Longford GAA mourns death of one of the county’s greatest ever footballers

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A dark cloud looms over Longford GAA following the death of one of the county’s greatest ever footballers and shrewdest administrators. 

Longford Slashers legend and highly respected retired St Mel’s College teacher Seán Donnelly, aged 83, who was part of the county’s historic 1966 National League and 1968 Leinster Championship winning sides, passed to his eternal reward yesterday. READ MORE BELOW PHOTO

While still playing, he had the distinction of being elected as Longford GAA County Board secretary and during his term (1968 - 1977) in this role, he captained Longford to a National Football League Division 2 title (1972) and he also managed Longford in 1975. 

In addition, Seán was player and trainer / coach of his club Longford Slashers in 1975 as they became county champions and this was a particularly sweet triumph since the club also celebrated its 21st anniversary that year. 

The winner of three Sigerson Cup medals with UCG in the early sixties, Seán was selected at number fifteen on the Longford Team of the Millennium as selected by readers of the Longford Leader in 2000. 

Predeceased by his parents James and Anne, sister Angela and by his infant son Seán. Seán will be sadly missed and remembered with love by his family, his beloved wife Ann, darling daughters Orfhlaith, Aideen, Dervilla and Patricia, cherished grandchildren Anna Lily, Conor and Ella, sons-in-law Ciarán O’Neill and Declan Fox, sister Phyllis Meally, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law , nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Born in 1940, Seán received his primary school education at Drumlish NS and Melview, before he attended St Mel’s College and went on to third level at University College Galway (now NUIG). 

It was during his time at UCG that Seán got to know ‘two of his childhood idols’, Seán Purcell and Frank Stockwell, both of Tuam Stars and Galway, who were revered as ‘The Terrible Twins’. 

Seán was an integral cog of the UCG side that reached four successive Sigerson Cup finals between 1960 & 1963, winning three titles in 1960 (UCG 1-09 Queen’s University 2-03), 

‘62 (UCG 1-09 UCC 1-03) and ‘63 (UCG 2-10 UCC 0-05). Other leading lights for UCG during this incredible period were Galway trio Martin Newell, Enda Colleran and Christy Tyrrell. Galway football, of course, was on the crest of a wave with the Tribesmen contesting the All-Ireland senior final of ‘63, before winning three titles in succession, ‘64 - ‘66. 

The winner of several county underage and senior championship titles with Longford Slashers, Seán credited neighbour and long-time friend, the late Tommy O’Brien, one of the founders of Slashers in 1954, with getting him involved in playing Gaelic Football. 

Seán won a county minor medal in 1958 and Senior Championship medals in 1959, 1961, 1971 & 1975. 

Slashers defeated Killoe (replay) and Drumlish in the ‘59 and ‘61 finals, respectively, and in ‘71, captained by Alec Baxter they overcame St Martin’s (an amalgamation of Kenagh and Carrickedmond) by 0-7 to 1-3 in the final. That Slashers side also featured Hal Carey, John Maloney, Aidan and Ollie Corkery, Joe Shedwell, Dan Rooney, Padge Fayne, Frankie Sheridan, Denis Glennon, John Halpin (who scored 0-5), Liam Madden, Liam Balfe and Sean Kilemade. 

1975 was the 21st anniversary of the foundation of Longford Slashers and the club marked the milestone in considerable style. 

With Seán Donnelly, one of seven secondary school teachers in the Slashers panel, as player and trainer / coach they reclaimed the Sean Connolly Cup as they defeated holders Mostrim by 2-13 to 2-5 in the county final. 

John Murphy produced a powerhouse performance at centre back in the ‘75 final, with Hal Carey, who skippered the side from midfield, scoring a point on the day as did Seán and Don Murphy, with John Halpin (1-4), John Farrell (0-3), Brendan King (0-3) and Liam Madden (1-0) also contributing to the scoresheet. 

Seán won a Leader Cup medal in 1972 and a Junior Championship medal in 1982, playing at full-forward in the win over Ardagh St Patrick's at the end of his glittering football career that spanned four decades.  

In 1965, Seán picked up O’Byrne Cup and Gaelic Weekly Cup winners medals as Longford began to make positive strides under the guidance of Cavan man Mick Higgins. 

A crowd of 7,500 gathered in Pearse Park on Sunday, October 10, ‘65 to witness Longford winning the O’Byrne Cup for the first time in the county’s history as they overcame Kildare by 1-9 to 1-6. En-route to the final, Longford recorded comprehensive victories over Offaly (4 -14 to 0-5) and Louth (0-18 to 1-7). They defeated Sligo by 3-10 to 0-10 in the Gaelic Weekly Cup Final,  and also won the Longford Féis Cup and the Tírconnaill Cup. Earlier in 1965, Longford progressed to the Leinster Championship Final, losing out to Dublin.

Longford won the National Football League Division 2 1965 / ‘66 crown by defeating Cavan and this success earned them a crack at Donegal in the NFL semi-final and they duly prevailed on Sunday, April 10, ‘66 at Croke Park, with Seán contributing four points in the 0-13 to 0-11 victory.  

A fortnight later, and once again at GAA headquarters, Longford overcame a star studded Galway, the reigning league and All-Ireland champions, by 0-9 to 0-8 in the National League ‘Home’ Final. Among the household names in the Galway ranks were John ‘Bosco’ McDermott, Enda Colleran, John Donnellan, Martin Newell, Cyril Dunne, Seamus Leydon and Mattie McDonagh. 

The National League Final ‘Proper’ was a tough two-legged affair in October ‘66 versus New York and Longford came out on top on an aggregate scoreline of 1-18 to 0-17, with Seán netting the all-important goal. 

Seán, with 3-5 to his credit, was Longford’s third highest scorer during their nine game 1965/’66 NFL campaign with only Bobby Burns 1-37 and Sean Murray 1-15 finishing ahead of him in a scoring chart that also featured Jimmy Hannify 0-10, Jackie Devine 0-6, Mick Hopkins 0-6, Mickey Burns 1-1, Brendan Gilmore 1-1, Brendan Barden 0-3, John Donlon 0-1 and Dessie Kiernan 0-1. 

Two years after the historic breakthrough of winning the 1966 National League title, Longford overpowered Laois by 3-9 to 1-4 to win the county’s first and only senior provincial championship crown at Croke Park on Sunday, July 21, ‘68. 

Laois had no answer to the craft and class of a slick moving Longford outfit, who earlier in the Leinster championship, had 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). 

The Leinster Final was a truly memorable outing for Seán as he chalked up 2-1 and ecstatic Longford fans carried him shoulder high off the pitch afterwards. Longford subsequently succumbed to a Kerry side that included Mick O’Dwyer in their ranks in the All-Ireland semi-final, a result that Seán recalled as the ‘biggest disappointment’ of his career. 

Incredibly, at the height of his playing powers, Seán proved himself to be a highly accomplished administrator, and in addition to wearing the county jersey he served as Longford GAA County Board secretary from 1968 until 1977. 

That is remarkable commitment and dedication and it is a stint of service that is unlikely to be ever replicated considering the pressures on modern GAA players and officials. 

Indeed, when Seán was interviewed in 2010 as part of the GAA’s Oral History project, he spoke about the major juggling act it was being county secretary and Longford captain in 1972 as one of his responsibilities was ‘to write out the official team list’ for matches. 

He mentioned how the late Fr Phil McGee and other members of the Board ‘helped take the weight of the role off his shoulders’. He also recalled dealing with correspondence from clubs, handling club fixtures and working with the late Tommy O’Brien, the minor county secretary. And he also spoke about trying to ‘modernise the role’ by printing out team lists with a typewriter. 

Longford, led by Seán as captain, won the National Football League Division 2 title on April 30, 1972, defeating Roscommon by 0-9 to 0-6 in the final at Carrick-on-Shannon and Seán’s sterling performances also earned him an All Star nomination that year. 

During his tenure as secretary, Seán worked alongside three different chairpersons in the guise of Jimmy Flynn (Ballymahon, 1968 - ‘70),  Liam Mulvihill (Kenagh, 1971 - ‘74) - who went on to become the GAA’s Ard-Stiúrthóir, serving from June 1979 to January 2008, and John Fay (Abbeylara, 1975 - ‘77). 

In 1969 / ‘70, Seán was instrumental in the introduction and organisation of Longford’s inaugural Scór Sinsear with the County Final taking place in the Temperance Hall, Longford on February 5, 1970. Scór na nÓg county competition followed inside twelve months. 

In 1975, Seán was appointed as Longford senior football manager and he spent one season in the hot seat. 

In 1981, Longford Slashers honoured Seán with their Liam Hastings Outstanding Service Award and he brought the curtain down on his club playing career in 1982. 

Seán once won three championships in the same year in Longford, Galway and in London with St Vincent’s, Cricklewood, admitting during his interview for the GAA’s Oral History that he played illegally as he spent summers in London as a construction worker and playing football. 

Such was his enduring prowess, Seán was selected at number fifteen on the Longford Team of the Millennium as selected by readers of the Longford Leader in 2000. 

The team selected and honoured was; John Heneghan (Ballymahon); Seamus Flynn (Clonguish), Larry Gillen (Ardagh, St Patrick’s), Billy Morgan (Killoe Emmet Óg), Brendan Barden (Clonguish), Mick Casey (Cashel), Eamon Meagher (Drumlish), Jim Hannify (Drumlish), Jimmy Flynn (Clonguish), Jackie Devine (Mostrim), Vincent Tierney (Granard), Jimmy Hannify (Fr Manning Gaels),  Dessie Barry (Longford Slashers), Joe Regan (Granard) and Seán Donnelly (Longford Slashers). 

Seán will repose at Glennon’s Funeral Home, Ballinalee Road (N39 EC81) on Friday, January 5, 2024 from 6pm concluding with prayers at 8pm. Mass of the Resurrection on Saturday, January 6 in St Mel’s Cathedral at 11am, interment afterwards in Ballymacormack Cemetery. The Funeral Mass will be streamed live please view here

Family flowers only please, donations if desired to Longford Palliative Care, c/o Glennon Funeral Directors or any family member.

May he Rest In Peace.