Bob Sheehan’s demeanour meant that he could genuinely be called ‘The Quiet Man’ but it was this genuinely droll, laid-back personality which made him a hugely popular figure in both his native Mitchelstown and his adopted home in Rathfarnham in South Dublin.
The huge attendance at his funeral bears testament to this fact and friends travelled long distances to pay their respects to an absolute gentleman.
Bob Sheehan was born in Mitchelstown in 1948 and received his early education in Presentation Convent and Mitchelstown CBS. His academic prowess led him to being called to St. Patrick’s teacher training college in Drumcondra in Dublin and Dublin was to become home for the remainder of his life.
He started out his career as a teacher and ended up working for the Revenue Commissioners from which he had retired.
He was an outstanding Gaelic footballer and played with Mitchelstown at all grades from U12 to junior. He won North Cork championship medals at U21 and junior grades and played at midfield with Mick Burke throughout the club’s campaign in the 1969 junior football championship, which ended with a defeat in bizarre circumstances in the county semi-final, against Bantry Blues, when the team conceded two late goals to lose by one point.
He continued to play for the next couple of years, but the amount of travel involved and his interest in playing other sports meant that he drifted away from the club.
Bob was also a soccer player of note and, for many years, he played to Leinster junior league standard and, in his own opinion, he was a much better soccer player than Gaelic footballer.
He had the good fortune to meet up with Mary O’Dowd, a fellow teacher, from Cloghane in the Dingle Peninsula, they got married in June 1985 and, together, raised a family of 3 children, Bríd, Caitríona and Robert, who have all carved out successful careers for themselves in their chosen professions.
Bob Sheehan was wonderful company who, throughout his life, had a huge interest in all matters pertaining to Mitchelstown and Cork. He was also interested in all aspects of Irish life, politics, sport and the craic.
When he went on a night out he would never be in a rush home and he was known to “pull the door behind him” after many a Kangaroo re-union; last man out, turn out the lights.
He had a phenomenal memory for people’s names and faces. As his close friend, Mick Reynolds, recently pointed out, Bob’s salutation on meeting people was usually “And how’s Tom O’Toole” even though he mightn’t have met the person for several years and when others would be frantically trying to remember the person’s name.
If those of us who were proud to call him a friend, even if at a physical and geographical distance, will miss his company, then one can only imagine how badly his wife and children are feeling.
“But friendship is a nobler thing
Of friendship it is good to sing
For truly when a man’s life ends
He lives long in the memory of his friends.”
“And how’s Liam Cusack?”
“I’m much the better for having been a lifelong friend and much the worse for having to pen this piece.”
Solas na bhFlaitheas ar do anam uasal.
Month’s Mind Mass
A Month’s Mind Mass for Bob will be held in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Mitchelstown on Friday, 9th June at 7.30pm.
