MICHAEL CHUCKY O’CONNELL: One of the all time greats of the Rock Club – Michael Chucky O’Connell – passed away peacefully last Saturday morning (3rd Sept) at the age of 87. Born on 27th April 1929 the Rock had just, six months previously, won their 1st SF Co. Championship title (7th Oct 1928). And it was to the Rock Club that Chucky gave most of his spare time as a player during the late forties and fifties and, for many years afterwards, as a Club Administrator and Team Mentor, when his playing days ended.
Probably his greatest year as a player was as a 23 year old in 1952. That year the Rock went very close to reaching a Co. Final, which would have been their first final in 16 years. They defeated Castleisland by just two points (1-10 to 2-5) to qualify for the semi final. They were trailing by a point as that game approached full time when Chucky’s last minute goal gave them that two points victory. In the semi final, three weeks later, Chucky was on target again with the first goal of the game but the Rock were most unlucky to go down to a Kenmare District side by just two points (3-2 to 2-3) in that semi final.
He was Senior Team Manager for many years, including on that poignant day in Castleisland in April 1962 when 24 year old Moss Slattery died suddenly while playing in a Co. League game between Stacks and Desmonds.
In later years he was big into Golf, both at the old course in Mounthawk and at the new venue in Barrow and was also a great Greyhound enthusiast.
But his love of the Club was always there and in recent times, up to when he was hospitalized a few years ago, Chucky could be found playing at the weekly Card sessions in the Rock Clubhouse every Monday and Thursday nights.
We extend sincere sympathy to Chucky’s wife, Kathy; daughters Mary (McLoughlin), Ann (O’Connell) and Martina; sons John and James, and all his grandchildren and extended family and friends.
