Tributes paid to much loved Roscommon man
The late Mr Ollie Hanley
Tributes have poured in following the passing of a much loved Roscommon man.
Ollie Hanley, Kilcash, Rahara, and formerly Graffogue, Scramogue, passed away on Friday and his funeral mass will take place this morning at St Patrick’s Church, Knockcroghery, followed by burial in Gailey Cemetery.
Loved by so many, Mr Hanley will be forever remembered by his broken-hearted wife Anita, their adored children Iona and Euan.
Forever missed by his heartbroken parents Kathleen and Tony Hanley, Scramogue, his siblings Carmel, Paul , Fergal, Aaron, and his wife’s family.
He will always be remembered by his uncles, aunties, cousins, nieces, nephews, neighbours, friends, work colleagues and all in the GAA circles especially from St Dominic’s, Knockcroghery and as a younger man St Barry’s, Tarmonbarry.
Ollie is predeceased by his nephews Cormac and Tom, his niece Maisie, his brother-in-law John Roddy, and his grandparents.
St Dominic’s paid tribute to Mr Hanley, saying the club was heartbroken by the news.
“Although born and raised a proud North Roscommon Gael, love took Ollie to the South Roscommon townsland of Kilcash where he settled after marrying Anita Fallon from another GAA stronghold and became father to Iona and Euan whom he loved and adored,” the club said.
“Ollie was a man of ‘great character’. It was his character and humorous wit that impacted others, and most who knew him found themselves wanting to emulate him. He was responsible and faithful, constantly investing his time in others and always ready for a laugh.
"Responsibility was at the core of Ollie’s being – not alone shouldering the responsibilities of family life and guiding his children but taking responsibility to provide leadership in an organisation close to his heart, the GAA. Ollie held many key and influential leadership roles in our club from Minor Football Chairman to various team management positions. He was always solution based and very often the voice of reason when a particular debate was exhausted in the meeting room. Be it U-19 ladies football or U-14 football, if Ollie identified a task that needed attention, he followed through on it effortlessly.
“As the curtains came down on the field of play, Ollie’s attention always turned to Scór. Having spent many years acting in Macra competitions, he was the ideal man to produce a novelty act and prepare it to the highest possible standard. Ollie’s keen eye for detail and jovial personality, made him a much sought after producer and lead a novelty act group with family friend, Jackie Doyle (Rogers) to the All-Ireland stage in the City West back in 2015. There was nobody prouder than Ollie in Killarney’s INEC when St Dominic’s were crowned Scór na nÓg All-Ireland Novelty Act Champions last year starring his beloved son Euan and co-produced by his wife Anita alongside her lifelong family friend, Aileen O’Connor. A just reward for lifelong dedication to the arts.” The club said that our lives are enriched from knowing Mr Hanley and it extended its deepest sympathies to his family.
St Barry’s also offered its sincere condolences, saying the news of his death has been met with universal shock and sadness by everyone who knew him.
“Ollie was one of the good guys. He contributed strongly to a long line of 'Wallace' St Barry's goalkeepers, and along with his brother Paul was a member of the Junior Championship winning squads in 1996 and 1999,” the club said. “Ollie also played his part off the field, both as an underage coach and as a Minor board Chairman around the turn of the century, at a time when a lot of the players who delivered the O'Gara Cup & Junior Championship titles in ‘05 and ‘06 were being developed. Ollie's interests weren't confined to GAA activities though. He was a key member of what was a very active Macra na Feirme club in the area, and was one of the leading actors in the hugely successful Macra Drama group around that time.
“Ollie's easy manner and ability to make friends helped bring himself and Anita together, and Tarmonbarry and St Barry's loss was to be Knockcroghery and St Dominic's gain as they built their family there along with Iona and Euan.”
Mr Hanley was one of the good ones, and his kind spirit will live on, the club said.
