'Tommy first hit the scene in 1963 when as a 17-year-old corner forward'

Drangan/Cloneen Notes

We extend sympathy to Mrs Kitty O’Connor, Mairead Foley and Catherine Cullinane on the recent death of Tommy O’Connor who had given a lifetime of service to the GAA and to the parish of Cloneen and Drangan.

Tommy first hit the scene in 1963 when as a 17-year-old corner forward he scored 2-2 in the South Minor Football Final victory over Clonmel side Eire Óg.

Tommy’s brother Philly was full back on that team.

Tommy went on to serve the club as player, selector and administrator and served as Senior club secretary from 1984 to 1997.

But perhaps Tommy’s greatest contribution to St. Patrick’s was the work he did with juveniles in organising and refereeing parish leagues for the young boys and a few young girls.

The tradition continues with Tommy’s Grandchildren Cathal, Clodagh and Donncha Foley and Daniel Cullinane all prominent members of St Patrick’s teams.

But the family involvement with the GAA was not a recent thing as Tommy’s grandfather and granduncle Phil and John Skehan played football for Cloneen in 1916 and both men represented Cloneen at South Board level and John also hurled with a Drangan Cloneen selection in 1919.

Tommy’s father Ned was a prominent member of several local teams winning South and County Junior football finals in 1935 and South and County Senior football Finals in 1947 with his brother Henry.

In 1951 Henry, Jim, Eamy and Mikey were all members of the St Patrick’s team that won the South Junior Football Final while Eamy, Jim and Mikey all helped Fethard to victory in the South Minor Football Final.

Mikey won a South Minor Hurling Championship with Coolmoyne in 1952 when he also played for Tipperary minor footballers.

In 1953 when St Patrick’s again won South and County Senior Football Henry was still on the team with Tommy’s brother Mikey at midfield and Eamy also in the panel.

In 1955 Jack O’Connor won a Munster Minor Football Final with Tipperary but was beaten by Dublin in All-Ireland Final.

In 1956 Pat O’Connor was one of seven St. Patricks players who helped Mullinahone to victory in the South Minor Football final. In 1956 Pat O’Connor lined out at midfield on a St Patrick’s - Grangemockler combination which won the first-ever South U21 Football Final.

In 1963 Pat and Philly O’Connor won South Junior Football medals on a team captained by brother Eamy. Pat also won a Junior Hurling medal in 1963 with a team where Eamy lined out at full-back.

Eamy was again captain in 1967 with Pat also on the team who won South and County Junior Football Finals when Pat was also a selector.

To the present-day Pat is a well known and very helpful caretaker of Moyle Rovers GAA pitch at Monroe where his family are all trojan workers for the GAA.

Jean is a long serving and very efficient secretary, while Paul and Kevin have worn the Moyle Rovers jersey with distinction.

However, all the work was not done by the men as Tommy’s late mother washed and mended the club jerseys for many years in the days before washing machines had been invented.

Tommy’s wife Kitty continued this work for many years while Tommy was a selector and secretary. The O’Connor homestead was a meeting place for GAA people for many years from where very few went home early and nobody went home hungry.

When Tommy’s coffin draped in his beloved Black and Amber arrived in Cloneen it was met by a Guard of Honour which included many of his minor colleagues from 1963 as well as players from previous years and many more from the last 60 years.

The Guard of Honour also included many staff members from Drangan school who recalled his many years as a very helpful caretaker.

Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.