Known locally as Bernard Coward
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Irish Blarney in Chelmsford
Bernard Coward was born in Chelmsford on 9th August, 1921. At his local hall, the Corn Exchange, he was known by his birth name and had some of his most fierce clashes with Bert Assirati, Felix Kerschitz and Anaconda.
Elsewhere he was a heavyweight villain known as Pat O’Reilly. He was in big demand around the country for the best part of two decades. A giant of a man, standing 6′ 3” tall and weighing in at over eighteen stones his wrestling career began in 1947.
O’Reilly met the best in the business, Bernard Assirati, Tony Mancelli, Ray St Bernard, George Gregory, Dave Armstrong, and the rest. Best remembered for a series of bouts with Jack Pye and Bert Assirati in the 1950s. He was the last man to challenge Assirati for his British title before the champion left Britain for his world tour in 1952.
It was said he assumed the Irish persona when working for a northern promoter. An Irishman failed to appear and so Bernard substituted as the fictional Pat O’Reilly. the so-called Irish heavyweight champion. Bernard died in 2002, aged 80.
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