GAA Politicians (FSF)

Started by passedit, November 14, 2006, 09:30:34 AM

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passedit

The GPA lads and JOM standing for election follows a long tradition (in the free state anyway) of lads parlaying their sporting prowess into political positions. I was wondering if we could get a team each of Hurlers and footballers (county standard and td,mp or mla).

I'll give you Jack Lynch (Cork, FF) as captain of the hurlers and Seamus Mallon (Armagh SDLP) for the footballers as your starters.Selection on the basis of political 'achievement'.

Edit
Just to help Bud negotiate his way around the board i've added a 'Free State Friendly' sticker to my original post.  ;D
Don't Panic

Sky Blue

Jimmy Deenihan TD for Kerry North and former Minister of State for Posts and Telegraph Poles (or something like that). 5 All Ireland medals is some going.

Kerry Mike

Sean Flanagan - former Mayo footballer and captain and TD from the 1950's
Martin Ferris - former Kerry U21 AI medalist from 1973, Current TD for SF in North Kerry.
2011: McGrath Cup
AI Junior Club
Hurling Christy Ring Cup
Munster Senior Football

AZOffaly

Brian Cowen, former Offaly Under 21 full forward, playing alongside Matt Connor.

stephenite

Wasn't Tony Dempsey the Wexford manager when he got elected

paddypastit

Ted Nealon - former FG TD for Sligo Leitrim was a star footballer in his youth
come disagree with me on http://gushtystuppencehapenny.wordpress.com/ and spread the word

stephenite

As was Dr. Tom Moffat - former FF TD from Ballina, Liam McHle was set to stand against him on the issue of a long awaited Sports Hall ( Basketball Arena, Gym, Community centre ) in Ballina, Bertie had to come down and promise it would be built to stop him, worked a treat

dodo

John Donnellan, Dunmore, the Galway TD

Also father of Michael and John

Owenmoresider

#8
Stephenite,

Don't know whether he was any good, but Moffatt's predecessor as TD, Sean Calleary, won a Sligo SFC title in 1966, the last time Easkey (indeed any Tireragh side bar St. Pat's) were champions. OMS Sr. was on the losing side that day.

Another nominee would be Michael Donnellan's father, John, 1964 captain and FG TD in North Galway, and a Junior Minister at some stage. Indeed his grandfather was an AI winner and TD too.

Damn you dodo, beat me as I was typing!

Mind you, not all GAA personalities succeeded at the polls either. Eamon Cregan ran for FF in 1981, but lost heavily. Barney Rock (PD's) was a spectacular failure as well. Seamus Durack (FG) in Clare did badly too. Think Mick O'Connell was a losing candidate too. There are surely more to be found.

dodo

What about Henry Kenny, TD, proud daddy of Enda.

stephenite

I knew Sean had played but wasn't sure at what level or for who, didn't realise he was Easkey man. Interesting things you can find about neighbours that you don't really know

Liam Cahill

Great Waterford hurler, Fad Browne - grandfather of Tony - FF TD for Waterford for many years.   Current Labour TD for Kildare South, Jack Wall.   Former FF senator, Mick Lanigan and former FF senator Bob Aylward (both Kilkenny hurlers and adminstrators).   

In tiddlywinks and push-penny, Dr Garrotte FitzGurgle of FG ...[/color][/b]

turk

Quote from: AZOffaly on November 14, 2006, 10:05:31 AM
Brian Cowen, former Offaly Under 21 full forward, playing alongside Matt Connor.

Note that Brian Cowen was elected in the 84 by-election in Leix-Offaly, which was called due to the death of the sitting td, his father Ber. Fine Gael's defeated candidate in that election was the 81 all-ireland winning captain Padraig Horan.

passedit

Unlike my orange cousins, I grew up believing that the Free State was run by GAA men not the clergy, so I was surprised there weren't more examples on this thread. so to reinforce my predjudices i googled ' gaelic footballer politician'. I got many less hits than I thought i would, i did however get a hit for one of the posters on this thread.  ;) . Indeed by my reckoning two of the posters on this thread alone would be prospective future members of the seanad, which sorta kinda not really reinforces my predjudices.  ;D
Don't Panic

johnneycool

Was the infamous Michael Lowry not a former Tipperary county board chairman?