Sad passing of retired Garda Sergeant and Ballyraine FC founder Andy O'Boyle

Alan Foley
By Alan Foley

Managing Editor, Donegal, Letterkenny

Published 27th Oct 2022, 23:33 GMT
The late Andy O'Boyle, inset, who spent much of his time at Ballyraine FCplaceholder image
The late Andy O'Boyle, inset, who spent much of his time at Ballyraine FC

A retired Sergeant with An Garda Siochana, Andy was best known for his involvement in footballing circles and his work with the Donegal Hospice 500 Club

Letterkenny is mourning the loss of Andy O’Boyle, who passed away today, Thursday. 

Andy, who is originally from Claremorris, Co Mayo, lived at Clareville, High Road, Letterkenny. He was 81 years old when he passed, peacefully, at Letterkenny University Hospital. 

A retired Garda Sergeant with An Garda Siochana, Andy was predeceased by his wife Margaret in February 2020. Deeply missed by his loving family, sons Joe (Fahan) and Sean (Naas), daughters Marie (Letterkenny), Rita Kenny (Donegal Town) and Lucie Donnelly (Dungannon), grandchildren Erin, Oisin, Ava, Maggie, Thomas, Einín, Tara, Eoghan and Leah, great-grandchild Shea, brother Pat (Perth, Australia) and sisters Betty Moran (Ballinrobe, Mayo) and Cora Kenny (Ballinasloe, Co. Galway), sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and a wide circle of family, friends and neighbours.

Andy was best known outside of his work in footballing circles. He was a founder of Ballyraine FC in 1979 with Charlie Shiels.

Both managed the schoolboys/girls club who down the years coached a host of players who went onto have significant impacts on the sporting world, like current European 800m bronze medallist Mark English, 2008 Olympian Philip Deignan, 2012 All-Ireland winner Rory Kavanagh,  Republic of Ireland midfielder Ciara Grant, who is headed for the Fifa Women’s World Cup next summer, Julie Anne Herrity, David McGinley and Ciaran Greene were capped at underage level, while Sean Houston, Gareth Harkin, Cillian Morrison and Josh Mailey were among those who played League of Ireland football. placeholder image
Both managed the schoolboys/girls club who down the years coached a host of players who went onto have significant impacts on the sporting world, like current European 800m bronze medallist Mark English, 2008 Olympian Philip Deignan, 2012 All-Ireland winner Rory Kavanagh,  Republic of Ireland midfielder Ciara Grant, who is headed for the Fifa Women’s World Cup next summer, Julie Anne Herrity, David McGinley and Ciaran Greene were capped at underage level, while Sean Houston, Gareth Harkin, Cillian Morrison and Josh Mailey were among those who played League of Ireland football. 

“Charlie Shiels and Andy O’Boyle and their helpers treated us like kings, like we were playing for Liverpool,” Rory Kavanagh wrote of his former Ballyraine FC managers in his 2015 autobiography Winning. “They were great men and gave us a tremendous footballing education.”

At a reunion of Ballyraine FC in 2016, it was acknowledged that “Charlie and Andy's hard work in the club over the years is the main reason why Ballyraine FC is still in existence and now stronger than ever.”

Only this March, the Ballyraine FC committee made a presentation to Andy, who had stepped aside from the Donegal Hospice 500 Club after 26 years, as the club marked their appreciation for his part in the fundraising effort to support their pitch development project. 

“Andy came out of retirement to run the 200 members club which was a great fundraiser for the pitch development project,” Charlie Shiels said that night.  Outside of football, Andy was involved in the school traffic wardens in Scoil Colmcille and had two All-Ireland champion warden teams. 

Andy’s remains will repose at his late residence on Friday, October 28, from 5pm until 10pm and on Saturday, from 11am to 10pm with family time please on the morning of the funeral. Funeral from there at 12:15pm on Sunday going to the Church of the Irish Martyrs for 1pm Requiem Mass which can be viewed here.

Interment afterwards to Conwal Cemetery, Letterkenny. Family flowers only please. Donations in lieu of flowers if desired to the Donegal Hospice c/o any family member. Rosary both evenings at 9pm.

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