Eileen O'Reilly

[HRO]

 Eileen O'Reilly
It was sad to learn this week that Eileen O'Reilly, honorary secretary of NTOA 1972 to 1980, had passed away last Saturday, 13^th January 2018.
Eileen always an ardent supporter of the Class, was an enthusiastic crew with amongst others, Nigel Boschi and John Bugbee, and supported the running of the Association within the Thames area, she was at that time living in Isleworth, and then as NTOA honorary secretary.  On retirement Eileen moved to Worthing and later to Devon.  Her affection for the Class continued maintaining to the end associate membership of NTOA, always keeping in touch with Class affairs by the newsletters and circulations of Class activities.
The Class's foray to France in the mid 1960's had Eileen much involved with its pre-event NTOA organisation, as for two years a National Twelve open meeting at La Baule and then La Rochelle was held.  In 1987 Eileen presented to the Association an award, the Eileen O'Reilly Trophy, to the crew of the winner of the Inland Championship.  It was perhaps appropriate that the Association Trophy, awarded to the winning helm at La Baule and La Rochelle, later re-inscribed as the Ivor Williams Trophy, had become the trophy for the winning helm of the Inlands. 
Eileen's involvement with Burton Week evolved as honorary secretary administering NTOA activities with the host club and seeing to the detail of the shore proceedings.  It was the early days of computers too in the permutations of the final results, Eileen keen to see pen and paper laid aside as this new opportunity to finalise 130+ boats appeared.  Individual helm punched cards were the means, put into race finishing order, and driven some miles to a host club member's office having the necessary machine to compute the Week's final order.  Eileen was well pleased with the outcome.
At this time our thoughts are with Eileen's family and her son's Anthony and Simon.  The funeral service will be at Exeter and Devon Crematorium on Friday 9^th February 2018 at 3pm and afterwards at Armada Court, Topsham, Devon.  In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to Cancer Research in Eileen's memory. 
Michael Brookman

[Matthew Boschi]

As mentioned by Michael, my father sailed with Eileen many times. A family friend for a many years, when they were in each other's company they would talk about nothing else but National 12's.

Sadly my father passed away on 5th January, just a few days before Eileen. His funeral will be at The Oak Crematoruim, Barton Road, Haavnt on Friday 2nd February at 10am and afterwards at the Brookfield Hotel, Havant Road Emsworth, Hampshire. Family flowers only, donations to the Alzheimers's Society


Matthew Boschi