Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan
THE death has occurred in Killarney of Denis “Gunner” O’Brien who was one of the best known and most respected businessmen in the town for a generation.
He operated a very busy furniture store on the upper side of New Street and, in fact, he was responsible for furnishing the vast majority of homes in the town over many decades.
Denis had a gentle, warm and engaging personality and he worked his way through a very successful business life with the motto that the customer is always right.
He had a huge quantity of stock, over three floors, in the landmark furniture store – now run by his nephew – and all the stock and sale records were kept and financial transactions conducted from a telephone kiosk sized office at the bottom of the stairs.
For many years the Gunner Brien’s – as it was affectionately known to all – became a magical wonderland in the lead-up to Christmas as Denis facilitated a pop-up toy shop which children were able to visit for ideas before they penned their letters to Santa.
A deeply religious man, Denis was a daily communicant and a very frequent visitor to the Franciscan Friary and it was not unknown for him to lock up the shop pearly to enable him to attend a service. He was also a very regular visitor to the grotto on Rock Road.
Predeceased by his late parents, Alice and John, and his brothers, Paddy and Seán, Denis is survived by his sister Noreen, brother-in-law Jim O’Donnell, nephews Denis and Seamus, nieces Marion and Alice, grandniece Ava, grandnephews Luke and Adam, relatives, neighbours and many great friends.
Reposing at O’Shea’s Funeral Home, Killarney on this Tuesday evening from 4.30pm to 6.30pm, removal will take place afterwards to St Mary’s Cathedral. Requiem Mass will be on Wednesday at 10.30am with burial afterwards in Aghadoe Cemetery, Killarney.
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