Connor Kennedy
Conor was one of the best known personalities in the district. From the time that Conor could walk he had a hurley in his hand and a football always nearby.. Conor won midland county medals at underage in both hurling and football and graduated up to senior hurling level and was introduced to that grade in game v Sarsfield in Littleton, other successes followed for Conor with mid and county minor hurling medals in 1972. He also won a Mid U21 medal in hurling the same year and a mid county intermediate football championship in 1980. He was also a member of the club team to win the last year of the Mid Tipperary No2 junior hurling championship in 1978. When his playing career was over Conor whole heartedly became involved with Moycarkey-Borris GAA club and was secretary for five years 1980-1985 a period that was triumphant for the club winning two Mid-Tipperary senior hurling titles, an intermediate hurling and two county senior hurling titles in 1982 and 1984. The latter, the centenary final, something of which his late lamented friend Harry Ryan and Sean Barry. He was also at the secretarial helm for Munster senior club honours in 1982. Later he was to become a top referee and had the honour of refereeing a Mid senior football final. In his term as secretary the club won many awards including the Munster AIB club of the year trophy. His dedication and zeal for Gaelic games was manifested when he was elected to the Co. Board executive for three periods and a member of the Mid Tipperary fixtures committee for fifteen years. When the county board GAA members draw started Conor was appointed club co-ordinator and. he was also ticket distributor for the club and had a magical touch and integrity in that field too always drawing up fair distribution and having the knack of resurrecting tickets from many sources. In fact Conor was the mastermind behind the developments in the club, refurbishing the field in Littleton and in purchasing the new field now under development. He was also a most active member of the Two-Mile-Borris millennium committee to erect the monument in his native village to the 1900 All Ireland team from the area. When the club history was published in 1984 he was one of the keenest researchers and gave many long nights sorting out material. All fundraising activities were taken in their stride by Conor and he was solicited support from many areas. While others shun away from fundraising Conor always seemed more motivated when funds were urgently needed and he was at his happiest organising - be it a fashion show, poker classic, raffle, dog night, race night, dance, sponsored events or other project. His compelling personality and reluctance to take 'no' made a refusal almost impossible. When works or errands needed to be undertaken Conor was the source that was sought. In his vast work for Marcarkey-borris GAA and other parish activities Conor wanted no thanks or kudos, he did it willingly and for the benefit of the parish he loved. He gave himself unsparingly to the promotion of sport from coaching and encouragement in the local schools upwards to the top of the GAA ladder. If there were sports personalities of a week, month or year Conor Kennedy deserved to be accorded such accolades.
