GAA fan had his own 'good life'

Michael O'Connell Tarbert & Castleisland 1939 - 2012

Communities in Tarbert and Castleisland were deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Michael O'Connell, a native of Kilpadogue, Tarbert on Friday, May 25, at his home in Killarney Road, Castleisland.

Michael, who was the fourth of 11 children born into the well known Tarbert GAA family of John and Annie O'Connell, was pre-deceased by his sister Margaret Carew.

One of Michael's great interests in recent years was to call on the home of his first 'employer', the late Thomas O'Connor of Ardmore, Tarbert, (better known locally as the 'Back of the Hill').

There at the young age of 14, he spent many an evening helping out on the farm over-looking the majestic river Shannon.

Then in the early 1950s, Michael, along with thousands of young men from Kerry and beyond, headed for London. He was joined on this maiden journey by another Tarbert man, Fr John O'Connor, and both remained lifelong friends both in London and in more recent times back in their native Kerry.

Michael then spent the next 50 years working in London and running his own construction business.

His first start in London was as a helper on a truck driven by the late Johnny Mulvihill (Doonard, Tarbert) working for that well known construction company of John Lang. He then took over driving the truck and from there went on to develop his own very successful business as a building contractor, in and around the greater London area.

In 2003, he returned to Castleisland where, along with his wife Annette (nee Murphy, a native of Castleisland) and son Derek, he continued his business interests and, more importantly, he developed his own labour of love as a top class gardener.

He developed his own version of 'The Good Life' where he had an exceptional garden just under the ruins of the old castle. He had returned to his roots in earnest.

His other passion was, of course, Tarbert and Kerry football - literally a passion from cradle to grave.

He achieved instant fame as the Kerry fan who more than anybody else encapsulated the wonder goal of DJ Crowley in Kerry's win over Meath in 1970 - a photo that must adorn the Hall of Fame in the planned Kerry GAA museum. Very few Kerry sporting photographs can claim to capture the essence of 'a Kerry supporter in full flight'.

Michael O'Connell's pride and devotion to his family, to his wife Annette, to his son Derek and daughter-in-law Kay and, in particular, to his wonderful grandson Michael - a truly shining light in his daily life - is the man he will be remembered fondly by family and friends alike.

Ar dheis De go raibh a hanam uasal.

Courtesy of The Kerryman, June 20th, 2012. Tweet

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