RIP Rory Quinn

Another soul has left this earth, and I'm feeling pretty melancholy about it because it's another former student and player from my Barrie Central days. I guess when we educators reach a certain age, it's inevitable that the fickle finger of fate will steal some souls earlier than ever should have been, leaving behind a sense of loss and regret.

RIP Rory Quinn 1989-2026

When viewed through my teacher lens, Rory was a peppery sort in high school because even as a teenager, he wasn't afraid to march to the beat of his own drum, never shy to share an opinion, or to choose the path less trodden. I can understand that some of his teachers might have a slightly different view, but I don't want to make it sound that I have negative memories of our shared time. Quite the opposite, really, because I appreciated his sense of humour, his self-belief, and his toughness, things that made him a decent rugby player. I first met Rory as a student, then later as a player when he joined our Sr Boys Rugby team, and although the relationship that developed wouldn't be labelled as close, on the rare occasions we did bump into each other, we made time for a catch-up, a smile, and a trip down Memory Lane. 

I really liked Rory.

Although he wasn't a starter, everyone knew when Rory entered the game, announcing his presence with tenacity and grit, usually good for a handful of solid thumping tackles. He was a proud member of our OFSAA winning side in 2007 played in Brantford. He had a smile larger than the Cheshire Cat with that medal around his neck. 

We stayed in touch, like so many former students/players, through social media like FB and Instagram, and I don't mind telling you that I was impressed with what seemed to me to be an obvious outpourng of love and pride for his boys. He struck me as a passionate sort, fought bravely, loved deeply, fiercely proud of his Irish heritage. 

With his passing, I've felt a longing to know what he amounted to since graduating from Central, and I came away with the feeling that family & friends were intensely important to him, not the least of which was Amber, his life partner. Anyone wired that way will be sorely missed by those that loved him, and for that, my heart goes out to them. There'll be a big hole in their lives.

I don't know if he'll ever know it, but I am sad that Rory's left us, and I hope that we'll all do our best to keep him with us in our thoughts. 

For those interested, Amber has posted on FB that there will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday, April 18th, 2026 at 1:00 pm to be held at the Lions Gate Banquet Hall on Blake Street in Barrie's east end.