Mark O'Connor (born August 5, 1961 in Seattle, Washington) is an American classical , bluegrass, jazz and country violinist, fiddler, composer and music teacher. O'Connor's music is wide-ranging and critically acclaimed, and he has received numerous awards for both his playing and his composition. As a teenager he won national string instrument championships for his virtuoso playing of the guitar and mandolin as well as the fiddle. His mentors include Texas fiddler Benny Thomasson who taught O'Connor to fiddle as a teenager, French jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli with whom O'Connor toured as a teenager, and guitarist Chet Atkins.

O'Connor currently resides in New York City.

Early life

Mark O'Connor was a child prodigy who won national titles on the fiddle, guitar and mandolin as a teenager. In 1975 at age thirteen, O'Connor won the WSM (AM), Tennessee, and Grand Ole Opry sponsored Grand Masters Fiddle Championships in Nashville against amateur and professional competitors of all ages. That same year he won another national championship, this time on acoustic guitar, at the National Flat Pick Guitar Championship in Winfield, Kansas. At age 19, O'Connor won the Buck White International Mandolin Championship in Kerrville, Texas. He is a four-time grand champion (1979, 1980, 1981 and 1984) at the National Oldtime Fiddler's Contest in Weiser, Idaho.

Mark O'Connor (born in Bantry, County Cork, Ireland) is an All Star winning former Gaelic footballer for Cork. He played football with his local club Bantry Blues in Cork and was a member of the Cork senior football team from 1990 to 1999. He won an All-Ireland medal in 1990 as a substitute, and won his only All Star award in 1995.

Playing career

O'Connor made his debut with Cork during the 1990 season where he helped Cork to win first a Munster Senior Football Championship, and then as All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, albeit as a substitute. By 1993, O'Connor was a first choice selection for the Cork team, and he again helped them to an All-Ireland final, where they were beaten by Derry. He won further Munster Championship medals in 1994 and 1995,captained Cork in 1996, and again helped them to an All Ireland final in 1999, where they were also beaten, this time by Meath. In 1995, following exceptional performances against Kerry and Dublin, where he marked Maurice Fitzgerald and Jason Sherlock, he was awarded an All Star.

Mark Andrew O'Connor (born 10 March 1963) is a former English footballer who played in the Football League for Queens Park Rangers, Exeter City, Bristol Rovers, Bournemouth and Gillingham.

Playing career

O'Connor was born in Rochford and began his career with Queens Park Rangers. He made only three appearances for Rangers in three seasons, and the 1983–84 campaign he spent out on loan at Exeter City. He joined Bristol Rovers in the summer of 1984. O'Connor earned one cap for the Republic of Ireland U21 side against England in 1985. He spent one and half years at Eastville Stadium making 99 appearances scoring 13 goals before leaving for Bournemouth in March 1986. O'Connor spent five seasons at Dean Court making 148 appearances and helped the Cherries win the Third Division title in 1986–87. He then went on to play for Gillingham and then made a return to Bournemouth before ending his career back at Gillingham helping the side gain promotion in 1995–96. He broke his leg against Fulham on 25 November 1996 in a tackle with Martin Thomas which resulted in his retirement from playing just over a year later.