O'Sullivan, John 'Lock'
November 30, 2002
The Late John 'Lock' O'Sullivan
There was huge shock and great sorrow in Adrigole and beyond when news filtered through of the tragic death of noted footballer 26 years old John 'Lock' O'Sullivan, who was due to line out for his local club against Kiskeam in the Cork County Junior 'A' football championship final.
As a mark of respect, the county final has been postponed to a later date, as his family and wide circle of friends try to come to terms with their great loss. John worked as a PE and English teacher at Colaiste and Phiarsaigh in Glanmire and it was there, in the school swimming pool, that his body was found by a friend on Tuesday evening around 7pm
A post mortem was being carried out on the body on Wednesday to establish the cause of death and inquest will follow. However, it is thought that he went for a swim after being involved in a training session at Colaiste an Phiarsaigh and got into difficulties.
John 'Lock' O'Sullivan was the son of Mary and Michael O'Sullivan of Lackavane, Adrigole, Beara, and had one sister, Marie. In recent years, he had spent some time in Australia and returned for his sisters wedding last August.
As a footballer, John had enjoyed a long and distinguished career, being involved in all grades for his beloved Adrigole during his youth and winning numerous medals with them, right up to Beara junior championship level.
He won an All-Ireland Vocational Schools medal with Beara Community School in 1994 and was part of the successful Beara under 21 football team that won two county titles.The pinnacle of his footballing career came in 1997, when he won a Cork County Senior football championship medal with Beara.
During his sojurn in Australia, John was part of an Irish selection that won the inaugural Australian Rules World Cup competition.
Back home, he was an integral part of the Adrigole quest for county honours this year and, in the county semi final against Tadhg Mac Charthaigh in Bantry last Sunday week, he scored a total of six points, including the winning point.
'Devastated' was the word used by Adrigole GAA club secretary Marie Goggin to sum up the way people in the Beara peninsula village felt on Wednesday, when news of his death spread. At that stage, she could not see how his club colleagues could possible face up to playing a county final, even in a weeks time.
Courtesy of the Southern Star
November 2002
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