'Highly respected' retired Superintendent and Cork hurler has passed away

Tributes have been paid to former Superintendent and Cork centre-field hurler Terry Kelly who passed away yesterday, after a lengthy illness.

Terry, who had seven children, was married to his wife Joan and passed away at the age of 86.

Mr Kelly, who was a young Garda sergeant at the time of JFK’s visit to Cork and served the State in guarding the American president during his time in the Rebel County, was remembered by Chief Superintendent Barry McPolin as a highly respected member of An Garda Siochána.

“I had known Terry for more than 30 years and I can say he was nature’s gentleman. He had a sharp incisive mind and a great raconteur, full of humour and dry wit.”

As well as being a well-respected member of the force, Terry was a fine hurler and played with his local club Tracton as well as Cork’s senior inter-county team in the 1950s and 1960s, where he won two Munster titles as well as an All-Ireland runners-up medal in 1956.

Terry Kelly retired from the force in 1994.

Chief Supt McPolin told The Echo that Terry had two sons that followed him in serving the State as Gardaí.

“His son Brendan is the sergeant in charge in Gurranabraher and his son Kieran was a serving Garda in Bandon until he left the force to become a barrister in Dublin.”

Chief Supt McPolin said that Terry was instrumental in establishing the Juvenille Liasion Office (JLO) in Cork City in the 1970s.

“He worked closely with youth organisations and vulnerable people. He shepherded and mentored youths, keeping them away from criminality. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends.”