In Cork, some personalities need no surnames. If you say Christy then it has to be Ring, Jimmy Barry has to have a Murphy on the end of it, and Billa, to those inside the Cork pale, can only refer to the O'Connell tag which accompanies the affectionately held nickname.
Billa is to Cork what Maureen Potter is to Dublin and, like Potter, generations of youngsters in the south have come to know and love pantomime because of Billa O'Connell's unique ability on stage.
Outside the day job in the Beamish & Crawford brewery, he made his mark in theatre, mimicking the local accents and dialogue, but always winning the hearts of the locals.
It was a neat balancing act in a county where people are protective of their traditions and their manner of speaking.
Michael O'Connor, who teaches economics in the College of Commerce in Cork, has written Just Billa, an account of the entertainer's life and times. Published by Mercier Press at £9.99, it is replete with typical Billa stories and anecdotes.
A natural storyteller, Billa sees comedy in almost everything and loves sharing his quirky insights. Tell him a story and he will better it.
He has enlivened many a coffee morning with his gift during his calls on behalf of the brewery to the pubs of Cork.
