact and helping shape the final syllabus before being made widely available.

“Following on from this, several months passed, and I got another phone call from Fabian, this time he asked the question: ‘What would we need to form a branch of Comhaltas in Ayr?’ And having teased out the detail and the people he had already assembled to help kick start the branch, it wasn’t long before the branch was launched.”

Connecting and competing

After having formed the branch in Ayr, Fabian sought to integrate with everyone else and to push the boundaries as far as he could. He held an open day inviting members of the other branches to visit and mix with his new branch and he also attended many events within the organisation including the convention in London this April where he shared his story and his passion for all things cultural.

“He was also a notable character at this year’s Scottish Fleadh at the end of April, staying over in the city to make sure he could attend the evening session and then to top it all, leading his Senior Grupai Cheoil to a third place and qualifying for the All-Britain Fleadh literally led to the loudest cheer of the whole event,” Paddy explained.

“He set himself up with a stall at the event making tin whistle cases. Something that others have done in the past for financial gain. Not Fabian however. His idea was for everyone to bring a plastic bottle, he’d take off the top with the cap, and fit it over a pipe. He had thousands of items to decorate the tube to your liking with stickers, glitter and marker pens and in exchange for the massive outlay of materials he asked for £1 in return. If ever there was an act that summed up the person, it was this!

“It is fair to say that I can’t think of anyone who has had such a big impact within the organisation within such a short space of time. In the three years since I first conversed with him, it feels like he had been around forever—always giving his time to others and pulling everyone in an upwards trajectory.

“Obviously, everyone is still numb and we have yet to process his passing, but I’m hopeful that the branch he created will go on to be a lasting legacy to his drive and passion.”

Friends forever

Fabian’s final outing with the branch took place at the Girvan Folk Festival on Sunday May 4, where they enthralled the audience with their award-winning set. Little did the branch know it would be their last outing together. Despite their heartbreak, they have vowed to continue in the direction set by their late friend and fellow musician.

At this juncture it is perhaps fitting to give the last word to his close friend and co-founder of the branch, Ruaire Glackin.

“Fabian was enthusiastic about everything he done, always busy doing something,” he said. “The something was always about making things better, be it in education, sport or music.

“Not only was Fabian instrumental in setting up Ayr CCÉ, but he had also played a pivotal role at Valspar FC for the last 12 years.

“His mantra ‘for the kids’ rings it my ears, and I think that’s also why he endeared himself to the adults. He was a genuine, whole-hearted guy, with a good sense of humour who loved his family and his heritage and wore it on his sleeve.”

Everyone at The Irish Voice offers Fabian’s family and friends in both Ireland and Scotland our love, prayers and sincerest condolences.