The late Dick O’Shea, Ballyduff Hill, Kilmeaden, beguiling his beloved accordion like only he could in Fenor Pub back in the late nineties.
Known for his extraordinary gift as a box player, Dick entertained a variety of social gatherings far and wide for five decades — Joe Grant being one of his early céilí sidekicks.
He was also an ever-present on the cards circuit in places like the Cosy Thatch, the Kilmeaden Inn (a regular spot for trad’ sessions), Haughtons, and countless other venues.
Having been born and raised in Pembrokestown, Butlerstown, in 1961 Dick came to live in Ballyduff Lower, where he and Peggy proudly raised a family of five.
After working in Mount Congreve, he spent many years as groundsman in the busy Waterford Crystal social and sports complex at Ballinaneeshagh and was a familiar sight on his Honda bike.
He loved life, particularly Irish music, cards and hurling, and easily made friends everywhere he went. He was a fixture on the Fenor bus for Waterford matches and Munster Finals from the ’70s through to the ’90s. Collected in Kilmeaden, sitting up top, his fingers kept the tunes going to and fro’.
Kevin Burns can remember mornings heading over to collect Dick — who was a great friend of his father’s — on his own Honda 50 to bring him, box and all, across to O’Mahonys to play before the bus even hit off.
A couple of hours later, the sweat would be rolling off Dick as the bus eventually turned the corner in the village bound for Thurles, Killarney, or wherever!
His empty seat was much lamented on the day of the 2002 Munster final. For sadly, after a brave battle, Dick passed away the previous September, shortly before his 69th birthday. (Mick O’Keeffe recalls that every time he’d see him, Dick used say, and to others no doubt, “Be God, Mick, there’s not many of us left.”)
He was given a fitting music-filled farewell in his adopted homeplace before being laid to rest back in his native soil. In their mind’s ear, many people can still hear Dick in full flight, pushing and pulling the bellows.
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