Former Boston City Councillor and occasional Howie guest
Albert Leo “Dapper” O’Neill has died
http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/politics/view.bg?articleid=1054775
‘Dapper’ O’Neil dies at 87
By Jessica Fargen | Wednesday, December 19, 2007 | http://www.bostonherald.com
Legendary Boston politician Albert Leo “Dapper” O’Neil, a blustery 14-term councilor famous for his unapologetic disgust for liberals and political correctness, has died.
O’Neil, who was 87, passed away in his sleep last night at a West Roxbury nursing home. He had survived a heart attack, prostate cancer and was legally blind. He had lost much of his ability to move around, but his spirits remained high, said city councilor Steve Murphy, who visited the him two weeks ago.
O’Neil was known for his kindness, conservatism and dedication to his constituents, Murphy said. He did not care who he offended.
“He’d be kind and generous to so many people and then would fearlessly and deliberately violate the rules of political correctness,” Murphy said.
In 1999, O’Neil was the only city councilor to vote against building a Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Boston, saying he blamed the slain civil rights leader for 1960s race riots.
“I have nothing against Martin Luther King, but you have to stop it somewhere. Next thing you know, they’ll be building statues for everybody. They may as well build one for me,” O’Neil, an at-large councilor, said at the time.
Stances like that, as well as his staunch opposition to school busing in Boston in the 1970s led some to label him a racist.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino said this morning that O’Neil had a soft spot in his heart for the people of Boston.
“Dapper was from a different generation and he fought for the little people,” said Menino on WRKO-AM this morning. “He had a heart that was very tuned in to what the people needed.”
O’Neil, a heavy smoker into his 70s, had suffered a series of health problems in his life.
He survived prostate cancer, a knee replacement, gall bladder surgery and had a heart attack in 2001. At one point, Guillain-Barre syndrome, a degenerative neurological disease, reduced his weight to 127 pounds and a priest administered Last Rites.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/politics/view.bg?articleid=1054775
The Wed. ping. Dapper O’Neil, RIP (See above)
“The Irish belly dancer, to me she is the answer
The sweetest dancer from old Ireland...”
He says that like there's some contradiction! ;-)
We'll miss you, Dapper -- may angels sing thee to thy rest!