Tributes paid to hotelier who died in fall

TRIBUTES were paid yesterday to leading hotelier Gerry O’Connor, who died in a fall on the MacGillycuddy Reeks in Co Kerry on Monday.

Mr O’Connor, who was in his mid-forties, lived at Cloghroe, Blarney, Co Cork, and was formerly manager of the Blarney Park Hotel.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and sons, Brian, Daniel and James.

He was an ex-president of the Irish Hotels’ Federation (IHF) and a member of the IHF national council for 15 years.

IHF president Richard Bourke said the late Mr O’Connor was highly regarded in the industry and expressed shock and sorrow at his tragic death.

“Gerry was a friend and colleague to all in the Irish hotel industry and, indeed, he was involved in all major developments within the industry over the past 20 years,” Mr Bourke added.

“He was a man of enormous integrity and professionalism, admired by all in the industry, and added substantially to the profile and effectiveness of the federation during his tenure as president in 1994/’95.”

Mr O’Connor’s remains will be removed to St Senan’s Church, Cloghroe, tomorrow at 7pm, with Requiem Mass on Friday at 2pm and funeral afterwards to St Senan’s Cemetery, Tower.

Mr O’Connor fell several hundred feet to his death from Beenkeragh Ridge, near Carrantuohill, and his body was recovered by members of Kerry Mountain Rescue Team from a place known locally as Brother O’Shea’s gully.

Team members were in the general area at the time, searching for a Swedish man, Olas Jansen, 22, who has not been seen since Tuesday of last week.

The search for Mr Jansen involved up to 200 people, with back-up from a Coastguard helicopter and seven sniffer dogs, and went on for four days.

Amid fears for Mr Jansen’s life, the search has since been called off.