Bantry Blues GAA lead tributes to club stalwart Terry O'Neill

BANTRY Blues GAA Club has led the tributes to club stalwart Terry O’Neill who passed away on Wednesday.

O’Neill was a selector on the 2010 All-Ireland winning Cork senior football team and he also led Bantry Blues to county senior glory in 1998.

On Wednesday evening, Bantry Blues posted a tribute to O’Neill on Facebook: ‘Sad news to report this evening. Terry O’Neill passed away today after a short illness.

‘Terry came to Bantry from Castletownbere many years ago to work in the post office. Castletownbere’s loss was Bantry’s gain. In truth the Post Office was only a pastime for Terry. The real work was coaching Gaelic Football. Terry coached many teams in Bantry and beyond with huge success. He was involved as a selector on many Cork teams down the years.

‘Terry’s greatest achievements were coaching the Bantry Blues county senior winning team in 1998 and being a selector on the Cork senior footballers All Ireland winning team with Graham Canty as captain in 2010.

‘He was known for his sharp mind on the sideline and for being a straight talker on and off the pitch, however when the game was over, it was over. The greatest testament that could be given to Terry is that any player who played for him would give everything on the pitch for him.

‘Whether it was Croke Park or Wolfe Tone Park, club or county, adult or underage, girls or boys Terry lived for football and loved nothing more than going to matches.

‘The esteem in which he was held throughout Bantry and beyond could be seen these last few weeks with the amount of people from far and wide who came to visit him in Bantry Hospital.

‘To all his sons, Damian and Shane (Paino), brothers Cornie, Barry and Brendan, his grandchildren, family and large circle of friends go our deepest condolences. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.’