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Removal: this Thurs (6.00) from O'Connor's, North Gate Bridge; funeral tomorrow to Rathcooney after 1000am mass in the Cathedral.

Denis O'Neill was one of the grand men of Cork football.



Dinny "Pop", the President of Grattan Utd who died this week, remembered watching Grattan play as far back as 1932. He eventually played junior and intermediate with the club, following spells with St Paul's and Freebooters.



They were one of the leading intermediate clubs and, as juniors, were founder members of the Cork AUL in 1947. He was Grattan's representative at the early meetings of the AUL and was regularly seen at the league's gatherings.



His commitment was total. The late Mick Millard, one of the members of the first AUL management committee, had this to say about Dinny: "He was not just Grattan's representative. He was Grattan Utd, something between a manager and a general overseer, who was really a very good fellow and dependable".



So dependable indeed that at the third AGM of the league, a medal was presented to him for his unbroken attendance at the weekly league meetings over its first three seasons.



Some years ago, he stepped back from an executive role in Grattan Utd but, well into his 80s, he was as dependable as ever and could be seen in action lining the field or putting up the nets. His level of enthusiasm did not diminish and, just last Saturday week, he was present when the club opened their enhanced dressing room facility.



Mr Millard, a former chairman of the AUL, really summed it: dependable and a very good fellow. Indeed, he was. And, thanks to the current Grattan officers, his name lives on at O’Neill Park.

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