Irish entertainer (1929–2021)
Billa O'Connell |
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| Born | (1929-12-25)25 December 1929 |
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| Died | 23 September 2021(2021-09-23) (aged 91) |
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| Nationality | Irish |
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| Occupation | Entertainer |
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William "Billa" O'Connell (25 December 1929 – 23 September 2021)[1][2] was an Irish entertainer from Cork City, Ireland. His career earned him Freedom of the City[3][4] and an honorary degree from University College Cork.[5][6]
Career
The youngest of six children born to William and Julia O’Connell, Billa was best known as a performer in pantomime, having made his debut in the Cork pantomime back in 1947.[5] He went on to become a regular cast member of the pantomimes produced at the Cork Opera House, as well as Summer Revels, an annual variety show which ran for over two decades.[6][5][7][8] Speaking in The Irish Times, he recalled a time when there were "seven or eight" pantomimes operating in Cork, and it was one of the city's most popular forms of entertainment.[9] Also regarded as an accomplished singer, he recorded a number of songs for local charitable organisations.[10]
He frequently appeared on The Late Late Show, produced by RTÉ, Ireland's national broadcaster, as a guest of Gay Byrne.[11]
In 2000, Mercier Press published O'Connell's biography, Just Billa, written by Michael O'Connor.[12] His monologues were archived by the Cork City Library in 2012.[5]
O'Connell was also an entertainment manager for figures like Eamon Kelly and Dermot O'Brien.[6]
Personal life
Beyond the stage, he spent 30 years working as a sales rep for Beamish and Crawford.[6][11]
He was married to Nell Cotter, a dancer.[6] They had six children.[13] One of their grandchildren is writer and academic James O'Sullivan, who works at University College Cork.[14]
He was a close friend of Jack Lynch, twice elected Taoiseach, and Paddy Comerford, a locally famed performer.[11]
He died on 23 September 2021, aged 91.[2]
References
External links
