John O’Mahony had an ability to make people feel that they mattered

There are people among us that we expect and presume will live a very long life.

John O’Mahony was one of those people.

It was the saddest of occasions on Sunday morning to hear he had passed, aged 71.

In this parish, Sam had the privilege of knowing him. And of being the personal recipient of his good deeds.

On Wednesday of last week, his wife Gerardine had answered with a detailed and warm message from his phone to me. They would have literally reached out to everyone that got in touch.

John O’Mahony had a word for everyone. He had an ability to make people feel that they mattered. And that is a gift. He knew thousands of people. But each individual felt he spoke to them in a very personal way.

Without always having to say a lot, he was a wonderful communicator. He was courteous and graceful, and full of integrity.

The school, club and intercounty teams that he managed carried themselves well. The Galway team he managed for seven years only had one red card in the championship – and that was for two yellow cards against New York. 

Cynical tactics by the opposition were met by resistance and mental strength. The ability and positive characteristics of players from St. Nathy’s, Mayo, Leitrim, Galway, St. Brigid’s, Ballina, The Downs and Salthill were nourished.

His teams were outrageously competitive. To borrow one of his phrases when he really wanted to win something “I’d go through a wall for this.” And he did. 

In politics and sport, he’d size up every angle. In football, that meant keeping a deep archive. In an era of endless video analysis, Johnno was well ahead of the curve. It’s over 40 years ago since he purchased his own camcorder to record matches.

After Mayo lost the 1975 Connacht final replay to Sligo, a then 22-year-old Johnno was among a number of players dropped off the senior panel. He still played club football. But having his intercounty career cut so brutally short lit a fire to pursue another path in the game. 

He quickly became an advanced coach and manager at a young age. He led Mayo to an All-Ireland U-21 title when he was 30. He led Mayo to their first senior All-Ireland final in 38 years when he was 36. The glory days followed with Leitrim and Galway.

He managed all forms of personalities of players. He drank lots of tea in houses to coax the good and the great into seeing the light. To be able to do so, he had a good read on people. He would, in his own words, be reading the tea leaves.

John O’Mahony was a spiritual person, full of good intentions, that made people in his company feel good. 

We said the saddest of goodbyes to him this week in Ballaghaderreen.

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