THE late great Killarney basketball legend Paudie O’Connor is to be posthumously honoured by having an all-Ireland competition named in his memory.
Basketball Ireland has revealed that the ladies’ Super League National Cup will be named after the first Irish superstar of the game who set the courts of Europe alight with his glorious skills during a long and distinguished playing career.
The first round of the keenly contested competition will take place this weekend with the final scheduled for Dublin in January and it is indeed a fitting tribute to Paudie who was the first head coach of the Irish senior ladies’ squad.
He also spearheaded the former Pretty Polly tournament that attracted several hundred female basketballers to Killarney for many years.
Paudie, who passed away at his home in the US last May, at the age of 66, was one of the most instantly recognisable sporting and political personalities Killarney has known.
He was a Fine Gael member of the former Killarney Urban District Council from 1974 to 1985, serving as a popular and charismatic chairman on four occasions, in 1978, 1980, 1982 and 1984.
He was also a member of Kerry County Council from 1979 to 1985 and, at the age of 29, he unsuccessfully contested the general election for Fine Gael in 1981.
The son of Dan and Mai O’Connor from O’Sullivan’s Place, Paudie was part of an outstanding sporting family and his brothers, Seamie, Mike and the late Benny, were all high achievers on the basketball courts and GAA fields with Dr Crokes.
6’4” Paudie enjoyed great success with his hometown St Vincent’s club as well as captaining the Irish basketball team at a time when he was deemed the finest point guard in Europe. He won several domestic titles and became the only Irish player ever to make the first five of a European All-Star team.
© KillarneyToday.com: Advertise with us: Over 300,000 views every month. Over 20,000 followers on Facebook. Call 087-2229761
