The late Tony O'Grady Tony O'Grady, a native of High Street, Ballinamore, who died in Tooting, England, certainly left his footprints in the sands of time and left a legacy of good work of which his wife Sadie and his children Patricia, James, Frank, Peter and Anthony and of which extended O'Grady family can all be proud. Growing up in Ballinamore with his parents Paul and Mollie and with his brothers and sisters, he would have developed that sense of community where people cared for each other and for their neighbours and acquaintances. This was a particularly strong trait in Tony's character at all times and it spurred him to be very heavily involved in the community life of Tooting. He was a well known and popular organiser of many social, sporting charitable events, and many families, particularly Irish families were to benefit from his generous good works and his genuine concern for others. Tony attended national school in Ballinamore and then went to boarding school in the famed Multyfarnham College in Co. Westmeath. This college was famed not only for its academic successes, but also for many sporting achievements. Handball was a major sport there and Tony O'Grady became one of the school's top experts and had the distinction of winning the Leinster College Senior Handball Championships, as well as a number of national titles.One of the reasons for his success was the fact that he was completely ambidextrous and could play equally well from the right and the left side of the court. During holiday time he cycled out of Fenagh Handball Alley and kept himself in touch, though at that time Fenagh, like so many handball alleys, was only three walled, it is interesting to note the on-going present development at the venue, Tony O'Grady would be proud of that. Tony had a life-long love of the GAA and was an avid follower of handball, hurling and football. He taught for some time in Cornagon NS before emigrating to England, continuing his studies and then becoming an Accountant in London Transport. He kept in close touch, as did all the O'Grady family, with events an developments in Ballinamore and in Leitrim, through correspondence with family and friends and through the pages of 'The Leitrim Observer' and the 'Leitrim Guardian'. The community in Ballinamore extends sincere sympathy to Tony's wife Sadie and to their family and also to Tony;s brother Pat in Manchester, and his sister Philomena in Mullingar. Solas na bhFlaithleas da anam. Courtesy of the Leitrim Observer 28/07/2006 Tweet

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