Niall Anthony O'Shaughnessy

Niall O’Shaughnessy, age 59, of Milton, Georgia, passed away September 16, 2015 of brain cancer. Niall was born in Adare, Co. Limerick, Ireland and maintained his ties to his homeland throughout his life. He was recruited by the legendary track coach John McDonnell and received a scholarship to the University of Arkansas. The first in a line of great distance runners at the University of Arkansas, Niall was a six-time all-American while competing in three sports for the Razorbacks. He became the University’s first individual runner to win a Southwest Conference championship indoors. His indoor mile time of 3:55.4 is the ninth-fastest in NCAA history and an Arkansas record that has stood for nearly 40 years. His NCAA record of 2.04.5 in the 1000m still stands today. Niall represented Ireland in the 1976 Montreal Olympics in Canada, running both the 800m and 1500m. Although he qualified for the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, Niall did not compete out of respect for the American boycott. In 1994 he was inducted into the University of Arkansas Hall Of Honor. Niall will be posthumously inducted into the SWC Hall of Fame in November. Niall earned both a bachelors and master’s degree in Civil Engineering while at the University. After graduation Niall went to work for the Arkansas Department of Pollution Control and Ecology, being named Arkansas State Employee of the Year by then Governor Bill Clinton. He left the State in 1988 to work for CH2MHill, an international consulting engineering firm, where he was a project engineer and project manager. Niall was an Environmental Engineer specializing in water management. Niall began working at Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation (now WestRock Company) in 2010. Niall’s former manager states, “During his tenure, Niall managed the company’s largest and most complex wastewater projects. He had an incredible mix of skills; the breadth and depth of his knowledge was remarkable. Niall always knew more than anyone else in the room about the management of wastewater but had a humble and genuine way of delivering advice that put everyone at ease. He also was incredibly dedicated to his work, spending many nights and holidays traveling across the country to help facilities that were having problems. More importantly, he was a true gentleman, friend, all around great person and is greatly missed.” Niall is survived by his loving wife Marcia and two sons, Thomas and Stephen, also of Milton. He is also survived by his mother, Angela O’Shaughnessy and brothers David, Peter, Barry, John and Mark and sisters Suzanne and Fiona. The family will receive friends Thursday, September 24th from 5-8pm at Northside Chapel, 12050 Crabapple Rd, Roswell, GA 30075. A funeral mass will be held Friday, September 25 at 10 am at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 535 Rucker Rd, Alpharetta GA 30004

Niall Anthony O'Shaughnessy

November 23, 1955 - September 16, 2015