Fintan Jarleth Herrick-Connell

1943 - 2023

Finn Connell of Portsmouth NH died this fall at the age of 80. He was born in Dublin Ireland and grew up in County Wicklow. He emigrated to Boston when he was 21. He was an avid Rugby fan, and played first string for the Boston Rugby Club until he moved to Portsmouth in 1976 to open a pub, The Press Room, with his partner Jay Smith. He became an American citizen during this time. He sold his half of the pub to Jay in 1982 and went back to being a contractor, building and renovating houses. He remained in New Hampshire for the next 47 years.

Among his many volunteer activities, he wrote for several publications in New England, including Seacoast Times and The Portsmouth Press. He volunteered as a publicist, putting out monthly newsletters, and was a sometime coach for the Seacoast Rugby Club. He also volunteered for Portsmouth Community Radio, WSCA, putting on a weekly information show for senior citizens.

He was generous with his time and skills. He volunteered for A Safe Place, (now Haven), and for the Lovering Health Center, doing carpentry and other odd jobs as needed. He was involved in politics and volunteered to create free websites for any candidate, regardless of political affiliation. He worked tirelessly on many campaigns and voted in every election, local, state, and federal, until his death. Soccer was also a sport he enjoyed, organizing annual games between a Cambridge MA group and some volunteers from this area, many of whom had never played before. Much fun was had by all. He was a huge supporter of women in sports, closely following women's soccer, tennis, and rugby.

He was an ardent gardener and made excellent pickles and relishes, delicious dinners, and baked tasty loaves of bread. He is survived and missed by his wife, Linda Griebsch, his sister Lavinia Kumar, his sister-in-law, Margaret Connell, and all of their families, and many dear friends.

Fintan Jarleth Herrick-Connell