O'Grady, Richie
April 25, 2013THE LATE RICHIE O'GRADY RIP
The areas of Castletownroche and Fermoy were equally saddened recently by the death of Richie O'Grady, former NT in the former Fermoy CBS and later as Principal in Ballynoe NS until he retired some years ago.
Born and reared in Castletownroche, the late Richie, always remained a true and loyal Castletown man even though he may have spent at least half of his life in Fermoy where his work was in the old CBS before he took up his appointment in Ballynoe, but he continued to reside with his sister Francis and her husband George Byan (both since deceased), and as such he slipped into life in Pennoy very easily.
He also fitted into the role of uncle Richie to his nieces and nephews very fast and was always regarded as one of the family at Sunnyside in Fermoy.
A great reader, Richie could converse with anyone on almost every subject and he was a great conversationalist and one never found time long when in his company, he had a passionate interest in Gaelic games especially hurling and the junior team of the early fifties in Castletownroche.
In his address after Richie's funeral Mass in Fermoy, Castletownroche historian Jim Hogan who would have been a colleague of Richie in those years, paid tribute and recalled how he had won North Cork JHC medals with the club in the fifties and told us that Richie was considered a brilliant halfback in those days.
Like many more players of his time, injury curtailed his playing career, but Richie had other irons in the fire and his interest in hounds and hunting played a big part in his life for a number of years after hurling.
When the hunting season was in full swing, it was a common but welcome sight to meet Richie in full colourful huntsman's outfit and his pack as they answered the merry sound of his hunting horn around the lands of Annesgrove, Hunting Hall, Skanakilla and the many other hunting grounds in the area.
After the hounds Richie could be found on his way to Thurles, Cork, Limerick or Killamey or wherever a Cork hurling team would be playing, such was his love of Cork hurling at that time.
He was always very proud when former pupils from Ballynoe such as Denis Walsh and Cathal Casey were stars on his Cork teams.
When Richie could no longer carry out the tasks he always loved, he found it very hard to get around and eventually about ten years ago he went to live at The Corpus Christi Nursing Home in Mitchelstown where he spent the last years of his very happy life.
To his brother Danny-Pat, his sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, grand-nephews and grand-nieces, relatives and a host of many friends, we offer our sincere condolences.
His funeral Mass was concelebrated in St Patrick's Church in Fermoy after which he was laid to rest in Ballyhooley Church Cemetery where there was a very large and representative crowd present to pay their final respects to a real gentleman.
Ar dheis lamh De go raibh a Anam dilis.
Courtesy of The Corkman Tweet
