Sad death of Billy Magner-past chairman, past secretary and more


Sad death of Billy Magner-past chairman, past secretary and more

home / news / Sad death of Billy Magner-past chairman, past secretary and more

Sad death of Billy Magner-past chairman, past secretary and more

March 12, 2021

Twice now, within 2 short weeks, and a wet and blustery cold March Day, club stalwart Tom Deane has had reason to lower the tri –colour and lower the adjacent club flag to half-mast outside Killavullen GAA grounds, as we bade farewell to one of our best, in Billy Magner. Last week, it was one of the founders of the reincarnated juvenile club, in Owen O Neill.


The club would like to extend its condolences to Catherine, his wife of 52 years, and to his children, Mary, Ann, John, James, Liam, Triona, Nichola, Maurice and the late Jacynta. Also to his sisters Marie, Ella and Anne, and his brother Maurice, grandchildren, and nephews, nieces, relatives, great neighbours on the main street, and many, many friends.


Many of those friends would have celebrated in Springport Hall only a short two years ago, with Billy and Catherine, and their close family on the joyous occasion on their 50th wedding anniversary.


Billy was a long serving trustee of the club, and a long served club secretary from 1977 to 1984. Billy was also a past chairman of the club in 1990, our North Cork Board Delegate for a large number of years, and a member of the GPC, of the division.  Billy, from the Main Street in the village will be forever interned, where he can look down on us all, in Monanimy cemetery, and to look down on the playing pitch in Killavullen, that he was such a key figure in developing. When Billy was club secretary, big decisions for the club were taken, and steady hands at the top table were essential. The Mill Field pitch was acquired, and it was acquired from three distinct land owing families, the Browne’s, Linehan’s and Hayes families, so no doubt a good listener was required, and a skilful negotiator, and Billy was that, and so much more. Billy, Sean Nagle and Noel Brosnan took on the onerous responsibilities of being club Trustee’s then, when each had young families, and a myriad of other commitments. Without trustee’s, there are no way to draw down a loan, and without loans of some sort, there would be no pitch.


From behind his bar on the main street, all facets of Killavullen life was observed, and Billy was great at letting the conversation flow, and would only ever intervene, if, you were well out of order in your facts or behaviour. Billy was a hardworking man, worked hard to provide for his family, and appreciated likeminded people.


He took immense interest in Killavullen, in the matters of the GAA club, in the matters of fishing, indeed he was instrumental in securing the fishing rights for the local community, on the river in Killavullen. He had an infinity to the place, a grá, and to its people, and was proud of anyone from the parish. He was generous to a fault to people, if they ever wanted a lift to a game, but it was a speedy lift - no dawdling about with Billy, if the blues or Cork were playing.


His bar was a pleasant bar, a mixed bar when the conversation was easy, varied and interesting. Billy supported numerous clubs in their requests for premises for meetings and functions, and was quite involved with the Kilura Gun Club, in hosting functions for them. The back bar in Magners, The Forge, was often thronged, and heaving with people, and never more so, than in the winter of 1983/84 when Killavullen was involved in the Tops of the Communities. Many a late and gallant social night occurred there, , and especially when the Killavullen participants, with his own children Ann and John on the stage, won out against Castletownroche, in the County final, above in Connolly Hall.   Billy loved all that, and was a great supporter of that.


We thank you Billy, within the GAA Community for our fine grounds, your work in our name, was and is, very much appreciated.


© Copyright - Killavullen GAA. All Rights reserved Website by Sportlomo