A "legendary" south Wales miner and trades unionist who led the miners' buyout of Tower Colliery, the last deep pit in south Wales, has died aged 77. Tyrone O'Sullivan, born and raised in the heart of the south Wales coalfield and into a mining family, was regarded as someone who "epitomised the strength and depth of the mining industry and what it meant to the communities of south Wales".
Tributes have poured in for Mr O'Sullivan following his death on May 27. The former National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) branch secretary remained the chairman of Goitre Tower Anthracite Ltd, the owners of Tower Colliery, right up to his death.
Led by Mr O'Sullivan the miners used their redundancy money to buy out the Tower Colliery in Hirwaun. Tower became the symbol for the miners’ resistance in the 1990s. And in 2008, with coal reserves finally exhausted after 140 years of production, it was the workers themselves who decided it was time to leave.
Mr O'Sullivan reflected on his "incredible memories" of his time at the deep pit in 2018 and said: "We changed what the mining industry was and we made an incredible difference to the Cynon Valley."
Shavanah Taj, the general secretary for Wales TUC, offered her tribute to the "giant in Welsh union movement". She said Mr O'Sullivan was "always ready to advise, support and stand in solidarity, determined to ensure the next generation is prepared for battles of today".
Dawn Boden MS, who represents Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, said: "He will always be remembered as the man who defied Thatcher and helped save Tower colliery. A true working-class hero who will be sadly missed by his family, friends, and the Labour movement."
Gower MP Tonia Antoniazzi called him a "towering figure of trade unionism and the Labour movement". She tweeted: "Since getting elected I have been proud to know Tyrone as a warm, sincere and intelligent member of Gower CLP [Constituency Labour Party]."
Rhondda Cynon Taf council leader Andrew Morgan tweeted that he had known Mr O'Sullivan for more than 30 years and was "very sorry to hear... the legend of Tower Colliery has passed away". Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens tweeted that he was a "a legendary south Wales miner and trades unionist whose story will continue to be told for years to come".
Baroness Wilcox of Newport, who sits in the House of Lords for Labour, added: "My dear late stepfather Terry Howells was a miner for most of his working life and knew Tyrone who epitomised the strength and depth of the mining industry and what it meant to the communities of south Wales. May he rest in peace."
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