A pall of sadness rests over Longford and Ballymahon GAA this weekend following news of the death of county 1960s goalkeeping star John Heneghan. READ MORE BELOW PHOTO RIP: ‘A Louth and proud man’ who left an enduring legacy in Longford: Owen Johnston lived his life very simply and honestly John, of The Clover, Creevaghmore, Ballymahon, passed to his eternal reward peacefully, surrounded by his heartbroken family, in Mullingar Regional Hospital on Friday, January 30, 2026.  His death is particularly poignant since it occurred just twenty-five days after his wife Mary (née Rhatigan) passed away. A lovely couple, they were well known and highly respected by everyone in Ballymahon and beyond. A goalkeeper of renown, John won a National Football League medal in 1966 and he also guarding the net in 1968 when Longford won their only ever Leinster Senior Football Championship title. Longford defeated Laois by 3-9 to 1-4 in the Leinster Final on Sunday, July 21, 1968 at Croke Park and in the earlier rounds they dispatched with the challenge of Dublin (1-12 to 0-12, June 2 in O’Connor Park, Tullamore) and reigning All-Ireland champions Meath (0-12 to 0-7, July 7 in Cusack Park, Mullingar). Longford won the NFL title in 1966 and testament to their standing as one of the greatest teams of that era, five of the side represented Leinster on Railway Cup duty in ’68 – Larry Gillen, John Donlon, Jimmy Hannify, Sean Donnelly & Brendan Barden. While in ‘69, the late John was one of six Longford men on the Leinster squad - Seamus Flynn (who’d the honour of captaining the team), along with Brendan Barden, Jimmy Hannify, Seán Donnelly and Jackie Devine.  Unfortunately, Longford’s heroic bid to reach the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final in ‘68 was shattered by Kerry on Sunday, August 4 before an attendance of 34,063 in Croke Park as they lost out by 2-11 to  2-13.  The winner of an O’Byrne Cup medal in 1965, John’s place among the pantheon of Longford legends was cemented in 2000 whenplaceholder image
A pall of sadness rests over Longford and Ballymahon GAA this weekend following news of the death of county 1960s goalkeeping star John Heneghan. READ MORE BELOW PHOTO RIP: ‘A Louth and proud man’ who left an enduring legacy in Longford: Owen Johnston lived his life very simply and honestly John, of The Clover, Creevaghmore, Ballymahon, passed to his eternal reward peacefully, surrounded by his heartbroken family, in Mullingar Regional Hospital on Friday, January 30, 2026.  His death is particularly poignant since it occurred just twenty-five days after his wife Mary (née Rhatigan) passed away. A lovely couple, they were well known and highly respected by everyone in Ballymahon and beyond. A goalkeeper of renown, John won a National Football League medal in 1966 and he also guarding the net in 1968 when Longford won their only ever Leinster Senior Football Championship title. Longford defeated Laois by 3-9 to 1-4 in the Leinster Final on Sunday, July 21, 1968 at Croke Park and in the earlier rounds they dispatched with the challenge of Dublin (1-12 to 0-12, June 2 in O’Connor Park, Tullamore) and reigning All-Ireland champions Meath (0-12 to 0-7, July 7 in Cusack Park, Mullingar). Longford won the NFL title in 1966 and testament to their standing as one of the greatest teams of that era, five of the side represented Leinster on Railway Cup duty in ’68 – Larry Gillen, John Donlon, Jimmy Hannify, Sean Donnelly & Brendan Barden. While in ‘69, the late John was one of six Longford men on the Leinster squad - Seamus Flynn (who’d the honour of captaining the team), along with Brendan Barden, Jimmy Hannify, Seán Donnelly and Jackie Devine.  Unfortunately, Longford’s heroic bid to reach the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final in ‘68 was shattered by Kerry on Sunday, August 4 before an attendance of 34,063 in Croke Park as they lost out by 2-11 to  2-13.  The winner of an O’Byrne Cup medal in 1965, John’s place among the pantheon of Longford legends was cemented in 2000 when

RIP: Longford and Ballymahon GAA mourns sad passing of 1960s goalkeeping star John Heneghan

By Longford Live Reporter
Published 1st Feb 2026, 09:33 GMT

Late John Heneghan, The Clover, Creevaghmore, Ballymahon, Longford will be laid to rest on Tuesday, February 3

Caption: 1968 Leinster SFC semi-final: Action from the famous July afternoon when Longford defeated reigning All-Ireland champions Meath by 0-12 to 0-7 in the provincial semi-final at Cusack Park, Mullingar. Longford players that feature in this fine photograph include John Heneghan, Seamus Flynn, Brendan Barden and John Donlon

5.

Caption: 1968 Leinster SFC semi-final: Action from the famous July afternoon when Longford defeated reigning All-Ireland champions Meath by 0-12 to 0-7 in the provincial semi-final at Cusack Park, Mullingar. Longford players that feature in this fine photograph include John Heneghan, Seamus Flynn, Brendan Barden and John Donlon

Caption: 1968 Leinster Senior Football Champions: The Longford team that overcame Laois to claim the county's only ever provincial senior title. Front row l to r; Pat Barden, Brendan Barden, JP Reilly, Vincent Daly (capt.), John Heneghan, Sean Donnelly and Sean Murray. Back; John Donlon, Larry Gillen, Jimmy Flynn, Tom Mulvihill, Mick Hopkins, Seamus Flynn, Jimmy Hannify and Jackie Devine.

6.

Caption: 1968 Leinster Senior Football Champions: The Longford team that overcame Laois to claim the county's only ever provincial senior title. Front row l to r; Pat Barden, Brendan Barden, JP Reilly, Vincent Daly (capt.), John Heneghan, Sean Donnelly and Sean Murray. Back; John Donlon, Larry Gillen, Jimmy Flynn, Tom Mulvihill, Mick Hopkins, Seamus Flynn, Jimmy Hannify and Jackie Devine.

Caption: 1968 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final: The Longford team that was defeated 2-13 to 2-11 by Kerry on August 4, '68 in Croke Park. Front row l to r; Pat Barden, Jackie Devine, Sean Donnelly, John Heneghan, Vincent Daly (capt.), JP Reilly, Brendan Barden and Mickey Reilly. Back; Jimmy Hannify, Tom Mulvihill, Larry Gillen, Mick Hopkins, John Donlon, Seamus Flynn and Pat Burke.

7.

Caption: 1968 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final: The Longford team that was defeated 2-13 to 2-11 by Kerry on August 4, '68 in Croke Park. Front row l to r; Pat Barden, Jackie Devine, Sean Donnelly, John Heneghan, Vincent Daly (capt.), JP Reilly, Brendan Barden and Mickey Reilly. Back; Jimmy Hannify, Tom Mulvihill, Larry Gillen, Mick Hopkins, John Donlon, Seamus Flynn and Pat Burke.

Caption: The Longford teams of 1966 and 1968, National League winners and Leinster Senior Football Champions, respectively, came together for a Silver Jubilee reunion and pictured are front row left to right; Jimmy Flynn, Sean Donnelly, Brendan Barden, Larry Gillen, Brendan Gilmore, John Heneghan, Jackie Devine and Mick Higgins (manager). Back; Peter Sheridan, Pat Burke, J P Reilly, Andy Tynan, Mickey Burns, John Fay, Terry McGovern, Niall Nally, Jimmy Hannify, Sean Ryan, Mick Hopkins, Tom Mulvihill, John Donlon, Frank McGann, Seamus Flynn, Jimmy Flynn, Jodie Sheridan, Bobby Burns, Pat Barden, Pat Scanlon, Dessie Kiernan and Fr Mickey Reilly.

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Caption: The Longford teams of 1966 and 1968, National League winners and Leinster Senior Football Champions, respectively, came together for a Silver Jubilee reunion and pictured are front row left to right; Jimmy Flynn, Sean Donnelly, Brendan Barden, Larry Gillen, Brendan Gilmore, John Heneghan, Jackie Devine and Mick Higgins (manager). Back; Peter Sheridan, Pat Burke, J P Reilly, Andy Tynan, Mickey Burns, John Fay, Terry McGovern, Niall Nally, Jimmy Hannify, Sean Ryan, Mick Hopkins, Tom Mulvihill, John Donlon, Frank McGann, Seamus Flynn, Jimmy Flynn, Jodie Sheridan, Bobby Burns, Pat Barden, Pat Scanlon, Dessie Kiernan and Fr Mickey Reilly.

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