THE FUNERAL has taken place of John O’Sullivan (47), the Valentia island native who was found with multiple gunshot wounds on his tractor near a neighbour’s house in a rural northern California on August 16th last.
The eldest of eight children, Mr O’Sullivan had emigrated to the US in the 1980s to seek work.
His body was brought home to Valentia, Co Kerry, to be waked on the island on Wednesday night and buried yesterday.
Before emigrating he worked in the building trade and played Gaelic football with the Young Islanders, the Valentia team, and was regarded as a fine footballer.
A guard of honour was provided by the Young Islanders yesterday. Among the mourners was the former Kerry footballer and family neighbour Mick O’Connell.
At the overflowing requiem Mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Valentia, parish priest Fr John Shanahan said John had died tragically. He described guns and knives as “instruments of death and destruction for so many people”.
A neighbour, Kenneth John Zimmerman (56), has been arrested on suspicion of his murder. Mr O’Sullivan is survived by five children, including two step-children and an adopted son, and his wife Krista.