The Late Tommy Hennessy The local area was saddened of the death in New York of Tommy Hennessy, formerly of Main St. Tommy who was in his 70s was one of Bally's most popular, best known and favourite sons. Before emigrating in the late 50s he was a hugely popular member of the Community and played a leading role in all its sporting activities. He was an excellent footballer and basketball player and was a leading member of the Bally team which beat Ballydonoghue in the 1953 North Kerry Final. The same year the trained the shannonsiders team (Pullen/Kilcolgan/Glenculare, etc) which won the NK intermediate title. The training was done upstairs in a derelict house at Dinans and I can vividly remember the only source of light came from the dynamos of two bikes turned upside down at one end of the room. Tommy's popularity was not confined to his sporting activities though because he was very popular with all sections of and all age groups a long period of time working at McEllistrims of Main St and two or three years before going to New York were before going to New York were spent with Stevie Lynch in Kilcolgan. The huge motorcade which travelled to Shannon the night he was leaving Bally was an indication of his standing within the Community which had lost a great leader and motivator. His first few months in New York was a lonely period for him. He was homesick and pined for Bally. Before long though he got involved in the GAA and went on to play for Kerry and New York and soon he became very well known among the Irish Community. His employment prospects also grew with his popularity and after a number of years he became a leading member of the Construction Workers Union. During the 80s and early 90s the help and assistance he gave to the young Irish people in New York is incalculable. At the time Ireland was in a deep recession with no employment for the young people and countless numbers emigrated to the USA, where they were illegal immigrants. Several young people from the Bally/Asdee area who sought his help were provided with jobs as indeed were many others from North Kerry and much further afield. He visited Bally on a number of occasions and one such visit was for the funeral of his great friend Paddy Fitzmaurice, Well St. Later he presented a cup to the North Kerry Football Board to honour Paddy and the Fitzmaurice Cup is still in circulation. Tommy also set on medals and trophies to the Bally Club for competitions and helped raise funds for the club also. He will be sadly missed by his family and very large circle of friends. To his wife Kitty, his son and daughters and all his relatives , the sympathy of the community is extended. At the request of the Bally GAA Club, a Mass for the repose of Tommy's soul was celebrated in St. Michaels Church. Courtesy of the Kerryman March 2003 Tweet

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