Farmers

[Aerlik]

Best farmer footballers
03 July 2008


The Irish Farmers Journal is currently running a competition to find the best farmer footballers of the last 60 years. We need your help to pick the best farmer footballers in your county and are looking for nominations from GAA fans in all 32 counties.



Among those already on the shortlist are Tim Kennelly Kerry, Liam Harnan Meath, Barry Coffey Cork, Tomas Mannion Galway, Gerry Connellan Roscommon, John Quane Limerick, Pat and Paddy Reynolds Meath, Seán Grennan and Vinny Claffey Offaly, John Dillion Galway, Michael Ennis Westmeath and Michael Duignan Leitrim.

The judging panel consists of Farmers Journal sports writer Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, former Director General of the GAA Liam Mulvihill, former Meath Manager and current International Rules Manager Seán Boylan and Pat Smith IFA Telecom Director of Organisation. Launching the IFA Telecom Farmers 15: Football competition, Micheál Ó Muicheartaigh said "the selection of the team over the coming weeks will highlight the tremendous depth of talent and commitment shown by farm families to the GAA over the decades." 

To nominate simply text football followed by the player's name, his county and the position he played to 51444 (86122 in Northern Ireland) or email football@farmersjournal.ie or post to Irish Farmers Journal, IFA Telecom Farmers 15, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12 .


The heart and soul of the nation...

[brokencrossbar1]

Collie Byrne of Mullaghbawn should win it hands down!!!!!!

[stpauls]

Collie Byrne of Mullaghbawn should win it hands down!!!!!!

is it for farmers who are inter county footballers, or just footballing farmers?
if it is the latter, Collie Byrne should have the No. 3 sewn up alright!!   

[Hardy]

Harnan was one of the firmer former farmer footballers.

[brokencrossbar1]

Harnan was one of the firmer former farmer footballers.

Alliteration at it's very best   Although how you know that Harnan is "firmer" raises more questions than answers

[Shamrock Shore]

Newstalk 106 Off the Ball program discussed this last night.

The lads decided that Bernard Morris from Cavan was a shoo-in.

I can't better that. From a Longford point of view most of the players, past and present, are/were solicitors or accountants.

[Onlooker]

you could not leave out Lar Foley and Des Foley(Dublin).

[GaillimhIarthair]

Already mentioned above, but Tomás Mannion is a top 3 candidate.  An absolute gentleman off the pitch, but would go through fella's for a short cut once inside the white wash.

[stephenite]

At the moment I can't think of Mayo footballers that are farmers - but dual All Ireland medallist, Tomas Mannion of Galway was a farmer I think, surely the most deserving of this accolade

EDIT : apologies GaillimhIarthair, didn't read your post

[Louth Exile]

Your man Power from Kilkenny, raw as rope, or the former Offaly keeper Jim Troy.

Although, to make the list you really should have done a telly ad for 10/10/20

Sorry, read it over and see that it is for big ball men, still it should have the hurlers too

[North Longford]

I can't better that. From a Longford point of view most of the players, past and present, are/were solicitors or accountants

And as if we need delve any further into where we are going wrong

[Hardy]

Harnan was one of the firmer former farmer footballers.

Alliteration at it's very best   Although how you know that Harnan is "firmer" raises more questions than answers

Ah gwan. I was thinking more of the firmness of his shoulder as compared to that of Barney Rock's collar bone.

[Uladh]

Is Brian Lohan a farmer?

[the Deel Rover]

At the moment I can't think of Mayo footballers that are farmers - but dual All Ireland medallist, Tomas Mannion of Galway was a farmer I think, surely the most deserving of this accolade

EDIT : apologies GaillimhIarthair, didn't read your post

same as that stephenite an absoulute disgrace if mayo never played farmers john Maughan went to mountbellew farming college but i think he was a farmers son, probably relaised there was a lot of work in the dairy faming 

[orangeman]

The hardest man and most skilful ever to play hurling was John Power Kilkenny - if he ran into you, you knew he had !