KEITH LONG AND PAT FENLON PAY TRIBUTE TO LYNN O’NEILL AHEAD OF TONIGHT’S TESTIMONIAL GAME

Long-serving Bohemians managers Keith Long and Pat Fenlon have penned personal tributes to Lynn O’Neill ahead of tonight’s testimonial in her honour.

Long and Fenlon will be in opposing dugouts this evening, alongside Stephen Kenny and Turlough O’Connor respectively, as two teams of Bohemians legends line out at Dalymount Park.

Tickets for the game, which kicks off at 7.45pm, can be purchased in advance from tickets.bohemians.ie.

Keith Long said:

When it comes to Lynn, it’s difficult to know where to start writing these notes and the enormous impact she has had at Dalymount park over four decades.

I suppose as good a place as any is with her decency as a person. She has an infectious personality and a great way with people. She made me feel extremely welcome at the club from day one, going out of her way to help and assist me as manager especially In the early years as she understood how at times it was hard for me juggling two jobs and operating in a part-time capacity.

Lynn made my life much easier and to have a resource like that with all her years of experience was invaluable for me and the club. Lynn is a lady of great faith and she loved telling me about her trips to Lourdes and of the Camona.

She’s a great woman also for a funeral (as everyone that knows Lynn will testify) and the gossip; she loved nothing more than quizzing me about the latest goings-on from around the league. The truth is Lynn knew more than me and was always up to date.

Nothing got past Lynn and despite her telling me I was her favourite manager, she could never convince me as I always knew of her fondness for Pat Fenlon and Stephen Kenny. I admired the way Lynn spoke of them both and how highly she regarded them as people, not just as managers of the club. I thought that was a lovely quality to have.

She never spoke badly about people and always saw the best in someone. Lynn can now retire with a lifetime of memories of Dalymount Park. Your achievements at the club will never be repeated and your presence will be badly missed around the place especially by Jimmy O’Connor, who I know Lynn has a great affection for.

Lynn, I hope you get the send-off you so very much deserve and I am proud to have worked with you and to count you as a friend.

Enjoy your retirement and your time with Ciarán and your family.

Lots of love,

Keith

Pat Fenlon said:

You need good people behind every club and I have to say that Lynn O’Neill is the best.

I had been involved with the club a long time, as a player and manager and have nothing but fond memories of her during my time, even though it wasn’t until I managed Bohs that I really got to know her and see first-hand the amount of work she did.

We had a good working relationship and while the club went through some difficult times, and there were some tetchy moments, we couldn’t have gotten through it without Lynn.

She dealt with everyone; she was the public face of Bohemians and everything always landed on her desk first! But when things got rough, Lynn managed to hold onto friendships during the worst days and that is difficult to do, especially during the bad years of just over a decade ago.

Her integrity and honesty was the key. She has been around the club so long and knew pretty much everyone I’d say in the League of Ireland. She had no agenda (aside from beating Rovers!), she just had the best interest of the club at heart and she did the best she could.

Her attitude was just perfect and she was a joy to work with, even though there were some heated moments at times when things weren’t going right behind the scenes!

I worked with her practically everyday and she was involved with everything; contracts, booking trips, accounts… she never stopped. There’s lots of stuff Lynn worked at behind the scenes that people don’t see or even know about. But behind all the huge work she consistently carried out for Bohemians, she was a fan first and foremost.

You could see the huge pride and joy she felt when we won the league or cup and I guess that’s what made it all worthwhile for her.

As a supporter, the bad days hurt, but when the good days arrive, it’s the best feeling possible. She’s just a good person and you need good people behind you. Well she’s the best.

Enjoy your night Lynn and best wishes for the future,

Pat

These tributes and more are contained in a special edition match programme, which can be purchased at tonight’s game.