The late Pat Conefrey, Corrawallen, Carrigallen, Co Leitrim.
Leitrim GAA is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pat Conefrey, late of Corrawllen, Carrigallen, County Leitrim. Pat was a former Principal Teacher of Drumlea NS, having previously taught in Gortahoose NS, before its closure. Throughout his time teaching pupils from the club area of Drumreilly, he imbued in them a love of Gaelic Games, which has borne much fruit in his club and indeed onwards towards the production of many players who excelled at inter-county level over the decades.
Pat himself was a former Senior player with Leitrim and featured regularly on the famous team of the late 1950s which contested a number of Connacht Finals of that era, and continued to play for the county into the 1960s. In his early playing days, he was also a member of the 1956 Erin’s Hope team which featured the St Patrick’s Drumcondra Trainee teachers who won a Dublin Senior Championship at that time. At the local level, he played his club football with Fenagh.
On the GAA administration front, Pat was a former officer of Bord na nÓg Liatroma and was the first Cathaoirleach of Cumann na mBunscol Liatroma. In 2007 he was inducted into the Leitrim GAA Hall of Fame and was presented with the Jim Lynch Hall of Fame Award in recognition of his lifetime contribution to the GAA in the county. Pat had many strings to his bow and his weekly column as Drumreilly local correspondent in the Leitrim Observer was widely read and his careful and encyclopedic recall of what was then current and indeed many GAA past glories in his local area is a permanent record of events of those times.
Pat will be sadly missed by his beloved wife, Rose; their children: Jacinta, Jarlath, Damien, Fergal and Edel (McCartin); his sister, Mary Heeran; brother Willie; son-in-law John; daughters-in-law: Louise, Martina and Marianne and his adored grandchildren: Lee, Ben, Elle, Faye, Oisín, Olwyn, Éabha, Doireann, John (McCartin Jr), Tiarnan, John Conefrey, Ciaran and Grace.
We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and wide circle of friends. Ar dheis Dé go raibh sé.
