Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan
The late Danny O’Leary of Bishop’s Farm in Ballycasheen, Killarney, whose death has been announced, was a master ploughman who won prestigious Irish titles despite intense competition.
There has always been a great ploughing tradition in the greater Killarney area and, in 1954, Danny was a competitor when Killarney hosted the first world championships to be held in Ireland after the inaugural event was staged in Ontario, Canada the previous year.
Killarney also played host to the national champions on two occasions, 1939 and 1961 and Danny O’Leary was an established champion.
He went on to become president of the Killarney Ploughing Association and he was one of the guests of honour when a Cairn of Peace was unveiled on Mission Road, in May 2019, to commemorate the Irish Championships being held in the town.
Danny, who passed away peacefully in the Bon Secours Hospital, Tralee, was predeceased by his wife Mary.
He is survived by his family, sister-in-law Nannette, brother-in-law Eamon, nephews Peter and Mark and their wives Breda and Mary, nieces Rhona and Emily and their husbands Eric and Dries, grand nieces, Fiona and Abbey, grand nephews, Callum, Conor, Matthew and Killian and many other relatives and friends.
Reposing at O’Shea’s Funeral Home, Killarney this Tuesday evening from 7.15pm to 8.30pm will be followed by removal to St Mary’s Cathedral.
Requiem Mass will be on Wednesday morning at 10.30am with burial afterwards in Old Aghadoe Cemetery, Killarney. The Requiem Mass for Danny will be live-streamed on https://www.churchservices.tv/killarneycathedral.
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