Connie's a Star at home and abroad

For his achievements in hospitality at home and abroad, and his efforts in strengthening the sporting, cultural, human and working bonds from Breffni to the Big Apple, Connie O’Reilly was named The Anglo-Celt’s International Business Personality of the Year at newspaper’s gala event last Friday night.
An embodiment of the Irish emigrant success story, having left his Garrymore home as a teenager in 1967, Connie pursued the American dream through excelling in the bar trade. Six years later, aged just 22, he opened his first bar: O’Reilly’s on 21st Street and Broadway.
From the stage Connie told compère Vincent Wall that the secret to his success was simply ‘enjoying’ what you do.
Elaborating further, he told anyone eager to follow in his footsteps and develop their own business empire to “be the best you can be, and do it well. Whatever that may be, whether its picking up paper in the street, sweeping or mopping floors, washing cars, just do your best.
A keen Cavan GAA fan, Connie was a member of the executive committee who organised the visit of the Cavan and Kerry teams to New York in 1997 to mark the 50th Anniversary of Cavan’s famous victory over Kerry in the Polo Grounds All-Ireland final. The same committee also arranged Cavan’s return in April of this year to play New York teams in Gaelic Park.
Of course Connie is equally admired in his adopted home. He had the title of ‘Gael of the Year’ bestowed upon him at the United Irish Counties of New York Association annual dinner dance earlier this year.
Still, the owner of the picturesque Crover House Hotel by the banks of Lough Sheelin admitted being “humbled” by being granted the International Business Personality of the Year award.
“I am humbled, truly, to even be mentioned with such an esteemed group of honoraries, I couldn’t be happier,” he told pack auditorium at Ballyconnell’s Slieve Russell Hotel.