News
Donie was “a true gentleman, a warm personality and a great wit”
By Sean Moriarty
A wave of sadness swept across the town today (Thursday) with the news of the passing of bona-fida town legend Donie Sheahan at the age of 95.
There isn’t one aspect of town life that doesn’t have Donie’s influence on it. Best known as one of the town’s leading pharmacists, he was also embedded in the history of Dr Crokes GAA Club and Killarney Racecourse.
Donie had many claims to fame; he was born on the same day as Queen Elizabeth of England, April 21, 1926, was the winner of a County Championship medal with Dr Crokes in 1951, as a coach he led East Kerry to an All-Ireland club title in 1971 before joining Micko Dwyer’s backroom team during the Golden Years of Kerry football in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and was a successful racehorse trainer and owner. He was also a key figure behind the development of Fitzgerald Stadium.
He has been described by the business community as a "larger-than-life personality" who contributed enormously to the commercial life of the town where he ran a very busy pharmacy at 34 Main Street since 1953.
“Above everything else, Donie Sheahan was a true gentleman, a warm personality and a great wit and so many people loved meeting him on his travels. He will be greatly missed,” Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce President, Niall Kelleher, said. “Sheahan’s Pharmacy is a real landmark in Killarney and Donie was always a welcoming presence behind the counter where his experience and expertise helped many people in so many ways for close on 70 years. His son Liam, and grandson William, are still providing that wonderful service to the local people and to visitors, and our thoughts are very much with the extended Sheahan family at this sad time.”
Donie's Killarney life began when he was appointed the pharmacist for the Killarney District Hospital and St Columbanus’ Home in 1950s. From then on he played a leading role in the commercial development and sporting excellence of the town.
DR CROKES
Officials from his beloved Dr Crokes described him as a giant of a man whose words of wisdom will be missed by all associated with the black and amber. Only last Sunday, days before his passing, he placed a call to club chairman Matt O’Neill to get the weekend results.
Donie was the most recent Club Patron, the highest office bestowed upon a member of the club, but served in several key roles within the club, including over 20 years as chairman.
“Our condolences are extended to the entire Sheahan family,” Mr O’Neill told the Killarney Advertiser. “His proudest moment was the club winning the 1992 All-Ireland, he never thought he would see the day. He was involved in every aspect of the club and never missed an AGM. It was never a proper AGM without Donie’s input and wise words. He had a huge presence around the club, a giant of man and he will be sorely missed."
HORSE RACING
Donie, from Main Street and Lewis Road, will be missed at racecourses all over Ireland, particularly at his two home venues, Ross Road and Listowel.
“He was also famous for his involvement in horse racing and he enjoyed nothing more than when the racehorses he owned competed in Killarney or in his native Listowel, often with great success,” added Mr Kelleher.
Killarney Racecourse Manager Phillip O’Brien said he was an internal part of the racing scene, not just in Kerry, but all over Ireland and beyond.
“Since I was a boy Donie was part of the racing scene,” he said. “Everyone knew him, even young jockeys, 17 or 18-years-old had huge respect for him. Some days I used to go up town for lunch and he would drag me into the back kitchen of the pharmacy and we would sit there and watch the racing and have a sandwich. It’s a sad day and he will be missed.”
This time last year Donie was unable to attend the annual Listowel Harvest Racing Festival in the town of his birth due to COVID-19 travel and crowd gathering rules - the first time that he missed the meeting in over 80 years.
Two of Donie’s most-famous horses were 'Dromhall Lady' and 'For William'. The latter finished second on two occasions in the Kerry National Handicap Chase, the biggest race of the annual Listowel Harvest Festival.
Donie passed away the day after the 2021 Kerry National took place.
Family and close friends will gather at O'Shea's Funeral Home tomorrow evening (Friday) from 6pm to 8pm.
Donie's Funeral Mass will take place in St Mary's Cathedral on Saturday morning at 10.30am, followed by burial in Aghadoe Lawn Cemetery. The Requiem Mass will be live streamed on www.churchservices.tv/killarneycathedral.
Donie was predeceased by his beloved wife Carmel (née Dowling), and his sisters Sheila and Maureen and his brother Tommie.
He is survived by children, Liam, Kieran, Aileen, Kathryn and Paul, grandchildren Ciara, Dónal, William, Kevin, Fionán, Gráinne, Peter, Cathal, Caitríona, Eoin, Sinéad, Amy, Clodagh, Megan and Andrew, and great-grandchildren Amelia, Evie, Will, Daniel, James, Lyla and Eleanor. He is also sadly missed by his daughters-in-law Siobhán, Janet and Louise, son-in-law Seán, his sisters Catherine, Margaret and Anna, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and his pharmacy staff and colleagues.
Patient transfer to new hospital to begin on Monday
Following several false starts and long delays, the phased transfer of patients and residents to the new state-of-the-art Killarney Community Nursing Unit on Lewis Road is set to begin on Monday, August 10.
A major stumbling block regarding staff transfers and safe staffing levels was resolved following negotiations under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
With an agreement reached between the HSE and representative unions, including the INMO, SIPTU, and Fórsa, at long last, staff and residents are prepared to move into the new facility.
Welcoming the breakthrough, Councillor Marie Moloney expressed cautious optimism:
“It’s good news that an agreement has been reached with the staff and that transfer of residents and patients can finally take place to the Community Nursing Unit. So many families have been waiting for so long to see their loved ones transfer to this beautiful new facility. Let’s hope there will be no further delays.”
HSE National Director and Integrated Health Area Manager for Kerry, Julie O’Neill, confirmed that the agreement enables the facility to open safely on a phased basis:
“I welcome the agreement reached at the Workplace Relations Commission, enabling us to proceed with the opening of our new Community Nursing Unit in Killarney. I would like to thank everyone involved in reaching this agreement and acknowledge the constructive engagement of all parties.”
Fianna Fáil TD for Kerry and member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health, Michael Cahill TD, also welcomed the news:
“This is very welcome news for older people and their families across Kerry. The new Killarney Community Nursing Unit has been eagerly awaited and I am delighted that agreement has now been reached to allow its phased opening from August 10. I know the delays have been a source of frustration for many families but today’s announcement provides certainty that residents will soon begin moving into this modern, purpose-built facility.”
Deputy Cahill acknowledged the efforts of all parties involved in negotiations, noting:
“I want to thank the HSE, the Workplace Relations Commission and the representative unions, the INMO, SIPTU and Fórsa for their constructive engagement in reaching this agreement. Ensuring safe staffing is essential, and I am pleased that a solution has now been found.”
He added:
“As a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health, I will continue to work to ensure Kerry receives the healthcare investment and staffing it deserves. The opening of this new unit is a major step forward for residential care in our county, and I look forward to seeing residents welcomed through its doors from August 10.”
Call for plaque at historical burial site
Local history enthusiast Anthony Kerrigan has formally written to Kerry County Council proposing the installation of a commemorative plaque or historical marker at the unmarked Moyeightragh Burial Ground in Killarney, and is calling on Killarney Advertiser readers to back the initiative.
The ancient site is said to be in the vicinity of of Lewis Road and Fitzgerald stadium
The sacred site, registered under Monument Record KE066-068002, sits in the vicinity of Lewis Road and the Fitzgerald Stadium footprint. In his letter to council officials, Kerrigan explained how the landmark faded from view over generations.
“Historical mapping shows that this ancient burial ground was progressively built over and divided following the construction of Lewis Road in the 1850s and subsequent urban developments,” Kerrigan wrote. “While the site is completely invisible on the surface today, it remains a designated archaeological monument where subsurface human remains are protected in situ.”
Kerrigan highlighted that recent discoveries underscore the risk of the location being forgotten entirely, noting how the displacement of significant artefact, such as the 18th-century Margaret Shea grave ledger uncovered nearby during Park Road archaeological testing in 201, illustrates how vulnerable the memory of the site is to the passage of time.
Advocating for a permanent marker near the site, Kerrigan explained the cultural importance of recognising those buried there.
“As a matter of community respect, civic pride, and historical preservation, I believe a modest, non-invasive plaque or information board should be placed nearby,” he stated. He noted that such a marker would serve to honour past generations of Killarney citizens, educate visitors about the town’s shifting landscape, and prevent the total erasure of the designated heritage asset from local consciousness.
Kerrigan pointed out that the proposal aligns directly with the core objectives of the Department’s Community Monuments Fund regarding the enhancement and public accessibility of archaeological monuments. He expressed a desire to coordinate with the Council’s Heritage Office, the Burial Grounds Section, and local history groups like the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society to ensure appropriate text and placement.
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