A/Sea Liam O’Connor NSR was born on the 14th May 1984 and lived at home with his Mother Anne, Father William, elder sister Aine, sister Emier and his younger brother Brendan.
The O’Connor family live in Croom, County Limerick, which is about 14 kilometres from the city, Liam loved living there.
The O’Connor family are a well-known, popular, and very well liked family and they are a credit to the community in Croom and the surrounding area.
Liam went to national school in his home town of Croom and he furthered his education by going to college in the technical institute in Limerick.
As a young man Liam worked as an apprentice mechanic in his uncle Tony’s garage in Croom qualifying as a mechanic some years later.
Liam loved music; playing the Tin Whistle and loved to play Irish Ballads and Rebel songs. He used to listen to some of Elvis’s oldies, along with the great American singer/songwriter Norah Jones and the great tenor Pavarotti, to mention but a few.
More of Liam’s loves in life was, working with older cars persistently pursuing solutions to awkward problems never leaving them unsolved. He also loved to repair and ride motorcycles this was also evident from an early age as Liam cofounded the Hearts and Souls Motor cycle club in Croom with his friend Paudy Deedy
Liam enjoyed playing sports He played hurling, golf, football, and tennis. Liam adored and supported Man Utd football club. He was an all-rounder.
Liam joined the Naval Reserve in 2001 after a career guidance councillor had visited the technical institute-advising students on different career paths. Liam attended the NSR training nights on Wednesday evenings and weekends when he could, travelling the 14 kilometres into Sarsfield Barracks and back out home during all kinds of weather. Liam progressed up the ranks during his time with the NSR achieving the rank of A/B
He loved going to Sea on Naval Service vessels and spent most of his spare time off work/college going out on patrols.
Liam’s favourite vessels were LE Emer and LE Aisling where he spent most of his Sea Going career during his NSR sea training.
He was a credit to the Limerick unit, and he contributed greatly in increasing the unit’s seagoing requirements. Liam loved going on holidays with his family and in particular was very keen on visiting his cousin Pauleen Williams in Wales (he nicknamed Pauleen his second mother) Liam spent a lot of his free time in Wales making Pauleen’s home his second home. While on holidays in Wales Liam took a summer job in a local shipyard, taking up an offer and opportunity as an apprentice welder.
Liam passed his apprenticeship with flying colours, Liam then went on to progressing to offshore welding passing all exams and qualifying in the proficiency of offshore welding. Liam told me he had to leave the NSR to take up this job with the shipyard in Wales it truly broke his heart to have to leave the NSR.
I did convince him to stay on for a while; I helped when I could to send him to Sea on LE Emer a few times in order to help pay his way in Wales. However, to Liam’s credit, he told me he did not want to be just a Non Effective member of the NSR. Liam left the NSR in 2010 serving 9 years’, 263 day’s service.
Sadly, Pauleen Williams died in Wales and Liam was deeply, touched, saddened, and decided to return home. Liam was to continue his welding career with Shannon/Foynes Port authorities at the time of his death.
Liam O’Connor died following a motor cycle accident at Inchboy, Gort, Co. Galway on 01/07/2012. Liam was on his way home from a Motorcycle rally, that he had organised in memory of his best friend Tyrone Ryan who coincidentally died one year before to the day, Tyrone was also from Croom and like Liam was a member of Hearts and Souls MCC motorcycle club.

] Liam’s tragic death was widely felt in the whole of the county this could be easy recognisable from the huge turnout at Liam’s removal and his funeral.
It was an honour and privilege both for me and for the large number of us in the NSR to attend Liam’s Funeral in full Number 1 uniform remembering a colleague and friend who served his country with dignity. Able Seaman Liam O’Connor would have been so proud of his fellow Naval Reserve members and the Irish Naval Association members who turned out to honour our friend’s final good-bye with a well-deserved Salute. Able Seaman Liam O’Connor will never forgotten, the NSR hold an annual mass for their deceased members including the naval association members in the Garrison Church Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick on the first Wednesday in November every year.
The Irish Naval Association holds an annual Mass every year in March, in Cathal Bruagh Barracks in Dublin, and in Waterford in November. At those Masses, all members and Family members of the Naval Association, An Slua Muiri the Naval Service and the Naval Service Reserve are remember.
Ironically, Liam’s final resting place is only a few yards away from where his lifelong friend Tyrone Ryan’s is buried, Relig Mhuire Cemetery Croom, Co. Limerick

In memory of Able/Seaman Liam O’Connor NSR, Rest in Peace my friend.
Ger Kiely L/T (Rtd) Naval Service Reserve

I have attached below some photographs of Liam and his family.