Rory remembered at ITT sports awards
PARENTS PAT AND BERNIE SPEAK IN TRALEE ABOUT THEIR ADORED SON
A DROMTARIFFE football player who was named the Freshers football player of the year said he was “humbled” and “so proud” to receive the Rory O’Connor perpetual trophy.
The award was all the more sweet as Daniel O’Keeffe was a friend of Banteer native, Rory O’Connor (19) who died in a car accident in February, 2011.
“To win any award is a fantastic feeling but as I knew Rory, well it’s hard to put into words to say how I felt on winning the Freshers football player of the year. It was and is a great feeling. Rory was simply one of a kind, a great and talented footballer,” said Daniel who has just completed his first year exams in Health and Leisure at the Institute of Technology Tralee and where the awards were held.
Bernie and Pat O Connor, parents of the late Rory, acknowledged the passion, dedication and time that people give to their sport. Reminiscing about their son, Pat said that Rory was a footballer on the field and a great friend and personality off the field. He was brilliant to all players, even to those on the outside as he effortlessly brought them into the middle.
In a moving tribute, Rory’s mother Bernie poignantly spoke about their broken hearts since his death in 2011. She reminded the recipients of the many great benefits in life such as eternal friendship and caring for one another that comes with involvement, engagement and being part of a society or sports club. She complimented the wonderful support received from the Institute and from Rory’s friends.
She said that just recently, she came across an exercise copybook from Rory’s primary school days which contained his stories of that time.
In this copybook, she said she found a story that was special and typically fitting to their son’s personality and also to the award being presented in his memory at the event.
She described the picture drawn and a paragraph written by him recollecting the occasion on a particular weekend when his father, Pat O Connor, had scored the winning goal (the picture depicted the passing of the ball that lead to the goal for his beloved Knocknagree team.)
Chosen by the college team’ football trainer and reflecting Rory’s own personality, the Rory O’Connor Fresher Footballer of the Year Award was proudly presented to Daniel. However, it wasn’t just for his ability at football or talent while playing for ITT but also for his contribution, positive influence and overall impact on the team, both on and off the field.
At the Sports and Societies awards ceremony, Dr Michael Hall said that by participating, people can experience joy or disappointment, excitement, winning or losing and we learn maturity, teamwork, humility and selflessness.