LIKE so many Irish before him, Michael John O’Brien first moved to Britain as a young man to work in construction.
It was 1969 when he arrived in London at the age of 21, looking to make a living and a life in his adopted home.
A devoted husband, brother and son, Mr O’Brien, originally from Rossbrin, Ballydehob near Schull in the southwest of Co. Cork, would regularly visit Cork where his elderly mother and siblings still live.
His ultimate dream was to eventually return to Ireland, build a house back in his native West Cork and see out his days on the Irish coast enjoying his favourite pastime of fishing.
But sadly Mr O’Brian, 69, lost his life at sea on August 15 having gone out on his boat near Schull.
A keen fisherman, the father-of-two was buried last Friday, August 19 in his native Ballydehob.
This week son David O’Brien paid tribute to his father who had worked in construction for more than 40 years.
Having first arrived in Willesden in the late 1960s, Mr O’Brien met his wife Mary Jane in Cricklewood in 1971.
A grandfather of two boys, he spent the next four decades as a plant operator and JCB driver, most recently with Flannery Plant Hire.
Known to most in the building trade as Mick, Mr O’Brien lived in Edmonton for 26 years later moving to Stevenage, Hertfordshire.
“Dad stopped working last year due to arthritis and was waiting for a hip replacement operation,” son David said.
“His dream was to build a house back home in his native West Cork, which my parents achieved 11 years ago. He spent his holidays at home boating and fishing.”
Speaking to The Irish Post last week, Fianna Fáil senator Denis O’Donovan, who is also Chairman of Seanad Éireann, was among those to pay their respects to Mr O’Brien.
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