Kiama community mourn loss of kind-hearted Paul Sheehy

The Kiama cricketing community has lost one of its stalwarts with the death of Paul Sheehy. Known for his impeccable score cards, the honorable man leaves behind a wide-reaching legacy.

Kiama has lost a gentleman with Paul Sheehy passing away at the age of 74 on Tuesday.

Sheehy was held in high regard in his community due to his exploits with the Kiama Cavilers Cricket Club, his work with the Department of Community Services and many other groups.

Sheehy got involved in Kiama Cricket Club through his son Andrew in the mid-1990s where he would go on to join the committee and become vice president and president.

“He followed me through juniors and then into grade cricket,” Andrew said.

“He then went onto the committee, and I was there with him for a bit. Some of the older life members recognised him as a good clubman and made him vice president and when they started to move on he became president.”

The Kiama Cricket Club has been deeply saddened today with the news of the passing of Paul Sheehy. Paul's legacy to the...

Posted by Kiama Cavaliers on Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Sheehy became renowned on the side of cricket grounds up and down the region for his penmanship. His scorecards became so popular, he would recreate them for Cavs players who knocked up tons.

“He had really old-school handwriting - almost like calligraphy,” his son said.

“It wasn’t put on, he put time into it and whenever he reproduced a scorecard it wasn’t too far from what he did on a Saturday.

“I know there was one time one of my mates made a 100 and dad wasn’t there writing the scorecard and they got upset. It got back to dad and he redid it for him.

“He always scored. He would have an exercise book and he would score. He was good at it, when it came to seniors it’s hard to get people to put their hand up (to score). When we were scoring we just copied what he did so the away book was always correct when we scored it.”

Cricket scorebooks are notoriously hard to decipher, but that wasn’t the case when they were in the hands of the late Paul Sheehy. Picture: Supplied

Sheehy’s legacy extends well beyond cricket, to his career with DOCS, to his passion for St George and his love for his family.

“He spent pretty much his whole life working for the Department of Community Services where he was mainly working with foster kids,” Andrew explained.

“Through work he also did a lot with disaster welfare. He would go all around the state and up to Queensland when they had the floods.

“He was also involved with the P&C at Minnamurra Primary School and Kiama High School and more recently Albion Park Primary School (his granddaughters’ Laila and Evie school).

“He would do stuff around the canteen and he just loved it. Kids would come up with five cents and an ice block a dollar and he would give it to them. He loved being involved.”

“He was born in the St George area and he was an avid St George supporter. We were quite lick, when they merged (with the Illawarra Steelers) we were already in the Illawarra having moved from Goulburn in 1989.

Sheehy was also involved with Kiama junior rugby league and led the choir at the town’s St Peter and Paul Catholic Parish.

Sheehy is survived by his wife Jenny, his three children Joanne, Andrew and Sarah, and seven grandchildren Leila, Cameron, Cohen, Evelyn, Nicolas, Keely and Elijah.

The funeral will be held on Tuesday, February 8 at the St Peter and Paul Catholic Parish in Kiama at 11am, followed by the wake at Kiama Golf Club at 1pm.

Your tributes

“Paul would produce scorecards sitting down at Bonaira Oval watching third grade play. Sitting on a camp chair under the trees. He used to have a blue, black, red and green pen at the ready every week. Paul did a lot of work outside of cricket and was well loved outside of cricket too. He was a very kind man.” - Daniel Reilly, Kiama Cricket Club player and secretary

“Such very sad news. Such a wonderful community and family man. I worked with Paul in my role as Out of Home Care Coordinator with the Education Department. He was always professional, caring and very patient with the young people in his care. My sympathies are with Jenny and all the family.” - Karon Dawson

Such a tremendous loss. I had the pleasure of working with Paul many years ago and he remained such an advocate for disadvantaged and marginalised young people. An amazing human all round. - Biljana Miles

“A very big loss. My condolences to Paul’s family. I too worked with Paul, he was a very patient, kind and wise man who taught me and others in the office many things. A loss to us all.” - Maggie Fenn

“Paul also did a lot for Albion Park PS serving on the P&C and working in the canteen and was very much appreciated and loved. He will be missed. Much love to all of the family.” - Glenn Daniels