O'Driscoll, Willie
April 15, 2010Willie O'Driscoll was laid to rest in Mountcharles on Sunday with a fitting farewell for one who had given so much to the community.
A lone piper led the coffin to Willie's last resting place and afterwards Paddy Ward supplied fitting accordion music for the final farewell.
In his homily Fr Gavigan told the packed church that to say Willie was a man of the community would be an understatement.
His entire life was given for the benefit of the community with his great interest in music, cards and most of all, St.Naul's GAA Club.
When choosing a candidate to represent the club recently to be honoured as part of the GAA's volunteer, it was one of the easiest decisions that the club had ever to make in putting forward Willie's name.
To say that Willie was the 'main man' in the Parish of Inver club over along period would be another understatement. For many years he was the 'only man'. Officer, coach, transporter, psychologist, team manager (of all teams) and before that an accomplished player who won a Junior Championship in 1962.
For many of us, there would have been no football were it not for Willie getting into his car and doing a tour of the parish, picking up players in Drimarone, Frosses, Binbane, Croagh, Ardaghey and back to Mountcharles.
There were many stories told in the sunshine of the graveyard of farmers giving out when Willie took sons away to play football in the middle of the best hay-saving weather; of making sure Mickey McAndrew was shaved before he came to play for the U-16's to prevent any hassle that he might be overage; of telling John Barry to 'lie down Barry' when the treat was made that he might he replaced when playing with Clanna Gael.
The Stories were all true and they were many. Because Willie loved football and especially St. Nauls. He got particular enjoyment in seeing football played cleanly and with skill. He certainly wasn't motivated by success because managing St. Naul's underage teams carried a health warning. There were no Div2 or Div 3 underage levels back then. He was competing against Aodh Ruadh and Four Masters and Bundoran on an annual basis and a single win in any season would have been regarded as something worthy of celebrating.
Willie kept going, year after year and anyone who has kicked a ball for St. Naul's from the 1960s until recent years would have come under his supervision. Even in recent years, he was still a constant at every game, underage or senior.
That is why the turnout at his funeral was a fitting tribute. He was able to sit up and listen to the Donegal U-21 success the previous Wednesday night. He would been impressed, as he always played the game the way it should be played.
Many of us might never have kicked a ball or learned to love sport in general, were it not for the start we got under Willie's tutelage.
He will be missed - by his brothers Johnny, Robbie, Seamus and Michael and sister Kay and close relatives. He will also be missed by a host of friends made on and off the field over the past 50+ years.
May he rest in peace
Peter Campbell- Sports Editor.
Courtesy of the Donegal Democrat
April 15th 2010 Tweet
