Tributes paid to popular Cork city restaurateur following his passing

TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular Cork city centre restaurateur following the announcement of his passing.

John O’Connor Sr was, with his late wife Kathleen, the founder of Tony's Bistro, a North Main Street restaurant legendary for over 25 years for its breakfasts.

Mr O’Connor passed away peacefully in the Mercy Hospital on Monday, surrounded by his family, and his death was confirmed on Tony’s Bistro’s Facebook page.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts we type this post,” the announcement read. 

“Today we said farewell to Tony's Bistro's founder our Dad John O'Connor (senior).

“Tony's Bistro will close tomorrow Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd March.

“Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.” 

Mr O’Connor’s son Jonathan, who runs the restaurant with his sister Caitriona O’Donoghue, said he and his siblings were devastated by the loss, and Mr O’Connor would be sorely missed by his loving family.

“He founded Tony’s 27 years ago with my mother, and we’re all very proud of what he achieved, and all the family has been involved in the business over the years, we all work to keep his legacy alive,” Mr O’Connor Jr said.

Eoin O’Sullivan, president of the Cork Business Association, offered his deepest sympathies to the O'Connor family.

“It’s a very sad day to see the passing of John O'Connor, a businessman who opened Tony’s Bistro on Cork’s North Main Street over 25 years ago, and we wish his family the very best and our deepest condolences,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

Fermoy-based County Councillor Noel McCarthy recalled Mr O’Connor’s previous business, Fermoy’s Fifty-Nine Club, which Mr O’Connor owned and ran in the 1990s, with its popular downstairs nightspot, Alexander’s, and he described Mr O’Connor as a gentle, hard-working family man.

“A lot of people have great memories of John and his late wife Kathleen when they had the Fifty-Nine Club in Fermoy, and I always used to admire the effort he put into it, he really worked so hard for that business,” Councillor McCarthy said.

“I remember when he used to put up signs all over the town saying ‘Alexander’s, almost a legend’, he was always such a great trier.

“I used to love going down there for the chicken in the basket, which he was famous for, and a lot of people would have been very sad to hear of John’s passing, because he and Kathleen were just lovely, lovely people, and I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to all of the family,” Mr McCarthy said.

Mr O’Connor was predeceased by his wife Kathleen, and he is survived by his children Jonathan, Lorraine, Catríona, Michelle, James and Jordan.

Mr O’Connor’s remains will repose at O’Connor’s Funeral Home, Coburg Street on Tuesday 22 March from 4pm to 5pm, followed by removal to St. Patrick’s Church, Whitechurch, arriving for 6pm, with Requiem Mass at 11am on Wednesday 23 March and funeral afterwards to St Catherine’s Cemetery, Kilcully.