Thursday, 5th


July 2018


info@eastcorkjournal.ie The late Patrick (Pat) O’Connor, 4th


Pat departed this life un- expectedly on 28th


2018 leaving behind a trail of happy memories for his immediate


family: sister


Margaret, brothers Tom- my and John, his wider family, his neighbours and a wide circle of friends. A native of Ballyorgan, Kilfinane, Co. Limer- ick, Pat attended primary school at St. Joseph’s NS, Ballyorgan. He completed his second level education while boarding at the Car- melite College in Castle- martyr. Pat was both Class Captain and House Cap- tain during the academic year 1986-’87 i.e. his final year in the Carmelite Col- lege. He fulfilled these re- sponsible roles excellently and was extremely pop- ular with both staff and students. Pat received the ‘Class Captain of the Year’ award during his final year having been nominated for this award by the academ- ic staff of the College. Pat also received the Vice Prin- cipals Award during his final days in Castlemartyr in recognition of his work as House Captain. It was at the Carmelite College that many of Pat’s interests in life were fostered, e.g., his love of writing, public speaking,


photography,


sport and his devotion to St. Therese to name but a few. St. Therese of the Lit- tle Flower was patroness of the college. In 1986, while a student at the college, Pat won 1st


prize in the Euro-


pean Schools Day Interna- tional Essay Competition and 1st


Prize in the Cork


Association for the Deaf Regional Essay Compe- tition. In 1987 he was awarded a Public Speaking Gold Medal from the Lon- don Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAM- DA) - achievements which no doubt sowed the seeds for his career as a jour- nalist, photographer and newspaper editor. Pat’s third level educa-


tion took place at Colaiste Stiofain Naofa, Tramore Road, Cork where he suc- cessfully completed a Me- dia Techniques Course. During his time at Colaiste Stiofain Naofa, he success- fully submitted articles for publication in the


local


and national print media on a free-lance basis. After a brief stint work-


March


ing in the ‘Kingdom’ at the Spectra Film Processing Group Headquarters in Tralee, Pat returned to the county of Cork and spe- cifically to the East Cork area.


Whilst Midleton


soon became his adopted town and Cork his adopt- ed county, Pat never lost his allegiance to his na- tive Limerick. For many years Pat


travelled the


high roads and by roads of Munster, and beyond to GAA matches. He was always proud to wear the green and white in support of the Limerick hurlers in their quest for an All-Ire- land title. Sadly, this was one dream Pat did not suc- ceed in realising during his short lifetime. Pat was just 4 years old when Limerick last lifted the Liam McCa- rthy cup in 1973. Pat was also a proud Munster man and could be seen at many a rugby game in Thomo- nd Park, Musgrave Park (Irish Independent Park), Lansdowne Road or The Aviva Stadium.


Thank-


fully for Pat, Munster met with more


success than


Limerick. Pat was interested in al-


most every sport. It was during his days at the Car- melite College that Pat de- veloped a love of athletics. He was a member of East Cork Athletic Club and won many competitive races as an underage and juvenile runner. Pat soon became


in-


volved in practically every aspect of community life in his adopted town, Mid- leton. With the guidance and support of his friends and colleagues Liam Howard (‘The Avondhu’) and Fr. Liam Kelleher, Pat created ‘The Imokilly People’ brand name and newspaper title.


Their


support together with Pat’s youthful enthusiasm and determination enabled Pat to realise his dream of producing a weekly news- paper. This was a dream that began during his years at the Carmelite College and was nurtured further while completing his Jour- nalism Course at Colaiste Stiofain Naofa.


Pat was


determined to fulfil this dream. In 8 short months, helped by the 2 ‘Liams’ he successfully completed a feasibility study, sought and received funding, or-


@eastcorkjournal / #eastcorkjournal


ganised premises, leased equipment, sourced and recruited staff etc.


The


first edition was very aptly printed on the day before St. Patrick’s Day 1989 i.e., on Thursday, 16th


March.


This first edition was a six- teen page black and white copy retailing at


£0.40


(Euro equivalent €0.51). However very soon Pat together with all at ‘Team Imokilly People’ went on to produce on a weekly ba- sis a full colour newspaper ranging from fifty eight to sixty four pages with Spe- cial Interest Supplements included regularly.


July, 1969 – 28th


Year History’ which details the fifty year history of the Imokilly Region Macra Na Feirme. In February, 2003, Pat


set about the humongous task of researching and compiling the


seventy


three year history of his beloved Alma Mater – the Carmelite College, Castle- martyr. With the support of ‘Team Imokilly People’ he accomplished this task in the ten week period between early February and early April 2003. On Sunday 1st


June 2003, Pat The


paper’s circulation rose to over 5,000 copies and was widely read in homes and businesses in the East Cork and West Waterford are- as. Realising this dream meant that Pat became one of if not the youngest ever editor of a regional news- paper at the tender age of nineteen. It also meant that those living and work- ing in the East Cork and West Waterford areas had for the first time their own regional newspaper. Under Pat’s leadership,


‘The Imokilly People’ achieved many widely sought-after accredita- tions including the ‘ISO 9000:2001’ Award in 2004, the FAS ‘Excellence Through People’ certifica- tion in 2005 and the ‘Ex- cellence in Ireland Qual- ity Mark’ in 2005. The Imokilly People’ provided employment and job op- portunities and gave their employees the start they needed in the media indus- try. The Imokilly People’ organised, managed and sponsored numerous very popular community based events such as the Weekly and Annual Sports Awards Schemes; the Annual ‘Bet- ter Community Award Scheme’; and the Annual ‘East Cork Easter Queen’ competition. In addition to the busy associated with


schedule


the role of owner, man- ager and editor of a busy weekly regional newspa- per. Pat collaborated on a number of other publica- tions including ‘A Golden Era of Greatness’ along- side Tom Morrison which documented the


success


of Midleton G.A.A. Club between 1978 and 1993. In 1994, Pat published ’50


eastcorkjournal


proudly launched his treas- ured book ‘From Little Acorns, Great Oaks Have Grown’ at


the Garryvoe


Hotel. This was a joyful occasion, for Pat, his fam- ily, friends, work colleagues and his many friends in the Carmelite Commu- nities throughout Ireland and beyond. ‘From Little Acorns, Great Oaks Have Grown’ is a commemora- tive history of the many decades and the rich lega- cy arising from the arrival of the Carmelite Order in Castlemartyr on 20th December 1929 to their departure on 31st 2003.


January This hard back


publication contains five hundred and fifty pages, more than thirteen hun- dred photographs includ- ing two hundred in colour. Pat’s introduction to this commemorative


and in 1998 he was hon- oured by Junior Chamber, Ireland with the coveted ‘Outstanding Young Per- son of Ireland’ (TOYP) Award. In 1998, Pat was Chairman of the ‘Midle- ton En Fete ‘98’ Commit- tee – ‘Le Tour De France En Irlande’. Pat was Pres- ident of the Midleton & Area Chamber of Com- merce between 2000 and 2002 having filled roles as Vice President, Honorary Secretary and Public Re- lations Officer in earlier years. In 2002 Pat was Chairman of the Cork Re- gional Chamber of Com- merce. Pat had great faith and


publica-


tion references a quotation from Richard L. Evans. This quotations summaris- es the quality of life skills encouraged and fostered at Carmelite College, Castlemartyr through the years 1929 – 2003. The sincerest satisfaction in life come in doing and not in dodging duty; in meeting and solving problems, in facing facts, in being a de- pendable person. Pat was the principle organiser of numerous very successful Carmelite College Past Pupil Reunion days. Between 1995 and 1998


Pat was Chairman of the Cork – Midleton Passen- ger Rail Line Commit- tee – a committee which influenced the re-opening of the Cork-Midleton rail- way line. This was the first suburban railway line re- opened outside of Dublin for many years. In 1996, Pat was Vice President of Junior Chamber Midleton


Tel: 021 463 8000 • Email: info@eastcorkjournal.ie • Web: www.eastcorkjournal.ie


was deeply religious. He was a daily mass goer and a member of several prayer groups in East Cork and further afield in Cork City and beyond. He was an active member of the Legion of Mary in Midle- ton and was both Minister of the Eucharist and Min- ister of the Word in Midle- ton parish. Pat’s home in Laurel Court, is situated in the town of Midleton, however Dwyer Road is one of the boundary lines between the adjoining par- ishes of Carrigtwohill and Midleton. This boundary did not impact on Pat’s loy- alty to both parishes. Pat hosted the Carrigtwohill parish station mass in his home a number of times and was the principle or- ganiser of a very popular open air Mass on Laurel Court green in Septem- ber 2016. Once again showing Pat’s creative, innovative and organisa- tional skills together with


77 March, 2018 Patrick (Pat) O’Connor, Midleton and late of Ballyorgan, Kilfinane, Co. Limerick. RIP


his strong faith and trust in his heavenly father. Pat had special devotion to the Rosary (inherited no doubt from his late father Paddy whom he loved dearly). He was also devoted to St. Therese. A special prayer to St. Therese was offered and an altar to St. Therese was present at all parts of Pat’s final journey from T. Wallis and Sons Funer- al Home, Riverside Way, Midleton to the Church of the Most Holy Rosary, Midleton and his final rest- ing place with his parents (Margaret and Paddy) at Kildorrery Cemetery. Pat’s mother Margaret


was called to the Lord on Christmas Day 1996. Pat was Margaret’s youngest child, hence there was a very special bond between Pat (Margaret’s loyal son) and Margaret (Pat’s be- loved mother). Both Pat and his mother Margaret had the joy of attending Mass and receiving the blessed sacraments of Communion and Rec- onciliation in the hours prior to their unexpect- ed deaths. Margaret was called to the Lord in the liturgical Christmas sea- son whilst Pat was called during the liturgical Easter season. Pat’s funeral mass was reverently concele- brated by Fr. Jim Killeen, PP Midleton and 6 other priests, who travelled from different parts of Ireland to pray for and pay tribute to a dear friend. Pat was a very proud member of Midleton Parish Choir and it is fitting that his fellow choir members provided such beautiful music and


singing at both his well-at- tended removal and funer- al mass. I had the pleasure of


working with Pat for many years along with Robert Walshe, writing weekly columns for ‘The Imokil- ly People’ and it certainly was a memorable time for us and all the staff. He was a successful business man and an eloquent speaker on many topics and or- ganisations that


he was


involved in such as Mid- leton & Area Chamber of Commerce. Midleton Junior Chamber and those mentioned earlier. On 4th


July 2018, Pat


would have celebrated his 49th


birthday, his unexpect-


ed and tragic passing at such an early age has come as a huge shock to his fam- ily and all who knew him in the Midleton area. To his sister Margaret, broth- ers Tommy and John, sis- ters-in-law Josephine and Norma, nieces, nephew, grand-niece, aunts, uncle, relatives, neighbours and a wide circle of friends, we extend our heartfelt sym- pathy on the loss of their beloved Pat. I am confident that Pat


has now joined his parents Margaret and Paddy, fam- ily members and friends in their heavenly home where no doubt tales of happier days in Ballyorgan, Castle- martyr and Midleton are being retold. May Pat’s kindly loving


soul rest in peace! Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis! Your friend, Kathleen


Woulfe.


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