The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Slán agus beannacht Michael a chara
SIR,
It is with great sadness and regret that I learned of the sudden death of the great journalist, radio commentator and Kerryman, the late Michael O’Regan R.I.P.
Michael and I had a very long and happy association. It began at the Labour Conference in Tralee in 1999. The well designed brochure and detailed programme which I was part of with the production team carried a very well written article from Michael and he also was present at the Conference held in the Mount Brandon Hotel, Tralee.
Other prominent contributors to the Conference Programme were Tony Blair, George Mitchell, Jim Kemmy, Fergus Finlay, Ruaire Quinn and Brendan Kennelly. Five hundred copies were printed and the programme was much in demand. That programme is now a collector’s item, with articles from prominent politicians at home and abroad.
Later, he was a guest speaker at the Con Houlihan commemoration weekend held in Castleisland in honour of Con and the function took the form of a folk school and was held in Castleisland Rugby Club.
The presentation was chaired by former minister Jimmy Deenihen and contributors were Terry O’Brien Mayor of Tralee, Billy Keane and Frank Grealy Irish Field and Aiden Murphy, Crowe Howarth, Accountants. Rugby Club Chairman, Dan Casey and Cllr Bobby O’Connell also contributed to the success of the folk school.
Recently, Michael played a major part in encouraging the recent history book, ‘Knocknagoshel History Past and Present 1890 to 2023’. Michael also contributed an article to the book and organised the sale of the book at the Kerry Association Annual Dinner Dance in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel recently. Tim Moynihan and Ambrose were guests of honour and Michael acted as M.C. He was also President of the Dublin Kerry Association, a true and proud Kerry man who loved the Kingdom.
It was very welcome to see Simon Coveney,
who was filling in for an Taoiseach, call for a minute’s silence for the respected journalist. The Dáil Ceann Comhairle said it would be appropriate if the house marked Michael’s unexpected death which occurred the previous Sunday. He praised Michael’s resilience, his encyclopaedic knowledge and his innate sense of accuracy and fairness at all times. The high regard for the Kerry man expressed by Minister Norma Foley and the Healy Rae brothers was also mentioned in Dáil Éireann, stating that Michael O’Regan was one of the best Kerry men ever to come out of the Kingdom.
His strong voice and Kerry accent was a reminder that he was one of our own, doing well with such a distinguished career in the work of journalism.
The attendance for three days at Jackie Healy Rae’s funeral showed that Michael was very much in touch with local politics. He concurred with the speaker of the American House of Parliament, Tip O’Neill, that ‘All politics is local’.
Michael, we are proud to have known you. Your recent article on your good friend Con Houlihan which is included in the Knocknagoshel history book, ensures that the book is a collector’s item.
Slán agus beannacht Michael a chara May your gentle soul rest in peace. Sincerely,
Donal Murphy,
Tralee.