The late Nealie O'Neill One of Beara's sporting legends answered his final call. Nealie O'Neill ,Blackrock Terrace, Castletownbere passed away after a period of illness. He was in his 97th year. The late Nealie was a native of Urhan and lived for some years in London before returning to live in Castletownbere where he spent most of his life as a shoemaker, he was deeply involved with sporting and social activities and was known to one and all as a gentleman to his finger tips and a wonderful husband, father and neighbour. Nealie possessed countless wonderful attributes, not least his affable personality, his friendliness and good humour, but his willingness at all times to lend a helping hand. His remains were removed from Harringston's Funeral Home to the Church when members of of Castletownbere Bord na nOg formed a guard of honour. Requiem Mass was celebrated by Fr Jim Lenihan at which hymns were rendered by the Church Choir. There was a hugely representative attendance at the Mass and funeral to Dorum Cemetery with the coffin draped with the town GAA colours and a guard of honour from the club. A very fitting final tribute to a much loved man. Predeceased by his wife Anna-Mae and son Derry, he is survived by sons, Terry, Cornie, Barry and Brendan, daughter in law, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sisters and many other relatives to whom we extended sympathy. The passing of time and the continued march of progress has wrought carnage on the cultured tradition, that was part and parcel of the brain and sinew of the villages and countryside of Rural Ireland. Even the local Rectory is no longer the same, the cordon of stately elms with its rooks' nests and noisy rooks have now disappeared. The reptile of a chainsaw has destroyed our natural surroundings. The Irish country village with its army of weavers, tailors, shoemakers, saddlers and blacksmiths has now vanished from the scene. The blacksmiths forge and the shoemakers shop were what we could describe as Eldorados of the village. When in the long winter nights the local groups gathered into the forge and shoemaker shop and discussed local topics. Politics, local games, local achievements, bereavements and scandals were fully discussed. Here in Castletownbere we had the unique distinction of that era in the premises of Nealie O'Neill's shoemaker shop at Church Gate, Castletownbere. The house was known as Tig Peile and it could not have a more appropriate name. Here every game was previewed and post mortemed. After important games his shop was full, and the whole game was played again over and over. The merits and demertis of players were screened without any form of censorship whatsoever. There was never a Beara team went out that was not unofficially selected outside his counter and analysis to the full by Nealie himself. In the general comment Nealie would say "what chance have they unless they do something with their full forward line, the backs are good enough but the goalkeeper has a bad kickout, they should hold out well at centre field; but one thing is certain they cannot depend much on the subs if things go against them". He was also reinforced by another GAA stalwart the late Pete Lowney, he too was a real Gaelic enthusiast. It was rarely you'd find any two as expert in GAA matters under the one roof as Nealie and Pete. They had another great interest in common, they were the keenest huntsmen in Beara, and no one could tell you better about a good dog to put our a fox than the famous two. It was also common in those days, amongst the gatherings in shoemakers shops, to play little pranks, and carry out practical jokes. With Nealie you carried out none of your tricks, you were quite welcome to join in the conversation and make your contribution, but if you tried any tricks or carried out any of your blackguarding you got the door out. Nealie was in his day a sine footballer, he played with his native Urhan Club before emigrating to London where he played with the well known Beara club CuChullihans and returning to Castletownbere he joined the Castletownbere club where had been President for a long number of years up to his death. He was of fine physique; he stood over six feet in height, and to use a local expression 'there was great cutting in him'. We are told of an Urhan team playing Fermoy in a South West Cork venue in the summer of 1932. Nealie played with Urhan that day, and people at the game can still recall an account of the game in the Southern Star. It was very hard on Urhan to have travelled so far then to lose the match into the bargain, but these Urhan men are great sportsmen and they would travel any distance to a game." Tradition dies hard it says but tradition lives on for Nealie that great spirit of Gaelic football has been re-kindled for him in glorious youthful tradition. Nealie's grandson Damien O'Neill of Bantry Blues had played with the victorious Cork All-Ireland minor team. How it gladdened the hearts of all the Gaelic fans and friends of Nealie to see Damien O'Neill, grandson of the great O'Neill take his place and in the storied red and white jersey of his native Cork in Croke Park on and All-Ireland day. He will be remembered as a colourful character of wit, humour and alertness and true Gaelic Spirit who has contributed so much to Gaelic football to Beara, and to a Beara whom Gaelic football alone belongs. Courtesy of the Southern Star 26 May 2007 Tweet

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