Séamus Flynn (1939 – 13 February 2024) was an Irish Gaelic footballer, administrator and manager. He played at club level with Clonguish and at inter-county level with the Longford senior football team. Flynn also served as a county board officer and manager.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Séamus Ó Floinn | ||
| Sport | Gaelic football | ||
| Position | Right corner-back | ||
| Born |
1939 Newtown Forbes, County Longford, Ireland | ||
| Died |
(aged 84) Lanesborough, County Longford, Ireland | ||
| Occupation | Bord na Móna employee | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
|
Clonguish Harps & Shamrocks Rathcline | |||
| Club titles | |||
| Longford titles | 8 | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | ||
1957–1971 | Longford | ||
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Leinster titles | 1 | ||
| All-Irelands | 0 | ||
| NFL | 1 | ||
| All Stars | 0 | ||
Playing career
editFlynn first played Gaelic football with Clooneen in the local parish leagues at the age of 14. He also lined out as a schoolboy with Longford Vocational School, with whom he won a vocational schools' title. Flynn received a suspension for playing illegally in Roscommon in 1958. After serving his suspension he returned to playing with Clonguish and won a junior league-championship double in 1959.[1]
After emigrating to England shortly after these victories, Flynn continued to play Gaelic football after joining the Harps & Shamrocks club. He won a Lancashire SFC title in 1961. Flynn returned in 1962, rejoined the Clonguish club and won a Longford SFC title. It was the first of eight such title victories over the course of 12 seasons, with Flynn captaining the team in 1968 and 1972.[2]
Flynn first appeared on the inter-county scene with Longford during a two-year tenure with the minor team in 1956 and 1957. He was just out of the minor grade when he made his senior team debut in a game against Galway. Flynn's time in England saw him line out with the Lancashire county team, however, he rejoined the Longford team in 1962 and was an ever-present member during the team's most successful era.[3] After winning an O'Byrne Cup title in 1965, he was part of the team that beat Galway and New York to win the National League Division 1 title in 1966.[4] Two years later, Flynn added a Leinster SFC medal to his collection after Longford claimed their first ever title.[5][6]
Flynn was the only Longford player to captain Leinster in the Railway Cup. His club career continued following his retirement from the inter-county game in 1971. Flynn brought his club career to an end after winning a Longford JFC medal with Rathcline at the age of 45 in 1984.[7]
Administrative and coaching career
editFlynn began his coaching career while he was still a player. He was player-manager when Clonguish won back-to-back Longford SFC titles in 1968 and 1969. Flynn also trained the Kilmore club in Roscommon. He also served as a selector and kitman with the Longford senior team.
Flynn also spent ten years as Longford's delegate to the Leinster Council. He also held a number of positions at county board and club levels, including treasurer of his adopted Rathcline club. Flynn was named in the right corner-back position on the Longford Team of the Millennium.[8]
Death
editHonours
editPlayer
edit- Clonguish
- Longford Senior Football Championship: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968 (c), 1969, 1972 (c), 1973
- Longford Junior Football Championship: 1959
- Harp & Shamrocks
- Rathcline
- Longford Junior Football Championship: 1984
- Longford
- Leinster Senior Football Championship: 1968
- National Football League Division 1: 1965–66
- O'Byrne Cup: 1965
Management
edit- Clonguish
- Longford Senior Football Championship: 1968, 1969
References
edit- ^ "Séamus Flynn". GAA website. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ "Club Titles - Longford". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "The Glory Years - relive Longford's GAA triumphs of 1966 & '68 in souvenir supplement". Longford Live. 13 April 2006. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "When New York were feared". Hogan Stand. 10 April 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "Five other famous Longford wins". Irish Independent. 3 February 2004. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "Leinster Senior Football Finalists" (PDF). Leinster GAA website. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "JFC - Roll of Honour". Longford GAA website. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "Team of the Millennium". Longford Gaelic Stats website. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ "Longford football legend Seamus Flynn passes away". Hogan Stand. 15 February 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
- ^ "Death of former Longford football 60's star Seamus Flynn". Longford Live. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2023.