South Longford GAA club pays touching tribute to distinguished former player

Ballymahon GAA Club today paid tribute to the late Frank Flynn, a prominent club figure whose contribution left a lasting legacy.

For more than two decades, Frank enjoyed a distinguished playing career, collecting county honours and earning a place on the Longford Junior team.

From his early success with the Ballymahon schoolboy team in 1954 through to the memorable 1960 season, Frank helped to secure a number of titles and tournament victories.

In a tribute posted today, the club reflected on Frank’s life and his long association with Ballymahon GAA, recalling how he was the middle of three brothers, Jimmy RIP and Ciarán, who represented the club with distinction from the 1950s to the 1970s.

They wrote, “He was corner back on the team that captured the club’s second Minor championship in 1957. The highlight of his playing career came in 1960 when he was full-forward on the team that captured both the Junior Championship and the Leader Cup within eight days of each other.”

“Mullinalaghta were defeated in the County Junior final, while Colmcille, who were strong favourites, were beaten by a point in the Leader Cup final.”

They added, “Ballymahon were the only Junior club in the Leader Cup and this is a feat that will never be repeated again. That wasn’t the only silverware that Ballymahon won in 1960. It was the era when tournaments were at the height of their popularity. Ballymahon won the St Vincent de Paul Tournament, beating Longford Slashers in a replay in Pearse Park, while they also saw off Tubberclair in the final of Castleshanahan Tournament.”

Recalling how “a fifth medal just eluded that great team as Carrickedmond beat them by a point in the final of their own tournament”, the club’s tribute went on to describe how the Ballymahon team made amends the following year, defeating Carrickedmond after extra time in the 1961 final, with Frank scoring the winning goal.

Throughout that same year, Frank manned both the full-back and full-forward positions, with his skilled displays earning him a place on the county Junior team.

The club described how Frank would recall with particular fondness “holding both Mickey Kelly and Sean Donnelly scoreless in the Leader Cup clash against Longford Slashers”, before scoring 2 goals at the other end of the pitch against Slashers in their next game.

Speaking about his life beyond the GAA, the club said, “Frank was a man of great intellect and held key positions in the Department of Labour, Gaeltarra Éireann and Údarás na Gaeltachta (the latter as CEO), before his career took him all across Europe.”

“He lived in Barna, where he was an esteemed member of the community, but Frank never forgot Ballymahon.”

“His loss will be felt the greatest by his beloved wife Eileen, sons Jim and Micheál, his grandchildren, his daughters in law, his brother Ciarán and his sisters Ann, Nuala and Dorrie. To them we extend our sympathy. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam.”

Frank is survived by his dearly loved wife Eileen, sons Jim and Micheál, daughters-in-law Úna and Siobhán, grandchildren Robert, Matthew, Charlie, Kayleigh, Luke and Jessica, brother Ciarán, and sisters Ann, Nuala and Dorrie.

His funeral notice echoed the sentiments of many in describing Frank as, “an absolute gentleman, a great community man and a 'rock' whose steady presence brought great comfort to so many.”