Donal O’Connell, class '43
In Memoriam
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The Union is sad to report the passing of Donal O’Connell, class '43.
The death has occurred of Donal O'CONNELL
Castleknock, Dublin
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Peacefully, at Blanchardstown Hospital. Loving husband of Nanette; sadly missed by his loving sons Brian, Adrian and Michael, daughter-in-law Martina, grandsons Alex, Donal and Ollie, sisters Sheila, Maeve, Emer and Eithne,relatives and friends. |
Date Published: Monday 1st March 2010
Date of Death: Monday 1st March 2010
Donal came to the college from Carrickmacross and spent five happy years with us. After Knock, he first studied medicine at UCD but later changed to dentistry and in 1950 took his BDS degree. He went to England in 1951 and settled in Essex, and the 1962 Chronicle then reported:
After working as an assistant for one year, he bought a house and set up his own practice and within three years he had expanded to no less than three surgeries.
Always a keen rugby man, he missed a senior Schools' Cup Medal in 1942 by the proverbial whisker in that astonishingly exciting final against Blackrock - he is a member of the London Irish Club. Owing to a back injury during his UCD days he had to forgo active participation in this game prematurely and now his favourite pastime is golf at which it would appear he is no mean performer. He is a member of the Chigwell Golf Club and the London Irish Medical Golfing Society. He won the Michael Smyth Trophy in 1959. He is also a founder member of the London-Irish Odontological Society and in addition to all these interests and commitments finds time to indulge another hobby which is cine-photography.
Billericay in Essex remained home for his working life bar three years back back in Dublin during the early 70's. Donal married Nanette L’Estrange in 1952 and they paid us the ultimate honour by sending their three sons back to be educated at SVC: Brian, class '71; Adrian, class '73 and Michael, class '75. Billericay was home but the boys retained strong Irish connections throughout, Brian very publicly so as the London correspondent for RTE, and the careers of Adrian and Michael also led home to Ireland.
Donal himself retired home to live in Castleknock where it gave him great pleasure to witness two of his grandchildren continue the family tradition at Knock: Alex, class '02 and Donal, class '05. To them and wider O'Connell family, we extend our heartfelt sympathies.
Requiescat in Pace.