Respite at final resting place of Limerick hurler Sean Og Hanley

THE grave of a double All-Ireland winning hurler from Kilfinane has been given a much needed clean-up in the wake of Limerick’s victory.​

Con Dee, a former chairman of the Limerick Association in London, and Larry O’Leary this week visited the memorial to Sean Og Hanley, who had the rare distinction of winning an All-Ireland senior hurling championship with Limerick back in 1897 – and again with London in 1901.

After he passed away from consumption in 1915, Sean Og was laid to rest at Kensal Green cemetery in north-west London.

A headstone was erected over his grave by the Limerick Association of London in 1958, which remains in tact to this day.

To close off a fantastic week in Limerick hurling, the pair spent the afternoon making sure his grave was left gleaming in the sunlight.

Con also brought along the cup named in memory of his late wife Monica, which was last played for on St Patrick’s Day in 2017 between Colaiste Naomh Mhuire of Twickenham and Fr Murphy’s Ladies of London.

Con, who hails from Murroe, said it was a “labour of love” to clean the gravestone alongside Mr O’Leary, who chairs Fr Murphy’s Ladies.

“It’s been sadly neglected over the past few years. I have been giving the association a bit of stick for doing it. So Larry, who is a Cork man, rang me, and said we should clean it up.

“We spent the afternoon doing it,” he told the Limerick Leader.

Many Irish exiles are buried in the  cemetery, including Catherine Hayes the Limerick opera singer.