The community of Clounmacon lost a hard-working and invaluable son in Bill O'Sullivan who died at the age of 82. Bill had many interests in life, in particular that of agriculture, a love he inherited from his parents Donal Bill and Kate (nee O'Connor) O'Sullivan. He had one brother, Michael and four sisters, Breda, maureen, Kathleen and Nellie. Bill took over the family farm at a young age and at that time had to work hard to make a living. He was involved in the formation of Kerry Co-Op during the early seventies and showed a keen interest in its viability. He was a keen football enthusiast and a loyal servant to his local Clounmacon club. He was very much involved in the reformation of the club in the late 40's and held the post of treasurer with one of his proudest moments being the winning of 1954 North Kerry Senior Championship and he remained a very loyal and dedicated supporter. When Clounmacon club set about purchasing and developing a new pitch, Bill was very excited about the entire project and gave one hundred per cent of his time and energy so that his club would have their own footballing facilities. Another one of Bill's proudest moments was when Sean Kelly, the then chairman of the Kerry County Board, officially opened Pairc na nGael on may 10, 1992. He was also an officer of the North kerry Board for many years and was a selector on the North Kerry minor county championship team of the 60's while Bill again took up the role of a selector for the famous Shannon Rangers county championship winning team. Bill was always a keen follower of the county team and travelled the length and breadth of the country with his friends in the supporters' bus. So we can see from these few words the love Bill had for Gaelic football and for the Clounmacon community centre, the latter, one of the great moments if his life when it opened its doors for the first time. In the case of Bill's former school, like many in Clounmacon, he was loath to see it fall into disrepair and being demolished. He became a founder member of the Community Centre Committee and was a driving force in its transformation into a centre of communal life in the area. Bill O'Sullivan was a republican all his life. He contested the 1960 county council election for Sinn Feinn, which he lost narrowly. He also attended many commemorations throughout the country for many years. Jerry Savage from Ballymacelligott delivered the oration at the graveside on the day of Bill's funeral and mentioned Bill's great dedication to the republican movement all his life. Bill married Listowel native Ella Browne in 1967 and had four daughters, Elizabeth, Kathleen, Marie and Siobhan. Bill was involved in several committees, especially the years of the fleadh in Listowel and Glór na nGael. He was a devout Catholic, regularly attending Mass, and was a teetotaller all his life. His attendance at funerals and admiration for other people was reflected by the amount of people who attended his own funeral. The sympathy of the entire clounmacon community is extended to Bill's wife and daughters, brothers and sisters and his extended family and friends. Courtesy of The Kerryman. 5 September, 2007. Tweet

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