Shanahan ,Paddy 'Batt'
January 17, 2011Paddy was born in Currow on April 19th, 1923 to parents Denis and Johanna (nee Murphy) Shanahan. He had five brothers, Tom, Bertie, Ned, Denis and Sean and sisters Lily, Rita and Kathleen. All have predeceased him, most recently Sean who died in Chicago on January 21st.
Paddy Batt was educated in the local national school and his sporting career and those of his brothers began from a young age. He also found time to marry his local sweetheart, Joan O'Shea from Rossanean, Currow and they spent sixty-six very happy years together. They became the proud parents of Joan, Denis, Catherine (RIP) and Margaret.
Paddy's sporting career was impressive. He won an East Kerry Championship medal alongside his brothers Bertie and Tom with Currow in 1945 and later won two County Championship medals in succession, with Killarney in 1949 and a year later with Castleisland. He was the holder of five Munster medals and an All-Ireland Junior medal, also in 1949. That day, he was the outstanding Kerry player on the field as the Kingdom beat Down by 3-11 to 3-5.
Aside from football, Paddy was an outstanding athlete winning many accolades in the shot putt events at athletic meetings throughout the county.
When he retired from active sports he turned his attention to greyhounds and enjoyed meeting many friends at coursing meetings and reminiscing about football. He later enjoyed fishing and loved his days out in Fenit. He also enjoyed going to football games in the company of his daughter Margaret. It was here that the real 'Paddy Batt' stood out, encouraging the young players to achieve their best as he advised and supported them from the sideline.
He was also a great supporter of the Currow camogie team in the late 1960s and early 70s.
Removal took place on Friday, February 4th from Tangney's Funeral Home, Castleisland to the Church of The Immaculate Conception, Currow, across the road from where he was born. He was content to be in his native village, which he loved so much.
As was fitting, the local GAA club provided a guard of honour on both days of the funeral, which would have made him so proud.
He is sadly missed by his wife Joan, son Denis, daughters Joan and Margaret, grandchildren Daniel, Siobhan, Marlyn, Patrick and Niall, sons-in-law Dan and Con, nieces, nephews and a wide circle of friends and neighbours.
Ar dheis de go raibh a anam dilis.
- Courtesy of Kerry's Eye, 17th February 2011 Tweet
