Jim O'Brien R.I.P

Posted: March 12, 2008 12:26 PM

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Jim O'Brien
Jim O'Brien joined the Tipperary Light Car & Motorcycle Club in the early 1970's and quickly became a very active member. Meetings in those early days were held in the Commercial Room in Hearns Hotel, Clonmel and Jim was never shy about giving his views about any aspect of club business. Jim not only expressed his opinions but also ran events such as the Loose Surface Autocross and was COC of the Stonethrowers Rally for a number of years in the 1970's .

Jim also did a bit of navigating with Sean Crowe around this time and they competed on the 50th Anniversary of the Circuit of Ireland and got a Finishers Award. In 1984 Jim became COC of the Tipperary Forestry Rally and moved it from Clonmel to Mitchelstown where it developed into a well regarded fixture in the Forestry Calendar and also brought an influx of new members to the club from the local area. Jim ran the Forestry Rally from 1989 until this year when he ran it from his hospital bed. True to form Jim had the whole event planned out and all personnell sorted in spite of his sorjouns in hospital in the lead up to the event.

It is a credit to Jim and the team that he had built around him that the event ran like clockwork despite his absence. Mind you, he made 94 calls that day on his mobile phone checking on progress and directing the event.

Jim was always on hand to help out on Tipp Club events and available for marshalling on other club's events. Jim ran a stage on the Moonraker Forestry Rally for the last number of years for the Munster Club.

Ever ready to give his opinion, whether you wanted it or not, Jim said what he had to say and moved on, and as he would say himself "if I did not speak to everyone I had a row with, I would not have many people left to talk to." He will be sadly missed.

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Funeral Arrangements.

Wed 12th March.
Removal at 6pm from the Chapel at St Patrick's Hospital Fermoy to Fermoy Church.

Thurs 13th March
Mass is at 2:30pm in Fermoy Church and removal afterwards at Kilcrumper Old Cemetery, Fermoy.

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Map

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GPS Coords. (Approx)
St. Patrick's Hospital
N52.13834 W8.26517
(N52 08 18.0 W8 15 54.6)

Fermoy Chruch
N52.13635 W8.28073
(N52 08 10.9 W8 16 50.6)