Vegas fans scramble to remember a legend

Paudie O’Connor’s daughter, Morgan, at the golf event in his memory in Las Vegas

A FORMER Mayor of Killarney and one of the greatest sportsmen the town has produced has been remembered with great affection at a golf classic in his memory at the Paiute Golf Resort in Las Vegas, the city where he passed away, suddenly, last year.

Paudie O’Connor – the Killarney basketball legend who became a very successful golf promoter in Vegas – provided inspiration to many people throughout his life and his family and friends thought it fitting that the great work should continue with the setting up of a golf foundation in his honour.

The late Paudie O’Connor

The inaugural O’Connor memorial golf classic – dubbed the Shamrock Scramble – was held on Sunday with his daughter, Morgan, successfully spearheading the event.

The aim is to provide an educational and inspirational opportunity for future generations of University of Nevada Las Vegas PGA students while acknowledging the love Paudie had for both Killarney and Vegas.

A similar golf classic was held in his home town some weeks ago to raise funds for St Paul’s Basketball Club and the Killarney Cardiac Response Unit.

The Vegas classic will create an endowment to fund a course through the university that will focus on fostering tourism links between the US and Ireland. Students could have the opportunity to travel to Ireland and play golf at some of the world’s best courses and keep the connection alive between Las Vegas and Ireland which Paudie was so passionate about.

Paudie, originally from O’Sullivan’s Place, is laid to rest in Aghadoe alongside his parents, Dan and Mai. A roundabout close to his home, at the Lewis Road-St Ann’s Road junction, was recently dedicated to his memory.

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