William "Billa" O'Connell (25 December 1929 – 23 September 2021)[1][2] was an Irish entertainer from Cork City, Ireland.
His career earned him Freedom of the City[3][4] and an honorary degree from University College Cork.
[5] He went on to become a regular cast member of the pantomimes produced at the Cork Opera House, as well as Summer Revels, an annual variety show which ran for over two decades.
[11] In 2000, Mercier Press published O'Connell's biography, Just Billa, written by Michael O'Connor.
[14] He was a close friend of Jack Lynch, twice elected Taoiseach, and Paddy Comerford, a locally famed performer.