More than 81 years after his death, Thomas O’Farrell has finally been given a tombstone.
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O’Farrell, who donated the O’Farrell Cup in 1925, was buried in an unmarked grave in the Wagga Monumental Cemetery in 1935 before proceeds from the sale of The O’Farrell Cup: The Quest For The Holy Grail of Riverina Cricket went towards a headstone.
Co-writers John Scascighini and Brian Lawrence thought a man of his standing in Riverina sport deserved to have a tombstone.
“John and I felt that honouring this man, who had done so much for cricket and sport in general, was a priority,” Lawrence said. “We are very pleased with the way the memorial has turned out.
“The simple inscription of ‘a gentleman and a sportsman’ is a fitting tribute to Mr O’Farrell.”
The remainder of the proceeds from the popular book have been donated to junior cricket associations across the Riverina, but the pair thought it was important to make O’Farrell’s grave a priority.
While the O’Farrell Cup has endured more than nine decades, O’Farrell also had a prominent role with rugby league.
He was an international referee and also a life member of Australian Rugby League.
He was also instrumental in starting the Wagga Beach Lifesaving Club in 1918.