November 22, 2024 • 6 mins
The word legend is used all too often these days, however there is no doubt Kay O'Reilly earned the title.
Kay gave a lifetime of service to sport and teaching, particularly netball, coaching and mentoring thousands of girls and women in the art of the game and life.
Sadly, Kay passed away peacefully in the company of her family in New Plymouth earlier this month.
Lesley spoke with long-time friend of Kay, Adrienne Hayes about her contribution.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, time to reflect on an outstanding life of k O'Reilly.
Course a wife and mother, a sports person, sports administrator
and mother figured to so many in the netball and
rugby worlds. And then there's all that other work that
she did with her late husband, Laurie O'Reilly in terms
of looking after vulnerable children. But Ky O'Riley passed away
(00:23):
last week. And to talk about the matriarch of the
Sacred Heart Netball Club, let's go to another legend of
the club, and that's Adrian Hayes. Adrian, good morning, good morning,
good morning. Well, a very sad time because k O'Reilly
was loved by so many people, especially in the netball world.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Yeah. Absolutely, Kay was a bright, effervescent, friendly woman who
liked people, and that came out in her interaction with
people at netball and as you've said, in the rugby world,
in supporting Laurie and any of her other endeavors she
did once she was had moved away from the sports field.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
And she was a person that when you when she
walked into the room, she had that presence, inn't she
that MANA.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah, absolutely, and she had a way of telling you
how it was without making you feel bad if I
use it without a better descriptor.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
So she was very upfront about what her thoughts were
around if you were playing for her team and what
you needed to do to be better or for the
next match. So in a way she and then she
created great teams. You know, people wanted to play four
K and was in the club for Sacred Heart as
(01:44):
it was when K was involved. So she coached Canterbridge.
I'm sure she will have coached underage teams. Unfortunately I
haven't got a netball CV in front of me, so
I can't and I know it will be a long list.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
She was for a short term.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
She was a self defense selector. She was involved in
selections of some self arentines when we had those. She
did some certainly coaching at Certney for Canterbury, and she
would have run some workshops and things for you know,
at the higher level, and was always available for other
coaches if they needed some support or help, especially if
(02:17):
they were in the club.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
And you look back in those years and I don't
know what year you first came across K, but I
certainly know in my family's history from Tim his both
his mother and his aunties loved cave and the person
that she was for sacred and for Netble exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
And that's the thing I think that has come out
since her death last week is a number of people
who she touched, whose lives she touched, both in rugby
and in netble. It was certainly during her service yesterday,
it was certainly made evident. But you know, there was
always someone in her house either being fed, staying with
(02:56):
her or Laurie would have find as they called them,
waves austrays. But there would be rugby players, there would
be netballers, we had, you know, people who had come
in from other parts of the country or other parts
of the world and needed a place to stay. In Kay,
the place was always available and that's the nature of
(03:18):
who she was.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Is that pretty much a sign of the times? I mean,
does that still happen? I don't know that it does.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah, that it was interesting. Had a discussion with someone
about that yesterday. Nothing to that extent, And to be fair,
it was a sign of the times, to be fair,
but Kay and Laurie were above and beyond what others
I spent in the in the community did. There was
always someone in her house and being mentored, looked after
(03:48):
spoke you know, supported it at whatever was going on
in their world. So yes, I think it was a
sign of the time, but also above and beyond what
most people would do. But also in that netball space,
she was also innovative and creative what she did about
leading and coaching teams and at times ahead of a time,
(04:09):
ahead of her time, and that made her successful and
want others to play.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
With her for her well, we certainly send out in
their condolences to Chris and Lauren and all the O'Reilly family.
But Adrian, before we let you go, thank you so
much for talking about Kay because she has been such
a pivotal part of netball, not only here on Canterbury
but New Zealand, but your part term and you've talked
about her being a Silver Firan selector. You are that still, yes,
(04:34):
I am, yeah, And what a great year for the
Silver Ferns.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Yes, I think we're all still grinning and thinking. You know,
as we've all said coming out of Tiny Jamison in
the England series, I don't think many of us predicted
we would have such a wonderful series against Australia, but
it shows what time together can do and commitment to that,
and it's about now wishing on how do we keep
(05:01):
them ament and how do we keep it going forward
and growing both the game and our players.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Absolutely, and all that hard work.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Absolutely lots of work you got done, we need to
keep it going.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Well.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Look, thank you very much for your reflections today. We
certainly appreciate it. And all we can do is wi
you all the very best. And I know the any
example that Kay set that people like yourself are trying
to replicate.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
And didn't, Yeah, we live in her shadow.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
That is wonderful, Thank you very much. Hayes. Yes, it
is incredibly sad times because you knew Kay O'Riley. While
you didn't have her as a teacher at Hornby High, Craig,
you knew her, and obviously Lauren and.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Chris absolutely, Yeah, I mean Kay was one of those
teachers missus O'Reilly of course as we have to call
her back in those days. Yes, she was typing to
each side and didn't wasn't involved in her classes, but
certainly one of those teachers that you remember. You know,
there's a few teachers at school you'd like to forget,
but she was one that was always quite memorable. And
(06:00):
for the right reasons. I knew both Chris her son
and daughter Lauren outside of school as well, so we
had a little bit to do each other over the years.
And yeah, great lady, really good sort good fun.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Yeah, I mean they make sport people like her. And
we've had a very sad time in Sumner as well,
losing a great champion of a man, Mark Whitehead. In fact,
there's a text that's coming this morning, who would like
to take this moment to acknowledge the extremely difficult loss
of a true christ Church and some the legend Mark
(06:32):
white Here, who passed peacefully on Wednesday, just passed his
diagnosis and the way that he faced it was quite
extraordinarily brave, courageous carrying on living and it taught us
all a lot.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
For more from News Talks 'd be listen live on
air or online and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on IR Radio.
Well, time to reflect on an outstanding life of k O'Reilly.
Course a wife and mother, a sports person, sports administrator
and mother figured to so many in the netball and
rugby worlds. And then there's all that other work that
she did with her late husband, Laurie O'Reilly in terms
of looking after vulnerable children. But Ky O'Riley passed away
(00:23):
last week. And to talk about the matriarch of the
Sacred Heart Netball Club, let's go to another legend of
the club, and that's Adrian Hayes. Adrian, good morning, good morning,
good morning. Well, a very sad time because k O'Reilly
was loved by so many people, especially in the netball world.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Yeah. Absolutely, Kay was a bright, effervescent, friendly woman who
liked people, and that came out in her interaction with
people at netball and as you've said, in the rugby world,
in supporting Laurie and any of her other endeavors she
did once she was had moved away from the sports field.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
And she was a person that when you when she
walked into the room, she had that presence, inn't she
that MANA.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yeah, absolutely, and she had a way of telling you
how it was without making you feel bad if I
use it without a better descriptor.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
So she was very upfront about what her thoughts were
around if you were playing for her team and what
you needed to do to be better or for the
next match. So in a way she and then she
created great teams. You know, people wanted to play four
K and was in the club for Sacred Heart as
(01:44):
it was when K was involved. So she coached Canterbridge.
I'm sure she will have coached underage teams. Unfortunately I
haven't got a netball CV in front of me, so
I can't and I know it will be a long list.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
She was for a short term.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
She was a self defense selector. She was involved in
selections of some self arentines when we had those. She
did some certainly coaching at Certney for Canterbury, and she
would have run some workshops and things for you know,
at the higher level, and was always available for other
coaches if they needed some support or help, especially if
(02:17):
they were in the club.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
And you look back in those years and I don't
know what year you first came across K, but I
certainly know in my family's history from Tim his both
his mother and his aunties loved cave and the person
that she was for sacred and for Netble exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
And that's the thing I think that has come out
since her death last week is a number of people
who she touched, whose lives she touched, both in rugby
and in netble. It was certainly during her service yesterday,
it was certainly made evident. But you know, there was
always someone in her house either being fed, staying with
(02:56):
her or Laurie would have find as they called them,
waves austrays. But there would be rugby players, there would
be netballers, we had, you know, people who had come
in from other parts of the country or other parts
of the world and needed a place to stay. In Kay,
the place was always available and that's the nature of
(03:18):
who she was.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Is that pretty much a sign of the times? I mean,
does that still happen? I don't know that it does.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah, that it was interesting. Had a discussion with someone
about that yesterday. Nothing to that extent, And to be fair,
it was a sign of the times, to be fair,
but Kay and Laurie were above and beyond what others
I spent in the in the community did. There was
always someone in her house and being mentored, looked after
(03:48):
spoke you know, supported it at whatever was going on
in their world. So yes, I think it was a
sign of the time, but also above and beyond what
most people would do. But also in that netball space,
she was also innovative and creative what she did about
leading and coaching teams and at times ahead of a time,
(04:09):
ahead of her time, and that made her successful and
want others to play.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
With her for her well, we certainly send out in
their condolences to Chris and Lauren and all the O'Reilly family.
But Adrian, before we let you go, thank you so
much for talking about Kay because she has been such
a pivotal part of netball, not only here on Canterbury
but New Zealand, but your part term and you've talked
about her being a Silver Firan selector. You are that still, yes,
(04:34):
I am, yeah, And what a great year for the
Silver Ferns.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Yes, I think we're all still grinning and thinking. You know,
as we've all said coming out of Tiny Jamison in
the England series, I don't think many of us predicted
we would have such a wonderful series against Australia, but
it shows what time together can do and commitment to that,
and it's about now wishing on how do we keep
(05:01):
them ament and how do we keep it going forward
and growing both the game and our players.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Absolutely, and all that hard work.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Absolutely lots of work you got done, we need to
keep it going.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Well.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Look, thank you very much for your reflections today. We
certainly appreciate it. And all we can do is wi
you all the very best. And I know the any
example that Kay set that people like yourself are trying
to replicate.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
And didn't, Yeah, we live in her shadow.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
That is wonderful, Thank you very much. Hayes. Yes, it
is incredibly sad times because you knew Kay O'Riley. While
you didn't have her as a teacher at Hornby High, Craig,
you knew her, and obviously Lauren and.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Chris absolutely, Yeah, I mean Kay was one of those
teachers missus O'Reilly of course as we have to call
her back in those days. Yes, she was typing to
each side and didn't wasn't involved in her classes, but
certainly one of those teachers that you remember. You know,
there's a few teachers at school you'd like to forget,
but she was one that was always quite memorable. And
(06:00):
for the right reasons. I knew both Chris her son
and daughter Lauren outside of school as well, so we
had a little bit to do each other over the years.
And yeah, great lady, really good sort good fun.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Yeah, I mean they make sport people like her. And
we've had a very sad time in Sumner as well,
losing a great champion of a man, Mark Whitehead. In fact,
there's a text that's coming this morning, who would like
to take this moment to acknowledge the extremely difficult loss
of a true christ Church and some the legend Mark
(06:32):
white Here, who passed peacefully on Wednesday, just passed his
diagnosis and the way that he faced it was quite
extraordinarily brave, courageous carrying on living and it taught us
all a lot.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
For more from News Talks 'd be listen live on
air or online and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on IR Radio.
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