‘SHE WAS VIBRANT AND BEAUTIFUL...’ MICHAEL O’NEILL’S TOUCHING TRIBUTE TO HIS LATE MUM PAT
MICHAEL O’Neill has spoken of how proud he was of his “beautiful” late mother, who was “kind and easygoing” and of whom he “only has good memories”.
The Northern Ireland football manager was addressing hundreds of mourners at All Saints Church in Ballymena during requiem mass yesterday.
Patricia (Pat) O’Neill died peacefully, aged 78, at Antrim Area Hospital on Sunday surrounded by her family after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Michael — one of five children to Pat and Des — thanked everyone for braving the elements “on such an awful, wet day”, giving a special mention to Fr Paddy Delargy and Fr Damian McCaughan and singer Niamh McGlinchey “for the beautiful music”.
“Those of you who knew my mother well would’ve known she rarely, if ever, left the house until she was sure she looked her best,” he said. “If she’d have known so many people were here to day she’d certainly have paid a visit to hairdressers this morning and made sure her nails and make-up were done to perfection.
“I think it’s fair to say that she was a very beautiful woman and my dad was certainly punching above his weight when he married my mum.” The fatherof-two, whose wife Bronagh and daughters Erin (14) and 10-year-old Olivia were fighting back tears, revealed how his mum loved sport and told of her relationship with her children — Sean, Una, Maura, himself and Orla.
“My mum was a keen golfer and I remember there always seemed to be a bigger crowd of male members when my mum and her good friend were teeing off,” he said.
“For a long time I was fortunate to be the baby of the family. I was always accused by my older siblings of being spoilt; something I refuted but something that was completely true.
“That all changed when my younger sister Orla was born when I was 10 and the attention lavished on me was somewhat diluted and now given to Orla.”
“Mum and Orla had a special relationship,” he added.
“Having a child later in life kept mum young and vibrant, especially when all of us had left home. I remember on one occasion returning from England to discover my mum had developed quite a love for Nintendo games due to Orla’s influence.”
The 48-year-old former professional footballer said that “despite her easygoing, kind nature, she could be stern if required”.
He added: “She could referee any match from the front room and any misbehaviour from Sean or I would be met with a sharp knock on the window and the inevitable ‘time to come in’ gesture. A strong reprimand could easily be given as well.”
Referring to Mrs O’Neill’s interment at Ballywillan Cemetery after the service, he said: “We’re taking her home to be buried in Portrush where she has strong family connections, to be close to the sea and the beach where she loved to take us as children.”
He joked: “Even on days like this we could possibly be taken to the beach; we viewed it as cruelty, but obviously at the time. Now we see it as very happy times.”
And he said: “Mum was tough but fair with us all. She encouraged us to do well in anything we did and we knew she was always proud of us. She looked after us and being a wife, mother and grandmother was something that was very special to her.
“I think I speak for us all when I say I have only good memories of my mum. With dad she gave us a fabulous childhood and guidance to be successful in life. And whilst we miss her dearly we’ve been truly blessed to have her in our lives.”
Finishing his speech with a short poem entitled ‘Legacy of Love’, Michael kissed the fingers on one of his hands and then gently touched his mother’s coffin as he passed it on his way back to his seat.
Describing the grandmother-of-10 as a “gracious, positive and thoughtful” lady, Fr Delargy said that Pat O’Neill (nee McAleese), an active athlete who captained Ballymena Golf Club, “left a good impression everywhere she went”.
Mourners at the service included IFA president David Martin, his predecessor Jim Shaw, Northern Ireland assistant manager Jimmy Nicholl and former internationals Maik Taylor, Jim Magilton and John O’Neill.