The Late John O'Donnell The death took place last week of John O'Donnell at the Limerick Regional Hospital a noted sportsman, hurler, athlete, sports administrator. John was a native of Skagh, Croom where he attended Croom NS and later Croom Vocational School. He was sub with the Croom 1939 senior team that won the 1939 senior west Limerick hurling championship. John was a member of the Irish Army and regretted missing the great years of Croom hurling when the war broke out in 1939 as he was transferred to McKee barracks H.Q. John would speak of meeting the Limerick seventh brigade led by Mick Mackey. He later played with Dublin in league and championships and played in the Leinster final of 1944 against Kilkenny competing against Jim Langton. He had the honour of being selected for Leinster in the 1944 railway cup against Connacht, playing with the greatest hurler Nich Rackard during that time. John was only twenty two years of age at that time. He decide to try his hand at rugby and joined Clonrarf second team playing with international players Fred Moran and Barney Mullen. John lost his place on the Dublin team because of his participation in foreign games in 1944. In 1946 he became seriously involved in athletis and from 1946 to 1951 won five Irish sprint titles and second in three, eight Leinster championships and one hundred meters championships for Munster in Limerick in 1947. He was honoured to be selected for the 1948 Olympic Games in London. He was listed on the Olympic Games programme to compete in the 100m. When he left the army he started work at Guinness and he joined the Guinness athletic club. He was captain of the club for 16 years. The club had several Irish champions and record holders, Brendan O'Reilly, Van McCann, Eamonn Kinsella and Mick Gleeson. They were part of a relay team that set an Irish record. He played rugby with Guinness and later took up hockey. Mick got a great kick out of helping other athletes. When visiting Croom, "his home town" he would meet up with his old friend Mick Manning and do some training in the hurling field. He enjoyed bringing his old Croom colleagues, Mick Manning, Paddy Ruddle, Jim McGrath, Jim Cregan (alias) Jim Hogan to participate at events in Dublin. In 1968 his job promotion took his to Limerick. This meant uprooting his wife and family from Dublin with a move to Limerick. It was hard for them to leave the home base in Dublin. Only one year in Limerick the late John O'Donnell found his feet again when he set up the community games in 1969 this coincided with the arrival of Brother Perkins from Drimnagh Castle in Dublin to the CBS in Limerick. Limerick Community Games were born. John took the role as chairman, Br Perkins, president, Rene Glasgow, secretary and Colm Mooney, treasurer. John was very attached and very close to his family and the assistance and encouragement he got from his wife Carmel and children Sean, Yvonne and Liz. His daughter Liz, a member of Dáil Éireann and Minister of State for Foreign affairs, played a major role in negotiating the peace settlement in Northern Ireland. He was very proud of this achievement of bringing peace to Ireland. The removal of the remains of the late John O'Donnell took place from Griffins funeral home to Christ the King Church on Easter Monday and following concelebrated requiem mass his burial took place to Religh Mhúire, Croom. As John might say...."My Home Town', Croom, Limerick and Ireland have lost a great sportsman, trainer/coach and administrator. He now rests in his beloved Maigue side Croom. Courtesy of the Limerick Leader 18th April 2009 Tweet

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