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Br Leopold O'Mahony- An Appreciation

Br Leopold O'Mahony departed this life on Sunday November 20th 2011. Here, his friend and confrère, Br Bede Minehane, pays tribute.

Br. Leopold – Denis O’Mahony - had a great sense of belonging to two families – The O’ Mahony family and the Presentation Family.

A Bantry man to the core of his being – he had a great love of his own place and his own people and never missed an opportunity to visit and to celebrate with his extended family.

Even though he spent most of his life in far away Canada his interest in people kept him in touch with happenings here in Ireland and more especially among his family.

He was a man of great physical strength and had been a formidable footballer in his young days. He had great will-power and perseverance and whatever he put his mind to would be pursued with extraordinary energy and commitment.

As a teacher he was indefatigable in his preparation and correction and was known to work late into the night preparing his school work and practising his music. He was self taught as a choir master, cantor and flautist and was most generous in sharing his gifts and talents.

On his return to Ireland he joined the Cathedral Choir in Cork city and became a valued member of the choir and also a cantor. It was very appropriate that the members of the choir sang at his funeral Mass.

Br. Leopold was a man of strong conviction and was not afraid to express his opinion forcefully on occasion - making him a most interesting conversationalist at the dinner table. There was never a dull moment when he was around!

He was a valued member of every community and school to which he was assigned. He took responsibility readily and he attended to what needed to be done either in the house or in the garden - without much fuss or ceremony. He undertook to keep the lawns and the ‘Ave Maria’ hedge at Mount St Joseph trimmed and even undertook to banish the maurauding rabbits and crows – not with great success!

His interest in people made him a valued member of the Mount St Joseph Community and he related especially well with the many visitors to the house, to the cemetery and to the SHARE residents.

He was a life member of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association – he saw this as a practical expression of his faith. However, he could still be the life and soul of the party.

He was always at the centre of Community Prayer and Liturgy with his readiness to share his singing and musical talents.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dhílis!

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