Great things happen when people put their minds to it.
Patrick O’Connell is the greatest Irish footballer you may never have heard of.
The Dubliner was the very first Irishman to ever captain Manchester United, and followed that honour by managing Barcelona during the Spanish Civil war.
He is widely credited as the man who ‘saved’ the great Catalan club by organising a tour of Mexico during 1936-37, which raised so much money the club then were debt free at its conclusion.
O’Connell last year was inducted into the Barcelona hall of Fame, but one key part of recognising this almost forgotten hero of Irish football remained.
https://twitter.com/A_RoyoMarine/status/682301038376960001
Despite all his fame, and success, O’Connell fell on hard times, and died in poverty in 1959 and received a pauper’s burial in London.
However, thanks to the work of the Don Patricio fund, and the dedication of its members, Tuesday marked an end to months of work on marking the final resting place of the first international hero of Irish football.
O’Connell was buried in St Mary’s cemetery in Kilburn, London, but today his grave has been properly marked for the first time in almost 60 years.
El trabajo de la @PatricioFund ha dado sus frutos y Patrick O'Connell tiene, al fin, una tumba digna. #Betis pic.twitter.com/efqjPr1OyO
— Beticismo (@Beticismo) May 3, 2016
57yrs in waiting for Don Patricio @sidlowe @RealBetis @FCBarcelona @CelticGraves @CelticBelfast @irishnewssport pic.twitter.com/KeDRclfmkS
— Patrick O'Connell (@PatricioFund) May 3, 2016
Ther campaign to get funds to restore the grave has been a long one, with several top Irish and international football figures, including the late Johan Cruyff and Roy Keane, lending their support.
Roy Keane @FAIreland meeting @PatricioFund today at Ireland team hotel #cybig #keano pic.twitter.com/Ft4XK8a58U
— Patrick O'Connell (@PatricioFund) March 24, 2016
https://twitter.com/CelticBelfast/status/713031095135166465
