Derry City legend Mark Farren passes away

Former Derry City and Finn Harps striker Mark Farren has died aged 33, after a long battle with cancer which stunted his qualities and talents from shining more brightly.

Although his football career was cut short by illness and the treatment which he underwent, Farren still was able to write his name in the record books for the club where he spent most of his playing days.

The Donegal native overtook another Derry City legend, Liam Coyle as the club's record goal scorer when he scored his 113^th and penultimate goal for the Candystripes in September 2012.

Mark left Ireland as a teenager to sign on youth terms with Tranmere Rovers in 1998, while a year later he signed with Huddersfield Town. However injury hampered his progress, and so in 2000 he returned to Ireland and began forging out a career in the League of Ireland.

He started with Donegal club Finn Harps, but limited first team opportunities left him frustrated and so he moved to Monaghan United. It was at Monaghan where he showed his early prowess, and his performances there earned him the chance to shine at Derry in 2003.

During his time with Derry, Farren won the FAI Cup twice, in 2006 and in 2012. It was in the first of these contests that he opened the scoring at the old Lansdowne Road, a game that turned into a classic as Derry triumphed 4-3 AET.

He also holds 5 League Cup winners' medals, as Derry became the dominant cup force during the first decade of the 2000s.

His individual achievements were acknowledged by his playing peers during the 2005 season, as he was awarded the PFAI Players' Player of the Year award.

This was following his 22 goals in all competitions, including 18 in the league which earned him the runners up spot in the goal scoring awards, while Derry earned the runners up spot in the league.

Although he never won a Premier Division winner's medal, Derry came close on two occasions, in 2005 and again the next season in 2006, when only goal difference denied them the title but handed Shelbourne yet another.

However, in 2010 Farren earned a First Division title, as his 18 league goals helped Derry to promotion and saw Farren end the season as joint top scorer.

His winning goal on the last day of the season away to his former club Monaghan United was the goal that sealed Derry's fate, and after the game Stephen Kenny paid the player plagued by health concerns a fitting tribute.

“I have never known anyone to play with a tumour in his brain, in any sport,” said the Derry boss. He has had to deal with so much. About his future and his health, never mind his football career. Mark has been unbelievably courageous.”

The Derry City players lifted the First Division trophy wearing special ‘Mark Farren DCFC Legend’ t-shirts. Farren retired after the success, and underwent his first treatment.

After making a recovery, he returned to football in May 2011 and signed once again for the Candystripes. By the beginning of September he returned to match fitness and was ready to play first team football once again.

Again, Stephen Kenny hailed him as both courageous and determined.

“It’s a very good news story in professional sport. In fact, it’s a unique story having battled his way through frustration and worry. He’s been both determined and courageous while others in a similar position may have put their feet up and say that’s me finished.

“Life is short and Mark now has a great opportunity to be successful again. He has a special talent and he wants to fulfil his potential. So you have to have great admiration for him.”

The following season, Farren scored eight more goals for Derry, and overtook Liam Coyle's record. As a result, he put himself in the record books and endorsed himself as a Derry legend.

No Derry fan or indeed any football fan would have disputed that fact even without the record, but it stands as proof that Farren achieved a lot even while having to deal with such horrible health issues.

In August 2012 Farren announced he would leave Derry for Northern Irish side Glenavon, whom he joined in January 2013.

He took part in both the 2012/13 and the 2013/14 season with the Lurgan based club, but as his health deteriorated, he was forced to stop playing. His last game came in October 2013, before retiring again after the news of another brain tumour diagnosis.

For the next two years, Farren fought bravely. His former club Derry, their fans, ex-team mates, family and friends made great efforts to raise funds and organised events to help pay for the treatment of their hero.

One of those events was organised on 23^rd May 2015, when a Northern Ireland XI played a Derry City XI in a fundraising match at the Brandywell, with the sides being managed by Michael O'Neill and Martin O'Neill respectively.

Most recently he travelled to Tijuana, Mexico during the summer of 2015 for treatment. Alas, and cruelly cancer has taken away the life of a young man, who barely had reached the prime of his life.

He is survived by his wife Terri-Louise, and will be remembered fondly by fans up and down the breadth of the island of Ireland. May he rest in peace.