Denis Leamy says that shocked Munster will be out in force to say goodbye to Tom Tierney in Limerick tomorrow.
Tierney, a former Garryowen, Munster, Connacht and Leicester Tigers scrum-half who made eight Ireland appearances and played in the 1999 World Cup, died suddenly last Friday morning. He was 46.
He went on to become the Ireland women's XVs head coach and, most recently, was working for the IRFU at Munster as a national talent coach.
READ MORE: Former Ireland international and national women's head coach Tom Tierney dies aged 46
Leamy had played with Tierney at academy level before playing against him quite regularly at senior level. They regularly crossed paths again at Munster's high performance centre this season.
"Incredibly sad news filtered into the building on Friday morning and it was with great shock that we learned of the death of Tom," said the Reds' defence coach.
"Always a character on and off the pitch and the building is a much lesser place without him.
"He had the ability to light up a room and, look, first and foremost our condolences to Mary, Isobel and Julia, we really are thinking of them at this very sad time and our thoughts and prayers are with them.
"He forged an incredible relationship with the young players he was dealing with, he was hugely passionate about them, about Munster rugby - and the values he was instilling in those young men we were starting to see on the training pitch and in the building, and it's a great pity.
"It's unbelievable, really."
Munster are in URC action on Friday night but tomorrow the focus will be on saying goodbye.
"We're running a slightly different week this week in that we frontloaded our week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday," Leamy said.
"Tom is being buried on Thursday and we'll be there, we'll be out in force. It's incredibly important for us to be there and he's part of our history, he added so much to the Munster jersey as a player and in this building as a coach."
Leinster supremo Leo Cullen was also a former team-mate of Tierney's and described his passing as "absolutely tragic".
Cullen played alongside Tierney in a Triple Crown winning Ireland under-21 side. Later, they were in Ireland 'A' and Ireland Test squads together.
“It gives me the shivers, God almighty," admitted Cullen. "Tom was very, very strong and very influential in that 21s team, a great character, great outlook, always so entertaining.
“You’re all bright-eyed at that age and lots of mischief and fun. Certainly, Tom, Frankie (Sheahan), ROG and all that crew, there was plenty of that.
"Great memories, but jeepers, unfortunately, he has been taken too soon from us.
“I was lucky to play with Tom on other teams, around Irish squads, Ireland ‘A’ squads. When I went to England, he'd been in Leicester prior to that.
"Even though we didn’t cross paths at then, there were lots of stories shared and he’d still be around. Every now and again you’d see him.
“It’s just devastating news, really."
For Cullen, the shock news came as a reminder of his friend Anthony Foley's sudden death in Paris with Munster in 2016.
"It’s hard for your mind not to turn back to Axel then as well," he said. “Guys at that age, jeepers like, 42 and 46.
"I’m 45, Tom is a year older than I am, Axel is four years older than me – guys that are involved in coaching as well. It’s just tragic, absolutely tragic."
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