The unexpected death of Seamus O'Brien Murphy Place, Abbeyside on the 29th May which occurred at his residence shocked, and saddened his family and many friends. His wife Cait (nee
McGrath) passed to her reward in 2001. Seamus was born in Sheares Street, Abbeyside in 1921, son of Mitchel and Alice O'Brien and one of five children.
His sisters May and Birdie and his brothers Michael and Sean predeceased him. Seamus spent his entire working career as a postal official, where he started as a junior postman in 1936. He was later appointed as a postman, first to Piltown in 1939 and then to Kilmacthomas in 1941. While in Kilmacthomas Seamus met his future wife Cait McGrath and four of their eight children were born there before they returned to Abbeyside in 1951. Seamus Continued to work as a postman on the Abbeyside/Ballinacoutty route until 1962, when he was appointed as a postal clerk. He retired from An Post in 1985 after 49 years service.Seamus' first involvement in GAA administration was when he was elected "as Club Secretary of Abbeyside in 1953.
Four years later he was appointed as selector on the County Senior Hurling team, when Waterford reached the All Ireland Final losing by one point to Kilkenny. Seamus' talent as an adminis-
trator was becoming noticed outside his club and in 1960 he was elected as Secretary of the Divisional Board of West Waterford, and continued in this post until 1981. In 1979 Seamus was elected as Waterford Central Council Delegate, a position he went on to hold for thirty years. As County Delegate to Croke Park he served terms on the Games Administration Committee, and two terms on the Management Committee. Seamus travelled to Australia as part of the management team in 2005 and to Dubai in 2007 with the All Stars tour. Seamus also played another very significant role in the local GAA scene, through his association with the Dungarvan Leader, which commenced in 1938. He wrote as a correspondent both on GAA and community matters since 1941 and in 1957 he commenced his weekly column under the pen name of "Commentator".
Seamus never missed his weekly contribution and the final notes were published on the day that he passed away on 29th May. He also contributed "Failte" as well as profile and snippet articles for practically every programme produced by Waterford GAA for the last number of decades.

Outside of the Gaelic scene, Seamus had a passion for all that happened in his beloved Abbeyside. In 1983, along with some other parish members he founded the Abbeyside Parish Newsletter. He served as Chairman for many years and by the time the newsletter ceased publication in December 2011, Seamus had completed some 250 personal profiles of local parishioners.

Seamus also served as Chairman of the. West Waterford Emigrants Committee and as Treasurer of the Abbeyside Parish Senior Citizens Committee. He took great pride in Abbeyside's Scouting
history. He was one of its earliest members and attended 13 annual camps. He joined Dungarvan's Local Defence Force when the Emergency started in 1939 and some years later was commissioned as an officer attached to Kilmacthomas Company. He retired as OC of Dungarvan Company in 1976. Thanks to Fr. Aheame, Fr. Cooney and Fr. Ryan who recited prayers at the
funeral home, Fr O'Callaghan who presided at the Requiem Mass and Fr. Enright, Fr. Kelleher, Fr. Brennock, Fr. Lucey and Fr. Fitzgerald who assisted;

Thanks to the members of the Abbeyside/Ballinacourty GAA Clubs and to the Senior Citizens Committee for their 'guards of honour'. Thanks to everyone who called to the funeral home and attended the removal and burial and also for thoughts expressed through Mass Cards and Flowers. Thanks to Doetor Brady for all his attentive care over the years.

A special thank you to Liam Meehan and Billy Smith who drove Seamus to and from Mass and to his many friends at the sea wall with whom he discussed the happenings in the village each day.
Also, a special thank you to his good friend Tom Cunningham who went walking with Seamus every Tuesday and to all his neighbours and friends who provided camaraderie over the years. Seamus will be sadly missed by his eight children, Dermot, Brendan, Seamus, Colm, Deirdre, Greg, Caroline and Kevin, by his grandchildren and great grandchildren. (Funeral arrangements by James Kiely & Sons, Funeral Directors, Dungarvan).

Courtesy of The Waterford News and Star Tweet

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