O’LEARY (Drominahilla, Millstreet 4, Co. Cork, late of Spar, Main Street): WILLIAM, passed away, peacefully, on April 10, 2014, at Marymount University Hospital, Cork, wonderful husband and best friend to Mary and also survived by his loving children and their spouses Jerry and Jennie, Carmel and Alan, William and Claire, Dan and Triona, John Noel and Marie, Geraldine and Peter, Catherine and Ian and his much adored grandchildren Seán, Ciara, Neil, Caoimhe, Eimear, Orla, Adam, Emily, Sophie, Maryann and Danny, beloved brother of Kitty, Noreen, Jimmy and the late Dan and Dermy and brother-in-law to Kathleen, Ann Hennessy, Jack Manning and the late Dan O’Connor. Sadly missed by his loving family, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins and many many friends from far and near.
Reposing at Tarrant’s Funeral Home on today, Friday, from 5pm to 8pm. Reception into St Patrick’s Church on tomorrow, Saturday, for 12 noon Requiem Mass. Burial afterwards in St Mary’s Cemetery, Millstreet. Donations, to Marymount in lieu of flowers.
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Mick Morris, Kerry, and Willie O’Leary, Cork, fight for possession during the Munster Senior Football Final at the Athletic Ground in 1964.
Though good health had not been with him for many a day
Such sad news out of Millstreet the great William O Leary has passed away
He left in all who knew him many a good memory
Of the man he once was in the what used to be
A man who loved his wife Mary and his family
He was an inspirational leader in the Millstreet Community
As a business man and a great Gaelic Footballer he was widely known
And the people of Millstreet felt proud to claim him for their own
Good old memories as is said slow to fade away
For Millstreet in green and Cork in red great games he did play
In his prime years for him many a loud hooray
He once scored two goals for Cork against Kerry on Munster Final Day
To the higher self William did remain ever true
He was a good person for to give him his due
One of the O Learys of West End a family known far and wide
Beyond the borders of Duhallow’s green countryside
Predeceased by his younger brother Dermy and his older brother Dan
William O Leary will be remembered not alone as a great Gaelic Footballer but as a very good man
By Cashman’s Hill in St Mary’s his last remains lay
But for his passing Millstreet is the poorer today.
“On the Passing of William O’Leary” is by Francis Duggan
http://francisrhymer.blogspot.ie/2014/04/on-passing-of-william-o-leary.html
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Willie Played adult games for 26 years for Millstreet. He scored 2-3 & 1-4 in Munster Senior Football Champinoship finals against Kerry (John Tarrant)
(added by mdc)
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from Newmarket GAA: THE GAA IN DUHALLOW MOURNS THE PASSING OF MILLSTREET FOOTBALLING GREAT WILLIAM O LEARY. WILLE PLAYED SENIOR AND JUNIOR FOR CORK AND HAD THE HONOUR OF SCORING 2-3 IN THE 1963 MUNSTER SENIOR FOOTBALL FINAL AT KILLARNEYS FITZERALD STADIUM. A YEAR LATER IN 1964 MUNSTER FINAL HE SCORED1-4.AT CORK ATHLETIC GROUNDS. IN 3 SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES FOR CORK HE SCORED 4-11. A. WONDERFUL SPORTSMAN. FOR 26 YEARS HE PLAYED ON MILLSTREET S ADULT TEAMS. IN 1957 WILLIE WON A MUNSTER JUNIOR FOOTBALL MEDAL WITH CORK,THEY WERE DEFEATED BY CAVAN IN ALL IRELAND SEMI FINAL. AR DHEIS DE GO RAIBH AN ANAM.
The below tribute to Willie O’Leary appeared in the match programme for the Duhallow Football Final last Sunday:
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Late Willie O’Leary played pivotal role in Millstreet GAA
The death earlier this year of one of Millstreet’s best known GAA personalities Willie O’Leary evoked great sadness far and wide.
A revered figure who was the Millstreet GAA Club President at the time of his passing, he rendered a lifetime of service to the association he loved so dearly. Very much a legendary character, Willie was a popular favourite and his passing evoked widespread regret.
Indeed the GAA in his native Millstreet, Duhallow and Cork has lost one of its iconic figures, his career spanned 26 years in adult football and hurling, many of the exploits on the field of play became folklore.
Willie made his debut for Millstreet in Leaving Cert Year of 1955, the club reached both Duhallow junior football and hurling championship finals. In the height of exams, Willie swapped the role of umpire to come on the football field against Blackwater Rovers in the opening round to contribute, as he did in the decider against Castlemagner.
Controversy raged in the hurling final, a replay and extra time required against Banteer, Millstreet winning but later forfeited the title in an objection upheld by the county board.
A unique forward with a deadly shot and superb accuracy, Willie struck fear into opposing defences, and his predatory instincts came to prominence and gathered reward when called into the Cork Senior Football side just days before the 1963 Munster SFC Final.
And Willie delivered, Cork’s best player offering a lesson on finishing to shoot 2-3 yet Kerry pulled the game out of the fire in the dying stages. Fortunes were much better at club level, Millstreet regaining the Duhallow JAFC title and proceeded to overcome Skibbereen, Crosshaven and an important penalty in the final helped to better St.Nicks to claim county accolades.
The ultimate honour of a Munster SFC medal eluded him yet Willie caused opposing defences all sorts of problems. A scoring machine, confirmed on 1-4 scored twice against Waterford and Kerry in the 1964 Munster SFC campaign.
Millstreet GAA and the community are indebted to Willie and his family for their selfless and unstinting efforts on and off the field over the years. From 1990 up to his death, Willie was chairman of the Millstreet Town Park Committee, a dedicated group drawn from voluntary organisations that continously work on ongoing improvements and provide amenities for young and old.
A follower of all sports from gaelic games to horses, Willie’s level of community involvement together with the success of his former Spar Supermarket meant that the O’Leary name was known far and wide. And Willie was very proud of his family’s deep involvement in GAA affairs at club, divisional and county level.
Willie will be fondly remembered by his family and the wider Millstreet community to whomhe rendered such generous service on and off the field.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.