THE list of famous footballing No rthsiders is an impressive one.
Think John Giles, Dave O’Leary, Liam Brady, Liam Whelan, Ronnie Whelan, but another real local legend is often overlooked.
Despite captaining Manchester United, playing for Ireland with a broken arm and not just managing, but saving Barcelona from extinction, Patrick O’Connell is the Northside’s forgotten football icon.
But earlier this month a host of famous footballing names turned up for the unveiling of a commemorative plaque on the home where Patrick grew up at 87 Fitzroy Avenue, Drumcondra.
Born in Dublin in 1887, he started playing professional football with Belfast Celtic in 1908 before moving to Sheffield Wednesday a year later.
During the British Home Championship of 1913/14 he captained the first Ireland team to beat England on English soil and also led the Irish to victory over Wales in Wrexham.
In the final game against Scotland at Windsor Park, O’Connell played the entire second half with a broken arm as Ireland clinched their first ever football title.
After a two year spell with Hull City, he moved to Manchester United for a £1,000 fee and became the first Irishman to captain the Red Devils.
In 1921 O’Connell began his managing career with Ashington FC, a club later made famous by Charlton brothers Bobby and Jack. Soon afterwards he moved to Spain to become the manager of Racing Santander and he went on to lead them to five regional titles between 1922 and 1929.
He was involved in the formation of La Liga, the famous Spanish Football Championship in 1928 and in 1931 became manager of Real Betis.
One season later Betis were second division champions and in 1935 he led them to their one and only La Liga title in front of a capacity crowd of 7,000. This achievement has ensured that while forgotten at home, he remains revered in Seville where Betis hail from.
Following the La Liga win Barcelona FC invited O’Connell – known in Spain as Don Patricio – to become manager and in his first season led them to win the Catalan Championship and they were runners up to Real Madrid in the Spanish Cup.
During the Spanish Civil War in 1937, when Barcelona FC was on the brink of bankruptcy, a Catalan businessman who had emigrated to Mexico asked the club to tour the country.
O’Connell rounded up the players and staff and sailed to Mexico. They played six matches before carrying on to New York for four more exhibition games.
The tour cost the team most of their players, as only four travelled back to Barcelona, the rest either seeking asylum in Mexico or jumping out in France on the way back.
The money made from the expedition saved Barcelona and although O’Connell returned to Ireland shortly afterwards he had ensured Barcelona’s future.
Sadly, despite all his success, he died destitute in 1959 and is buried in an unmarked grave at St Mary’s Cemetery, Kensal Green, London.
A Memorial Fund has been set up by friends to raise funds to restore Patrick’s grave.
Patrick’s grandson, Mike O’Connell, and Dublin Central TD, Maureen O’Sullivan (Ind) attended the recent unveiling ceremony along with a host of soccer legends including Celtic European Cup winners Bertie Auld and John Clarke, former Man Utd and Scotland captain, Martin Buchan and Steve Archibald who represented Barcelona at the event.
Award winning artist Danny Devenney is currently painting a mural celebrating the life of O’Connell, which will be unveiled on the Falls Road across the road from the birthplace of Belfast Celtic next August.
The mural will include the words
‘When You Take My Soul Don’t Take My Pride’ taken from the Oasis song, Cast No Shadow.