Jim Stynes finally rests. Photo, "The Age" newspaper.

Just days after St Patrick’s Day and the Swannies hit out with the Gaels in Saigon, Irish Inspiration and Adopted Australian Icon, Jim Stynes has lost his extraordinarily tenacious and public battle with cancer.

Jim was a footballer, philanthropist, youth worker and administrator.

Martin Flanagan in an article in today’s Age newspaper, More than a great sportsman, writes that “Stynes would point out that the word education comes from the Latin word ‘educo’ meaning to draw out from within, to express what is otherwise dormant.”

While that may be true, Jim’s knack was to draw out in others what otherwise would have remained dormant.

The night before the 2010 Asian Champs in Shanghai, the AFL put on a function for the Melbourne and Brisbane football clubs which were going to play the Shanghai Showdown on the Sunday.

Representatives of the Asian footy clubs also attended. One of the speakers spoke of Melbourne Club President Jim Stynes who was unable to attend due to his ongoing battle with cancer.

“And Jim sends his apologies that he cannot be with us all tonight here in Shanghai”, said the speaker.

At the time, it seemed like a measure of the man’s humility. It still does.

• To read Martin Flanagan’s obituary, click here.
• To read Henrietta Cook’s “Jim Stynes dead at 45”, click here.