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HUGELY popular Killarney businessman Seamus O’Connor, who passed away suddenly on Tuesday, has been remembered as a larger than life character who always put the community first.
Seamus owned and operated the busy Kitty’s O’Shea’s restaurant on College Street, with his partner Eileen, and they also had a bar and restaurant, operating under the same name, in Kinsale, Co Cork.
There was great shock and sadness in Killarney when word reached town that he had passed away, in Cork University Hospital, at the age of 59.
At his funeral Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral, Killarney yesterday afternoon, Seamus’s son, Owen, paid an emotion-charged tribute to his dad who he described as an extraordinary man, a father, a husband, a son, a partner, a brother, an uncle, a grandfather, a friend and an entertainer.
“There will never be enough words to comprehend what has happened over the past week and what a battle he fought. We are all in a complete state of shock as we try to recap on all the wonderful memories we have of him,” he said.
In a very articulate and moving eulogy, Owen described his father as a hardworking, strong, lovable rogue.
“He had an infectious laugh and a real presence when he entered a room. He gave us great advice and always guided us in the right direction in life. He was one of a kind,” he said.
He said people will remember his dad as a larger than life character and a great singer who always stopped to have a chat and always extended a warm welcome to everybody.
“There was a private and a public side to dad. He appreciated the simple things in life. He loved to go out fishing for a day with his friends or was it the social aspect of the night out afterwards that was the main attraction? We’re no too sure,” Owen said.
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He said Seamus also enjoyed the finer things in life but he worked hard to get them. He loved his sun holidays, weekends away, his speedboat, BMW motorbike, Ford Escort, his VW Beetle and “that shiny Merc” and he will be fondly remembered for the bright and colourful exotic shirts he wore on holidays.
Owen reflected that his dad had a strong community spirit and he worked as a milkman and bus driver before becoming a publican and restaurateur.
“He had a hunger for success with no fear of failure and no sense of shame for thinking outside the box. He gave 100 per cent to everything he put his mind to”.
He said the family worked hard as a team, over long days and nights, to ensure the business was a success and the O’Connor children were taught the greatest qualities in life.
“He gave us all responsibilities from day one and instilled hard work, manners, respect and self-worth into each one of us,” said Owen.
“He was so many things to so many people. It’s very hard to speak about him in the past tense but he was a big man with a big heart and in his short life of 59 years he achieved so much”.
Owen said memories of his dad will linger forever and he added: “There will never be an end to the Seamus O’Connor story”.
Seamus is survived by his partner Eileen, his children Louise, Stephen, Cora and Owen, their mother Elizabeth and his grandchildren Rhea, Alysha, Lucia and Esme.
Predeceased by his father Jimmy and brother Joe, he is further survived by his mother Brenda, brothers Paddy, Thady, Michael, Peter, Neily and Thomas, sisters Siobhán, Helen and Brenda, sons-in-law Brendan and Paul, and partners Siobhán and Rachel, nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, many other relatives and great friends.
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