Journalist Frank Lewis pays tribute to Ballyhar native Paddy O’Callahan, a great community activist, who passed away at the weekend
PADDY O’Callaghan passed away, peacefully, on Friday morning, in the company of his wife, Rita, and family.
He will be remembered widely through his various involvements, as a sportsman, republican and community activist.
Born in Aglish, Ballyhar, Killarney in 1933, Paddy was passionately committed to everything he was involved in.
He first came to prominence in the 1950s as a member of one of the most successful Kerry cycling teams. The solo highlight of his cycling career was winning the 100-mile All-Ireland Road Championship in 1956.
In later years he played a key role in bringing the three Irish cycling bodies together and forming one organisation. Since 1988 this has been the official cycling body for all Irish cyclists. He was involved in the administration of the sport at local, national and international level.
Paddy worked as a psychiatric nurse in St Finan’s Hospital and he went on to own garages, in Tralee and Killorglin.
He worked for a number of years as manager of the Castlemaine Harbour Fisherman’s Co-op. Since the 1970s he ran his own bicycle shops, first in Killorglin and then in Killarney, and continued to work in his cycle workshop at his home in Cromane up to a few months ago.
He provided servicing back-up for charity cycle race events, including fundraisers for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospotal in Crumlin, and he was an adviser to the Ring of Kerry charity cycle.
Paddy was committed all of his life to a re-united Ireland. He was an active member of the Republican movement and he served as a Sinn Fein member of Kerry County Council from 1967 to the early 1970s.
He was a dedicated believer in voluntary community work – anything that could be done to help.
He was a founder member of the Kerry Mountain Rescue Team and he was very involved in the establishment of the Cappanalea Outdoor Pursuits Centre.
In Killorglin he was active on many fronts, including the development of the sports and leisure centre at the community college, Puck Fair, the credit union and the community council.
Paddy was on the board of the South Kerry Development Partnership, serving as chairman for a number of years.
He was one of the group that formed the Kerry Community Radio Co-op, founding partners of Radio Kerry, and served as chairman of the community group from 2003 to date. Since then he had been the co-op’s director on the board of Radio Kerry and he was particularly committed to regular broadcasting from all parts of Kerry.
He was hugely committed to the essential work of Kerry Life Education and served on its board for a number of years.
Paddy was laid to rest on Sunday in Reilig Realt na Mara, Cromane.
He is survived by his wife, Rita, sons Sean, Micheal and Cieran, sisters Maureen and Dora, daughters-in-law Anna, Anne and Mary, grandchildren Grainne, Gearoid, Aoife, Eamon, Paddy, Maebdh and Jack, greatgrandchild Peadar, nieces and nephews, relatives and friends.
