His name should be among the most revered in Irish football history, the saviour of Barcelona. Now thanks to a passionate campaign, and with support from some of the biggest names in the sport, on Friday August 7, a mural to Patrick ‘Don Patricio’ O’Connell’s memory will be unveiled in Belfast.
On Friday August 7th, a memorial to Patrick O’Connell will be unveiled in Belfast after a tireless campaign by family members and friends. O’Connell was born in Dublin and, in a storied football career, captained Manchester United before moving to Spain and managing Barcelona. Watch the full TG4 a documentary on the life of ‘Paddy Don Patricio.’
His name should be among the most revered in Irish football history. A former captain of both Ireland and Manchester United, he went on to manage Real Betis and FC Barcelona where he is credited with saving the Catalan giants from extinction. Instead the remains of Patrick O’Connell are buried in an unmarked grave in Kilburn, North London, an area synonymous with Irish emigrants and their broken dreams. Now a new group has come together with the aim of restoring both his final resting place and O’Connell’s reputation in the annals of the game he loved.