Schools hurling mourn the passing of Brother Patrick O'Connell
There was great sadness locally following the passing of former Nenagh CBS teacher Brother Patrick O'Connell on Sunday 29th March.
A native of Newcastlewest, Co. Limerick, Brother O'Connell was well known for his promotion of the Rice Cup hurling competition, an under 14 tournament for Christian Brothers Schools set up in 1944.
He first trained a Rice Cup team in Templemore CBS in 1967 before he won it with them in 1969 against Charleville CBS. He moved to work in Nenagh CBS and trained them to their second win in the competition in 1988.
Warm tributes were paid by some of the players who played under Brother O'Connell, including former Kiladangan and Waterford defender Brian Flannery who was part of that 1988 Rice Cup winning team.
“He was hugely influential to me and so many others that passed through Nenagh CBS. Remember fondly the lunch time leagues and training after school,” he said
Current Tipperary senior hurling manager Liam Sheedy also was tutored in hurling by Brother O'Connell and said: “He had a massive impact on so many of our hurling careers throughout our time in Nenagh CBS.”
Since the 1980's Brother O'Connell almost singlehandedly kept the Rice Cup competition alive through his work as Secretary, Chairperson and President. For any team that won the Rice Cup or Westcourt Cup, Brother O'Connell was usually the man who presented it to the winning captain.
A private family funeral took place, in keeping with government guidelines and the H.S.E advice on public gatherings in relation to Covid 19. He is survived by his brothers Sean and Daniel, and predeceased by his parents John & Ellen, sisters Mary (O’Donovan) & Sr. Rosario, brothers William & James (Seamus).