The Late Willie Raymond A member of Strand Road's famous footballing families, Willie Raymond passed away over the weekend. Willie and his brothers are respected Figures in the sporting life of Tralee and Kerry. He resided in Spa Road, Tralee with his wife Nora and family. Willie's father Georgie, was an accomplished footballer with the Abbey team and was interested in most sports. When the family moved to O'Rahilly's Villas, Georgie built an outside boxing gym and it was here that his sons and the youth of Strand Road learnt the rudiments of boxing. Willie attended the Strand Street boys national school - the school known as one of hard knocks - and played football, handball, boxing and hurling. He played in the Houlihan Cup, the nursery competition for Strand Road men before they stepped up to Minor ranks and he came onto the Senior scene as the club was enjoying a wonderful run of success, winning County Championships in 1953 and 1954. They failed in the three-in-a-row bid in 1955 but returned to the final in 1956 with a young Willie Raymond at right full-forward facing a strong South Kerry team that included Ned Fitzgerald (captain), Mick O'Connell, Mick O'Dwyer, Donal (Marcus) O'Neill. A Gerald O'Sullivan goal swung the game South Kerry's way. Willie was in the company of Thomas Raymond (successful 1954 caplain) and Pop Fitzgerald in the full forward line. All three stars are now enjoying their eternal rewards. 1957 was a splendid year for the blue and white brigade, captained by ace scorer Joe Kerins and making amends for the previous year's disappointment with an emphatic victory over St. Brendans. Willie Raymond showed his versatility by switching from attack to fill the goalkeeping position when regular custodian Moss O'Connor was laid low with a dose of the 'flu. The surviving members and next of kin of deceased team members were honoured by the club at a gala golden jubilee banquet at the Brandon Hotel in January 2007. Willie later played with The Kingdom Kerry team in London. In 1966 he played for John Mitchels in the Kerry Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final against Ballyheigue. Boherbee had the Sheehy brothers, Dick O'Sullivan. Teddy O' Dowd, Joe Dineen and Willie's fellow Strand Roaders, Paddy Brophy, Tom Lynch and the Quinlan brothers (now Catholic priests from Caherina) as colleagues but Ballyheigue won by two points . In retirement he regularly acted as an umpire in games for Strand Road referees. Willie also made his mark at handball in the Green ball alleys and made his silken talents tell by winning the Kerry Championship and wearing the green and gold vest with distinction. In the sport of boxing, the Raymond name is on a par with the other famed Tralee families, the Lehanes of Pembroke Street and the Powells of Boherbee. Willie won many titles in Kerry and Munster. His brother George Vincent was 4st - 7 Ibs. Irish champion . Willie's brothers, Michael and Patrick, Richard and his sister, Philomena Baddely predeceased him. George Vincent, Anthony, Joe and Noel are still with us as is his sister, Kathy Considine. The late Willie Raymond was a lovely, ordinary, fun-loving guy. His death after a short illness has left his wife, children, brothers and sisters mourning a very special person who not alone was a man of the people, but had a heart of gold. Willie was laid to rest in Rath Cemetery. May the sod rest lightly on hs gentle soul. Courtesy of the Kerry's Eye 24 April 2008 Tweet

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