In a poignant conversation, the GAA Social podcast has sat down with Derry's All-Ireland winner Danny Quinn to discuss his life after losing his wife Catherine to pulmonary hypertension in 2011. The couple, who married just weeks before their daughter Dara was born, faced an unimaginable loss when it was discovered that only a double lung transplant could treat her terminal illness.
Quinn, now Principal of Anahorish Primary School, still carries the can-do attitude his wife Catherine lived by, saying she taught him "this has not been easy" but also "life is to be enjoyed". He attributes their children's well-being and happiness to her selflessness in telling them she had a terminal illness. The father of three said he was very lucky to meet Catherine, adding that "a mother going home to tell three children she is going to die is not easy."
Following his wife's passing, Quinn found solace through work, friends, family, the GAA club, and community. It wasn't an easy journey by any means; however, life has indeed taught him valuable lessons about resilience. Quinns emphasized that dealing with such a difficult situation does shape one into who they are but also stressed on getting back out there and enjoying life.
It was a heart-wrenching yet thought-provoking conversation for those familiar with Quinn's remarkable life story, highlighting the importance of cherishing every moment despite having faced unimaginable challenges.
Quinn, now Principal of Anahorish Primary School, still carries the can-do attitude his wife Catherine lived by, saying she taught him "this has not been easy" but also "life is to be enjoyed". He attributes their children's well-being and happiness to her selflessness in telling them she had a terminal illness. The father of three said he was very lucky to meet Catherine, adding that "a mother going home to tell three children she is going to die is not easy."
Following his wife's passing, Quinn found solace through work, friends, family, the GAA club, and community. It wasn't an easy journey by any means; however, life has indeed taught him valuable lessons about resilience. Quinns emphasized that dealing with such a difficult situation does shape one into who they are but also stressed on getting back out there and enjoying life.
It was a heart-wrenching yet thought-provoking conversation for those familiar with Quinn's remarkable life story, highlighting the importance of cherishing every moment despite having faced unimaginable challenges.
You know what's wild? I was just reading about these amazing tree planting initiatives that are restoring old forests in places like Oregon 
. Like, can you imagine having to replant a whole forest after it's been gone for years? Mind-blowing stuff! And the best part is, it's not just about the trees – it's about how it brings back local wildlife and supports the community economy too 
. I wonder if Derry has any similar projects going on 
This conversation is so emotional I'm getting chills just thinking about it 
Danny Quinn sharing his story and how he coped after losing his wife to a terminal illness? It must've been super tough for him but I love that he's now passing on the lessons she taught him to his kids 
He's such an inspiration showing us that even in the darkest times, there's always hope 
... but i think its amazing how danny quinn has bounced back like that... not an easy feat by any means, but the fact that he's still spreading love and positivity through his work and community is truly inspiring 
... you know, life can be so cruel sometimes, but sometimes it's the people who've been through the toughest stuff who show us what real strength looks like 
But what really got me thinking is that he's now Principal of Anahorish Primary School? Wasn't there some controversy around the appointment? 
with Danny Quinn. He's one of my favorite GAA players and now he's this amazing principal too?! I can imagine how tough it must've been for him to lose his wife Catherine, especially when she was so young with a little girl to take care of 
. But what I love is that he credits her selflessness in telling their kids about her illness as the reason they're all doing well today 
. It's like, even though it's super sad, his wife's story has given them strength and hope. And now Quinn is spreading that same positivity at school 
. I mean, what even is that? His wife passed away in 2011 and he's still running around like a lunatic, teaching kids at some primary school 
. Has he forgotten about the pain of losing her entirely? The conversation just makes him sound like a try-hard motivational speaker who's more interested in being inspirational than actually dealing with his grief. And what's with all the fuss about "finding solace" through work and friends? That's just code for "I'm still hurting, but I'll put on a happy face so everyone thinks I'm okay". Give him some space, man 
it's so sad but also super inspiring 
how he's still going strong after losing his wife Catherine to pulmonary hypertension 
what a selfless mum she was, teaching her kids that life is worth enjoying even when faced with terminal illness 
and now he's living proof that life goes on & we can all draw from his resilience 
. I mean, can you even imagine losing your partner and daughter to a terminal illness like that? 
.
and now he's helping kids learn 
life can be tough 
but we gotta find ways to enjoy it 
even when it's hard 
. And I love how he emphasizes enjoying life after going through all that hardship 
He's right, we should all learn from Catherine's selflessness - it's not easy to be so open with your kids about something that could ruin their whole childhood 
... I'm just glad Danny found ways to cope, like getting back into work and hanging out with friends & family 