OBITUARY

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 11, 25 March 1925, Page 39

OBITUARY

MR. MICHAEL : O'NEILL, BLENHEIM. >tj , (From our own correspondent.);. ,- .Death ;has removed' an. ..old ' Blenheim, resident in v the person of Mr. Michael O'Neillj who passed away at his: residence 'in Weld Street oh-Sunday, March 1, after a lengthy' .illness. The late Mr. O'Neill, who -was a ■ very well-known figure, had not enjoyed the best of health for the last two years and ; ; had been totally invalided during the past three months. His parents left their home in the County of Cork, to seek their fortune : in' London in about the year 1855, and it was shortly after their arrival in the great city that Michael O'Neill first saw' the light of day. He was but nine years old when he was left parentless. He joined the mercan- ' tile marine training-ship. Chichester, with a view to preparing for a sea-faring life, and having served his apprenticeship, he joined an ocean-going vessel. He voyaged twice to New Zealand and was' struck with the appearance of the country. Then, in the year 1876, he made a third visit in the ship Fernglen, upon which he held the position of quarter-master; The lure of the new land was too strong to resist, and Mr. O'Neill decided to throw in his lot with the immigrants his ship had brought, and finally made ~ his way to Blenheim. One of the earliest occupations the deceased took up was the position of ferryman at the Ooawa River This ferry was then the only means of communication between the rail-head and Blenheim. Mr. O'Neill relinquished this position Tr J T ™ 6 paintin S trade > and he was with Mr. S. Clinch for some years. He later entered into business as a painter on his own account. The deceased was an enthusiastic member of the Fire Brigade in days gone by, while like most sailormen, he was an amateur boxer of no mean skill and as a clog dancer he had no equal. Through his death the local Hibernian Society loses one of its oldest members, for he joined the society over 40 years ago and for a long period was extremely active in promoting its Progress and success. He took a leading part in the conduct of the sports gatherings and acted as handicapper for the meetings. With the Rev Father Lane and others, the late Mr. O Neill took a leading part in founding : the Hibernian Band, an organisation which in its hey-day was one of the town's chief musical institutions. He married in 1878' Johanna, second daughter of the late John I and Bridget Hunter of Tua Marina. He leaves a. widow and a family of twelve, all of whom are grown up. ■ There are five- sons -Messrs. Patrick O'Neill, of Wellington, and n , »f , ' G °-' and R . P . O'Neill,; all of Blenheim. The daughters, seven in number, are: Mrs. S. Forbes, Taumarunui; 0 c^ n€S ' *<*&&»*', Miss Evelyn 0 Neill, Sydney; Mrs. Roy Thompson, Grovetown; Miss Mary O'Neill, Blenheim; and Missesjhleen and Patricia, both of Wellington The late Mr. O'Neill was predeceased! m ana ii

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