Following Vincent Murphy's presentation on the life of circumnavigator Conor O’Brien at Foynes Yacht Club on the Shannon Estuary last Friday evening, Professor Patrick Frawley, a member of the Club, and a native of Foynes donated an unedited version of one of O’Brien’s books together with a number of first edition books that he had purchased from all over the world.
"We are delighted and honoured to receive these books and can’t thank Patrick enough for this very generous donation", FYC Vice Commodore Patricia McCormack told Afloat.
Bev Lowes, FYC Commodore, The O’Brien Family from Foynes Island, Professor Patrick Frawley, and Patricia McCormack, FYC Vice Commodore
FYC Commodore Bev Lowes thanked everybody for attending on the night and was delighted to see the O’Brien family from Foynes Island among the crowd. He thanked Vincent for his very informative presentation and Patrick for his donation.
€1,045 was raised for the RNLI.
Conor O’Brien was born in Cahermoyle House, Ardagh, Co Limerick, on the 3rd of November 1880 and lived on Foynes Island. He was educated in Winchester College and Oxford University in England, and at Trinity College, Dublin.
He was a heroic sailor with a huge commitment to Irish Home Rule – a fluent Irish Speaker – In 1914, he assisted Erskine Childers in the famous gun-running saga of Irish history, and then went on to circumnavigate the world in an amazing voyage.
After the war, he retired to his sister’s home on Foynes Island, Co Limerick where he lived and continued to write books until his death on the 18th of April 1952.
