O'Shea, John 'Thorny'
July 30, 2009The death of John 'Thorny' O'Shea on 21st June after an illness borne with great dignity was the cause of great sadness to his family and all who knew him. John was born in 1941 to proud parents Maurice and Mary Jo O'Shea, late of the Staff Barracks and Clash Cross, Tralee.
He was the eldest of six children, three boys and three girls. He grew up in a loving home and made many friends in his young days in the Staff Barracks, the Weirs, Hobbarts, Sullivan and Riordans to name but a few. These were the people he spent his young days with before moving up to Clash Cross in the mid'50s.
John went to school at the CBS and then "The Green" school.
The family business Lucan Ice Cream, began to thrive for Maurice and John began to get involved in the working of the business. John was a gifted salesman at a young age and was very loyal to his work, getting to know every customer in the county. His father was very proud of him and was glad to have him on board.
John was part of a great team to build a successful family business for the O'Shea family. After the death of his father, John went on to manage HB Ice Cream where he successfully remained for many years.
In his youth John met and love of his life. Helen Hayden from Boherbee. After courting for a few years, they married and were blessed with seven children, Johnny (Tralee), Josephine (Castlemaine), Maurice, Anne, Gerard (Tralee), Martha (Kielduff) and Aidan (Tralee), and in later years his grandchildren were a great pride to him. They are Gary, Jeffrey, Zara, Leona, Kaylin, Shannon, Darragh, Hugh and Jack.
John was a family man, most of all. He loved his family home in Cluain Mor, Boherbee. His love for his garden was easily seen by all who visited the home. John loved the beach and would have all the kids picking periwinkles when the season arrived and home he went with a large pot to boil them.
John and great passion for jigsaws which could be seen adorning the walls of his home and his children's home .He loved nothing better than a beautiful jigsaw to do in the winter nights.
John always played music and it was great passion for him, one which he passed on to his children. He played the accordion and in his later years learned the saxophone and violin amongst others.
John had a great mind and was great for tracing the family tree. He never forgot a face or name from his ice-cream days or his sporting days. He had a very clear recollection of everything.
He loved to cook and it was no problem for him to cook the Christmas dinner, often for over thirty people. He would always find someone who was on their own and would invite them along as well.
John travelled and loved his sun holidays. He had many trips to the USA and he loved educational trips, the architecture, gardens and scenery of many different countries.
He had many interests in his youth. He joined the FCA and became a corporal, played sports and excelled in football and basketball. Thorny starred in the Mitchels minor football team that defeated West Kerry in the 1958 championship final by twelve points to no score. Thorny graduated into the senior side and he was one of Kerry's brightest stars in the 1960s. He went on to play for Kerry minors in 1959.
It was that same year the John Mitchel's team began a glorious chapter. They came out of the shadows of some great teams to write their names in the history books by winning six out of the next eight county finals and during that proud period, Thorny played a major role in all six victories for the yellow road.
Thorny was known as a 'Tiny Tormenting Tornado' in full flight. In 1961, Mitchels were on their way out of the county championship at the quarter final stage when they trailed Feale Rangers 1-9 to 1-5 with minutes remaining. An innocent looking shot from thirty yards out by Thorny went all the way to the Rangers net for a dramatic equaliser. Mitchel's won the replay and went on to defeat the Kerins O'Rahillys 2-9 to 0-8 in the final.
John Mitchels won an historic five championships in a row and tagged on another in 1966 and Thorny's contribution to all of them was hugely significant.
In the past few years his health began to deteriorate, having been diagnosed as a diabetic, but it never stopped Thorny from living life to the fullest. Helen and the children said it was an honour and a privilege rather than a duty- for them to look after all his needs.
When his health deteriorated further, John was cared for at home where he loved to be. This is where he was at his happiest, with his family who adored and loved him.
His humour, kindness and his presence will be very greatly missed by Helen and his family, grandchildren, sons-in-law Maurice and Sean, daughter-in-law Geraldine, brothers Derry and Thomas (USA), sisters Helen, Rosaleen, Geraldine, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins and his many friends and neighbours who had the privilege of knowing him.
John was laid to rest in New Rath cemetery on June 24th 2009. May the sod lay gently upon him.
Courtesy of the Kerry's Eye
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