By Tim Slattery.
All in Austin Stacks and the wider community were saddened with the passing of Liam one of the great supporters of the Club down through the years.
Liam was born in September 1929 and grew up in Stacks Villas lived in St Johns Park and finally Monalee.
In his younger days played Club games between teams from Upper and Lower Rock Street,Stacks Villas and Oakpark.
Liam won a Minor League Competition with Stacks Villas with team mates like
Michael “Chucky” O’Connell,Joe Ryan,Jerry “Pluggy” Moriarty & Pat “Skef” Sheehy to name but a few,the team were never presented with the Cup or Medals.
Liam played with the Senior Hurlers in the early 1950s with players like Tunney Galvin,Joe Mulchinock,Kevin Barry,Frank King & Eamon “Gal” Slattery.
Liams favourite players were Mick O’Connell for his high fielding and Mikey Sheehy for his Pure Class.
Liam was also a diehard follower of Kerry Football & Garveys Tralee Warriors and could be seen at most games either in Austin Stack Park or Tralee Sports Complex.
Away from football Liam worked in Latchfords Bakery as a salesman and travelled all over West Kerry delivering their produce to the local shops.
All at Austin Stacks GAA Club extends its deepest sympathy to all of Liams family and friends . May he rest in peace.
Funeral details ➡️ Click Here
LIAM SHANAHAN Eulogy
by Billy Ryle
Vice-Chairman
Austin Stacks GAA
The gates of Heaven opened on Monday to welcome Pope Francis, quickly followed on Tuesday by Liam. It crossed my mind that if the Pope and Liam have touched base as they settled in above, The Pope will now be well versed in the affairs of The Rock because no one was a better ambassador for his beloved club than Liam Shanahan.
Liam was a connoisseur of football and a student of the game. He wasn’t a fan of the hand passing style of recent years, preferring by far the catch and kick football of two men he greatly admired – Mick O Connell and Mick O Dwyer. Liam liked the ball to be moved forward quickly and he was enthusiastic about the new rule changes.
Liam was born just 12 years after the Rock Street Club was founded in 1917, so he was a precious link between the past and the present. He knew some of the people who were there at the beginning and he often spoke of the morale boost provided by the Rock Club in difficult times. Liam was a social historian as well as a dedicated supporter and I enjoyed listening to his accounts of the various stages in the club’s development – the early nomadic years without our own field, the emigration of the 40s and 50s when players he grew up with had to emigrate in search of work. He spoke with affection about the dedication of men like Paddy Drummond, Joe Mulchinock, Dan Ryan and others who kept the club going through the barren years.
Liam maintained that three significant occurrences marked out a great future for the club. Firstly, the return home in the early sixties of Micheál Hayes. Secondly, the acquisition by the club of a permanent base in Connolly Park. Thirdly, the decision to build The Church of Our Lady and St Brendan, which led to the formation of a Parish. Liam is famously quoted as saying: “The Rock Club is the heart of the Parish and St Brendan’s Church is the soul of the Parish.”
Liam loved to talk about team spirit and the one for all and all for one approach, but he had his favourite players. He described Jo Jo Barrett
and Billy Curtin as the warriors who led the team from the barren era to the golden era in 1973. He admired the high fielding John O Keeffe, the tenacious Garry Scollard and the dashing Ger Power. When I pushed him to nail his colours to the mast and name his favourite Rock player, he admitted that Miko Doyle was his childhood hero but his number one was Mickey Sheehy – “a classy footballer and a thorough gentleman.”
Liam drove one of Barry’s Bakery vans for many years and during busy summer weekends Jimmy Barry would provide the driver with an assistant. I went out around the county with different drivers but heading off to West Kerry with Liam was joy unconfined. Setting out early in the morning we headed west and supplied every shop on the peninsula with freshly baked bread and confectionary. Wherever we stopped, Liam was welcomed with open arms and, invariably, asked for his views on Kerry’s All-Ireland prospects. He laughed and joked with his customers. His infectious smile and his relaxed manner were grist to the mill. He respectfully declined the many offers of tea as we were on a tight schedule. A long enjoyable day just whizzed by and I was learning more and more about The Rock Club with each trip. As a young teenager, it was my first introduction to the world of work and I couldn’t have had had a better mentor than Liam.
When the time came about ten years ago to begin the research for the Centenary History Book 1917 – 2017, Kerry O Shea, Tadgh McMahon and myself took responsibility for the early years up to 1973. Our first port of call was Liam, with whom we arranged a one-hour interview. Without referring to a note, Liam took us on a magical journey, warts and all, through the period in question. It took about four hours but as always when Liam had the floor, time just flew by. With a few minor edits, we published the story as was told by Liam and entitled it “Liam Shanahan – A Loyal Rock supporter.” You’ll find it on pages 64/65 of the Centenary Book and it’s well worth a read.
What might not be widely known about Liam was his love of the sea. He made regular trips to Fenit where he met up with his many friends including my dear friend Paddy Kissane and myself. I’ll never forget the hours of enjoyment, laughter, ball-hopping and journeying down memory lane that we enjoyed in Liam’s company. When Paddy and myself are swimming over the weekend, Liam will be with us in spirit and we’ll do a few extra strokes in his memory.
So, as we bid farewell to Liam, I thank him for his lifelong devotion to Austin Stacks, his friendship, his wonderful company and most of all his gentleness and kindness. Liam was as proud of you, his six children Angela, Geraldine, Juliet, Mike, Kieran and Brendan, his grandchildren, his great grandchildren and his extended family as you are of him. You all loved Liam. You took great care of him, particularly when he needed you in his latter years. You can be consoled by the certainty that Liam is reunited in Heaven with his beloved wife, your mom, Catherine. May the green sod rest lightly on his gentle soul agus ar dhéis lámh Dé go raibh a anam uasal.
Billy Ryle
Vice-Chairman
Austin Stacks GAA
