Shock death of Maurice O’Brien
Mr O’Brien was a member of a family that played an important role in the co-operative movement in the Mitchelstown area.
In his own right, he became one of the country’s most successful pig farmers, scaling up to a 3,500 sow herd.
Mr O’Brien (51) was also deeply involved in pig farming in Germany, and in property and other business activities in Ireland. He was the owner of the Cahir House Hotel, in the South Tipperary town.
A man with a sharp and analytical mind, he saw the merits of better marketing of Irish pigmeat, and strongly advocated proper labelling of Irish meat. More recently he highlighted what he saw as the negative impact on pig production of the EU Nitrates Directive, and tenaciously lobbied for changes.
Mr O’Brien was injured when kicked by a horse last Christmas, but was making a slow but steady recovery at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, when he died unexpectedly on June 24. Huge crowds attended his removal and funeral. He is survived by his wife Mairead, daughters Carol and Hannah-Kate, son Phillip, granddaughter Mary-Kate, mother Nora, sisters Catherine and Mary, and brothers Conor, Michael and Jack.
