Irish Simmental Yearbook 2022-D 2 - Flipbook - Page 13
OBITUARIES
Daniel (Donie) O’Connell
In memory of Daniel (Donie)
O’Connell, Shannon Harbour, Birr,
Co Offaly who passed away on April
23rd 2021 aged 69 years following a
short illness. Daniel was a member
of the Irish Simmental Cattle
Society and operated under his
CopperValley herd pre昀椀x from the
early 90’s until his untimely passing
last year.
A modest, unassuming man he was
a huge exponent of the Simmental breed who
enjoyed travelling the length and breadth of Ireland
to shows and sales making many friends throughout
the years. He possessed a great eye for stock and
was somewhat of a perfectionist with the care he
took for his treasured Simmental herd.
Quick to recognise the merits of
the Simmental breed and the ability
of the Simmental cow in particular
he produced top class Simmental
and Simmental X heifers to
repeat customers yearly earning a
reputation for doing so.
His passion and interest in the
Simmental breed was obvious and
his knowledge of the bloodlines
always up to scratch. Departed
but never forgotten by his loving wife Eileen, sons
Daniel, Brendan, Sean and daughters Claire and
Catherine (Heather View Simmentals)
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
Patrick Joseph (P.J.) O’Dea
On January 1st 2022 Patrick Joseph
(PJ) O’Dea from Esker, Athenry,
Co. Galway passed away at the age
of 83.
He was very well known in farming
circles for breeding both pedigree
sheep and cattle which were shown
under the name of Esker Pedigrees.
He was predominantly known as
a sheep man having served as the
Galway rep for the IFA’s National
Sheep Committee for many years. He was also a
founding member of the Belclare Sheep Society,
having previously being involved in the Teagasc
trails that led to the breeds creation.
In 1988 he purchased a Simmental stock bull in
Roscommon and was so impressed with the calves
that the following year he purchased a heifer
Hollow昀椀eld Vida at the Roscommon premier
sale. With this heifer he established the Koilescaul
Simmental herd, with his wife Mary
Joe and his son Emmanuel. PJ
and Mary Joe were always together
at shows or sales and enjoyed
many society tours to the UK and
Europe. He delighted in meeting
new people and had a great recall
to put a name to a face that he
may have met brie昀氀y, many years
earlier. Typically, quite spoken, he
was never afraid to speak up if the
need arose, which wasn’t often if
Mary Joe was there. He had many friends within
the breed and always enjoyed attending Western
Simmental Club meetings.
He had an incredible passion for suckler farming
and farmed right to the end. Since that 昀椀rst
purchase in 1988, he only ever ran a pedigree
Simmental stock bull.
Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.
Irish Simmental Yearbook 2022
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