Mystery illness forces prominent GAA figure to drop election bid

A well-known GAA figure has spoken about the mystery illness which has forced him to stand aside from his position as chairman of the Limerick club Na Piarsaigh and pull out as a candidate from the upcoming local elections.

Timmy O’Connor was chosen at a Fine Gael convention to fight a seat on the new Limerick City/County Council.

Mr O’Connor, 60, retired as An Post branch manger in Shannon in January after 42 years with the postal service.

But all his plans for an active retirement are now on hold as he deals with a health issue which struck suddenly.

Mr O’Connor, who lives in Caherdavin, said: “Last Friday week (March 7), was a lovely day and I decided to go out and do a delivery of my election literature. When I got home, all of a sudden my right eye became cloudy and then the sight in the eye went completely.

“Later that evening I met my GP, Dr Dave Boylan, at the (Na Piarsaigh) club and he said it might be a detached retina and gave me a letter for Limerick University Hospital.

“I was seen there and, by tragic coincidence, my mother, who was 89, was admitted the same day after being brought in by ambulance. She was later transferred to St John’s Hospital where she passed away.”

Since then, Mr O’Connor has been examined by an eye specialist at the Galway Clinic.

Mr O’Connor said: “They did an MRI scan and other tests in Galway, but these showed up nothing which they identify as causing the blindness in my eye. Due to the loss of sight in my eye, I cannot drive or read, and I felt it better that I step aside as chairman of the club and could not continue with my election campaign for the council.”

Mr O’Connor said he was enjoying the election campaign, having plenty of time since his retirement two months ago.

“You make plans and I was looking forward to my retirement and had lots of things I intended to do. But I have had to put these to one side now while I deal with my eyesight loss. I am under medical care and I am due to see the specialist again shortly.”

The death of his mother, he said, came as a great shock and at a very difficult time for him.

“She was the last surviving one in a family of 13 children and was a great personality. We will all miss her greatly.”

Mr O’Connor managed the Limerick minor hurling team which reached the All-Ireland final in 2005 and was a well known contributor to GAA match commentaries on Live 95FM.

He is regarded within Fine Gael as Finance Minister Michael Noonan’s closest constituency adviser in Limerick, and it was Mr Noonan who encouraged him to throw his hat into the local election as a candidate.