GAA Islandmen

feargale

Yesterday Sean Mulkerrin became the first Aran Islander to play senior championship football for Galway. Here is a list of other island-born county players:
2. Mick O'Connell (Kerry 1956-1974) born on Beginish, moved to Valentia when young.
3. Patrick Aloysius ("Weeshie") Murphy (Cork fullback 1945) born on Bere Island.
4. Peter McDermott (Meath captain 1954) born in Cobh (i.e. Great Island.)
5. There was a Dublin or Kildare footballer in the 1920s who was born on Lambay Island. I can't remember the details.

Can anybody add any hurler or footballer to this list? Thank you.

P.S. Wikipedia says Peter McDermott was born in Belgooly Co. Cork. I read otherwise elsewhere.

Fr Tod Umptious

feargale wrote: »

Yesterday Sean Mulkerrin became the first Aran Islander to play senior championship football for Galway. Here is a list of other island-born county players:
2. Mick O'Connell (Kerry) born on Beginish, moved to Valentia when young.
3. Weeshie Murphy (Cork fullback 1945) born on Bere Island.
4. Peter McDermott (Meath captain 1954) born in Cobh (i.e. Great Island.)
5. There was a Dublin or Kildare footballer in the 1920s who was born on Lambay Island. I can't remember the details.

Can anybody add any hurler or footballer to this list? Thank you.

Sean og O'Halpin.

Fiji is an island

feargale

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Sean og O'Halpin.

Fiji is an island

Ah dammit, no. For that matter Ireland is an island. I should have said Ireland's offshore islands.

P.S. Fiji is an archipelago. Be more specific please.

Utopia Parkway

Does Walsh Island count for the Offaly lads?

Danville

...if Sean Og O hAilpin qualifies, then his brother Setanta does too.

feargale

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Does Walsh Island count for the Offaly lads?

Is it offshore?

Kevhog1988

6 Achill men have played senior with Mayo

Sean Vesey Dugort Achill- Mayo senior 1990
Adrian Kilbane Cashel Achill senior 1963
Michael Ruddy Cloughmore Achill Senior 1963
Michael Gielty Dooagh Achhill Senior 1978
Sean Grealis Dooniver Achill Senior 1987/90
Colm Cafferkey Cashel Achill Senior 2009

Utopia Parkway

feargale wrote: »

Is it offshore?

I believe they call it an island because it's surrounded by bog.

feargale

Kevhog1988 wrote: »

6 Achill men have played senior with Mayo

Sean Vesey Dugort Achill- Mayo senior 1990
Adrian Kilbane Cashel Achill senior 1963
Michael Ruddy Cloughmore Achill Senior 1963
Michael Gielty Dooagh Achhill Senior 1978
Sean Grealis Dooniver Achill Senior 1987/90
Colm Cafferkey Cashel Achill Senior 2009

Add Raymond McNamara Dugort Achill Senior 2000.

Quantum Erasure

feargale wrote: »

P.S. Fiji is an archipelago. Be more specific please.

Rotuma Island,

feargale

Quantum Erasure wrote: »

Rotuma Island,

Yes and Kerry's Darren O'Sullivan was born on the island of Great Britain. Unfortunately we cannot accomodate the countless others born thus. Let's try to keep it on track.

Quantum Erasure

It's a small island, 8 miles by 2 miles, 400 miles from the main island of Fiji, population in 2017 was 1,594... I'd count that before I'd count anyone born in Cobh tbh

DuffleBag

feargale wrote: »

Yesterday Sean Mulkerrin became the first Aran Islander to play senior championship football for Galway. Here is a list of other island-born county players:
2. Mick O'Connell (Kerry 1956-1974) born on Beginish, moved to Valentia when young.
3. Patrick Aloysius ("Weeshie") Murphy (Cork fullback 1945) born on Bere Island.
4. Peter McDermott (Meath captain 1954) born in Cobh (i.e. Great Island.)
5. There was a Dublin or Kildare footballer in the 1920s who was born on Lambay Island. I can't remember the details.

Can anybody add any hurler or footballer to this list? Thank you.

P.S. Wikipedia says Peter McDermott was born in Belgooly Co. Cork. I read otherwise elsewhere.

Plenty of fellas from Cobh would have played if you're including there.

feargale

DuffleBag wrote: »

Plenty of fellas from Cobh would have played if you're including there.

such as?

dobman88

feargale wrote: »

such as?

Derek Barret is one I can think of without checking it out. Not from cork so wouldn't know of others. Only know about Derek cos he came up recently in a conversation.

FWIW, I wouldnt consider cobh on an island. The likes of Bere and the Aran islands are different as they have no road access afaik

MfMan

Sean Andy O Ceallaigh has played championship for Galway. His Lettermore club is at least an island in part, with some sections reachable via man-made bridge. Goalie Rory Lavelle was from Inis Boffin, though he played club football with Renvyle and later Salthill. Headford's Michael Day ditto I think.

feargale

dobman88 wrote: »

Derek Barret is one I can think of without checking it out. Not from cork so wouldn't know of others. Only know about Derek cos he came up recently in a conversation.

FWIW, I wouldnt consider cobh on an island. The likes of Bere and the Aran islands are different as they have no road access afaik

Let Cobh be spoken for and you can all sift the responses in your own way at the end of the day. Achill is bridged to the mainland too, as is Valentia now. And Dursey is connected by cable car.

Soon, with bridges and tunnels, there will be nothing left that you will call an island, even if some of us persist in doing so.

feargale

Kevhog1988 wrote: »

6 Achill men have played senior with Mayo

Sean Vesey Dugort Achill- Mayo senior 1990
Adrian Kilbane Cashel Achill senior 1963
Michael Ruddy Cloughmore Achill Senior 1963
Michael Gielty Dooagh Achhill Senior 1978
Sean Grealis Dooniver Achill Senior 1987/90
Colm Cafferkey Cashel Achill Senior 2009

That's a fine contribution. Can you add any more? Clare Island? Inishbofin?
I don't think the Donegal islands will yield much as soccer is the traditional game there, thanks to the tattie hokers and others going to and fro between West Donegal and Scotland.

L1011

feargale wrote: »

That's a fine contribution. Can you add any more? Clare Island? Inishbofin?
I don't think the Donegal islands will yield much as soccer is the traditional game there, thanks to the tattie hokers and others going to and fro between West Donegal and Scotland.

There's no GAA club on any of the Donegal islands and its not done in the schools either (unless things have changed very recently)

Arranmore *have* won the inter-island gaelic football tournament (possibly more than once actually), but its basically the Arranmore United team in a different strip. Used to actually have its own island soccer league, there were that many teams.

feargale

L1011 wrote: »

There's no GAA club on any of the Donegal islands and its not done in the schools either (unless things have changed very recently)

Arranmore *have* won the inter-island gaelic football tournament (possibly more than once actually), but its basically the Arranmore United team in a different strip. Used to actually have its own island soccer league, there were that many teams.

I was on the island about 20 years ago and I believe that the island league was still going at that time with about seven teams, and that every other year Arranmore United travelled to London to play a team of their exiles there, and the Londoners used to come to Arranmore the following year.

feargale

Ger O'Driscoll (Kerry 1975-1980) born Valentia.

Bonniedog

feargale wrote: »

5. There was a Dublin or Kildare footballer in the 1920s who was born on Lambay Island. I can't remember the details.

.

That's an interesting one. I wonder who it was. There were still a fair few people - maybe 200 - living on Lambay up to early years of 20th century. Nearest clubs would have been Skerries, Pats in Portrane, not sure if Sylvesters were there then, but no-one from those clubs played for Dublin at that time. Bobby Beggs who won AIs with Dublin and Galway in 30s was Skerries man. He played for Harps.

Alvin Holler

L1011 wrote: »

There's no GAA club on any of the Donegal islands and its not done in the schools either (unless things have changed very recently)

Arranmore *have* won the inter-island gaelic football tournament (possibly more than once actually), but its basically the Arranmore United team in a different strip. Used to actually have its own island soccer league, there were that many teams.

Aranmore would fall in the Dungloe club area. They've had a few islanders play with them over the years but it's obviously a challenge logistically.

Think an islander may have played underage for the county but not senior.

Kevhog1988

feargale wrote: »

That's a fine contribution. Can you add any more? Clare Island? Inishbofin?
I don't think the Donegal islands will yield much as soccer is the traditional game there, thanks to the tattie hokers and others going to and fro between West Donegal and Scotland.

I took them from the achill gaa website which is somewhat incomplete as lads i personally know who played minor for mayo were not listed.

Micko's family are rom valentia too as far as i know but he was born on the mainland

westsidestory

feargale wrote: »

Yesterday Sean Mulkerrin became the first Aran Islander to play senior championship football for Galway. Here is a list of other island-born county players:
2. Mick O'Connell (Kerry 1956-1974) born on Beginish, moved to Valentia when young.
3. Patrick Aloysius ("Weeshie") Murphy (Cork fullback 1945) born on Bere Island.
4. Peter McDermott (Meath captain 1954) born in Cobh (i.e. Great Island.)
5. There was a Dublin or Kildare footballer in the 1920s who was born on Lambay Island. I can't remember the details.

Can anybody add any hurler or footballer to this list? Thank you.

P.S. Wikipedia says Peter McDermott was born in Belgooly Co. Cork. I read otherwise elsewhere.

Seán Ó Maolchiarain is the first from CLG Oileáin Árann to represent Galway at senior level, the club was formed in it's present guise in the 1990s I think.

Padraig Ó Flaithbheartaigh, Gort na gCapall, Inis Mór, played in 1947. No club back then.

feargale

Bonniedog wrote: »

That's an interesting one. I wonder who it was. There were still a fair few people - maybe 200 - living on Lambay up to early years of 20th century. Nearest clubs would have been Skerries, Pats in Portrane, not sure if Sylvesters were there then, but no-one from those clubs played for Dublin at that time. Bobby Beggs who won AIs with Dublin and Galway in 30s was Skerries man. He played for Harps.

Leinster Leader, May 19th 1956

Passing Of Great Footballer

The Late Mr. Joseph Rafferty, Naas

The tragic death last week of Joe Rafferty (76) one of Kildare’s greatest football heroes, came as a great shock to Gaels not only in County Kildare but all over the whole country. Strangely enough Joe was not born in Kildare, but in Lambay Island off the coast of Dublin, where his father was employed at the time, before coming to a job in Osberstown, Naas.
    Joe, it is stated, was not christened for six weeks due to the difficulty of reaching the mainland owing to storms.

Kevhog1988

feargale wrote: »

Leinster Leader, May 19th 1956

Passing Of Great Footballer

The Late Mr. Joseph Rafferty, Naas

The tragic death last week of Joe Rafferty (76) one of Kildare’s greatest football heroes, came as a great shock to Gaels not only in County Kildare but all over the whole country. Strangely enough Joe was not born in Kildare, but in Lambay Island off the coast of Dublin, where his father was employed at the time, before coming to a job in Osberstown, Naas.
    Joe, it is stated, was not christened for six weeks due to the difficulty of reaching the mainland owing to storms.

Never knew that and im a Kildare man

breezy1985

feargale wrote: »

Let Cobh be spoken for and you can all sift the responses in your own way at the end of the day. Achill is bridged to the mainland too, as is Valentia now. And Dursey is connected by cable car.

Soon, with bridges and tunnels, there will be nothing left that you will call an island, even if some of us persist in doing so.

Ha but I've met people from Achill whosay they grew up on an island. You never meet lads from Cobh talking about growing up on an island.

Surprised with the fact that Aran hasn't produced a senior player before

feargale

breezy1985 wrote: »

Ha but I've met people from Achill whosay they grew up on an island. You never meet lads from Cobh talking about growing up on an island.

Sometimes people get notions above themselves. You'll seldom meet lads from West Virginia who will talk about Trump losing the 2020 election.

Great Island was at one time so isolated from the mainland that it was Irish-speaking and Cobh didn't exist. In the 18th century a man called Philip Barron ran an agricultural school there through the medium of Irish. Then the British lost the American colonies and to retain control of the Atlantic decided to construct a base on Ireland's south coast, settling on the most impregnable harbour on the eastern side of the Atlantic. Great Island was bridged to the mainland in 1809. To reach the rest of Co. Cork from Cobh you must either 1. cross that one and only bridge, 2. take the train, 3.take the ferry to Passage West, 4. swim.

breezy1985 wrote: »

Surprised with the fact that Aran hasn't produced a senior player before

Not that surprising when you consider the logistics of a guy with a day job ( that job possibly being fisherman - no trade union hours!) trying to link up with team mates for training, travel to matches etc.. There are one or two articles online on the challenges and exertions facing Sean Mulkerrin.

westsidestory wrote: »

Seán Ó Maolchiarain is the first from CLG Oileáin Árann to represent Galway at senior level, the club was formed in it's present guise in the 1990s I think.
Padraig Ó Flaithbheartaigh, Gort na gCapall, Inis Mór, played in 1947. No club back then.

feargale

MfMan wrote: »

Sean Andy O Ceallaigh has played championship for Galway. His Lettermore club is at least an island in part, with some sections reachable via man-made bridge. Goalie Rory Lavelle was from Inis Boffin, though he played club football with Renvyle and later Salthill. Headford's Michael Day ditto I think.

Jan 10th 2017,

Michael Day and Ruairi Lavelle from Innishbofin.

ONE OF THE smallest GAA communities in the country has double reason for celebration after two of their players made their senior inter-county debut on Sunday.

Goalkeeper Ruairi Lavelle and midfielder Michael Day made their senior bows with Galway, completing a journey which began on the small island of Inishbofin which doesn’t even have enough numbers to have their own club.

breezy1985

feargale wrote: »

Not that surprising when you consider the logistics of a guy with a day job ( that job possibly being fisherman - no trade union hours!) trying to link up with team mates for training, travel to matches etc.. There are one or two articles online on the challenges and exertions facing Sean Mulkerrin.

Well there have been players commuting from London playing in the All Ireland so Inis Mor isnt all that unbelievable

willabur

Another factor is that the club is relatively new. They have really had to build it up from scratch with battles on every conceivable front. Its one thing having someone from the island to play but for the club to produce a player for the county is an outstanding achievement that is definitely worth a shout out

Bonniedog

feargale wrote: »

Leinster Leader, May 19th 1956

Passing Of Great Footballer

The Late Mr. Joseph Rafferty, Naas

The tragic death last week of Joe Rafferty (76) one of Kildare’s greatest football heroes, came as a great shock to Gaels not only in County Kildare but all over the whole country. Strangely enough Joe was not born in Kildare, but in Lambay Island off the coast of Dublin, where his father was employed at the time, before coming to a job in Osberstown, Naas.
    Joe, it is stated, was not christened for six weeks due to the difficulty of reaching the mainland owing to storms.

Great research!

So he was born in 1880. Was big enough to have a school at that time. Still a few members of Baring family living there i think.

feargale

breezy1985 wrote: »

Well there have been players commuting from London playing in the All Ireland so Inis Mor isnt all that unbelievable

That didn't happen some decades ago, if you except Dr. Pádraig Carney, a key player in Mayo's All-Ireland winning team of the early fifties. Unique as it was he was known as " the flying doctor."
It's probably as easy these days to get from London to Knock Airport as to get from Aran to Tuam Stadium. As another famous Mayoman said: "“I wanna tell you something, try it sometime…”

2016 population: Co. Galway 258,058; Aran Islands 1226.

feargale

Bonniedog wrote: »

Great research!

So he was born in 1880. Was big enough to have a school at that time. Still a few members of Baring family living there i think.

Population of Lambay:

1831 84—    
1841 89 +6.0%
1851 75 −15.7%
1861 71 −5.3%
1871 88 +23.9%
1881 61 −30.7%
1891 32 −47.5%


1996 8 +0.0%
2002 6 −25.0%
2006 6 +0.0%
2011 6 +0.0%
2014 3 −50.0%
2019 7 +133.3%
2020 8 +14.3%

willabur

westsidestory wrote: »

Seán Ó Maolchiarain is the first from CLG Oileáin Árann to represent Galway at senior level, the club was formed in it's present guise in the 1990s I think.

Padraig Ó Flaithbheartaigh, Gort na gCapall, Inis Mór, played in 1947. No club back then.

Where did you get this information from?

feargale

BERE ISLAND:


Denis O’Sullivan Cork Senior 1931
Donal O’Sullivan Cork Senior 1931, 1933, 1934 (capt), 1935 (capt), 1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941.Munster Railway Cup1934
John O’Sullivan Cork Senior 1932, 1935
Mick Newton Cork Senior 1933, 1934, 1935
Peter C O’Sullivan Cork Senior 1934
Batt Dennehy (Garnish) Cork Senior 1934, 1938 Played for Garnish but married and settled on Bere Island.
Fr Bob Murphy Cork Senior 1935
Louis O’Sullivan Cork Senior 1940
John C O’Sullivan (London) London Junior1937 1938.
Paddy Mullen Cork Senior 1940, 1941, 1943 Munster Railway Cup1941
Tom Coughlan Cork Senior 1940
PA “Weesh” Murphy Cork Senior1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954. Munster Railway Cup1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952.Weesh played with Bere Island until 1947 and thereafter played with St Finbarrs and Lees.
Brendan Murphy Cork Senior 1945, 1946.
Christie O'Sullivan Tipperary Senior 1946
John Downey Cork Senior 1946
Donal Hunt Cork Senior1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978 Donal grew up on Bere Island and moved to Bantry in his early teens. He is recorded as born in Bantry but I presume that is because the nearest hospital was located there.

P.S. Someone might like to check this list in its entirety. It seems a big number for a small place.

westsidestory

willabur wrote: »

Where did you get this information from?

My father.

feargale

westsidestory wrote: »

My father.

Bhfuil d'athair as Inis Mór?

westsidestory

feargale wrote: »

Bhfuil d'athair as Inis Mór?

B'é Padraig a d'imir le Gaillimh í 1947 m'athair. Chaith sé seal ag imirt le Tiobraid Árann 7 Luimneach comh maith le cluiche amháin i dathanna cuige Mumhain.

feargale

westsidestory wrote: »

B'é Padraig a d'imir le Gaillimh í 1947 m'athair. Chaith sé seal ag imirt le Tiobraid Árann 7 Luimneach comh maith le cluiche amháin i dathanna cuige Mumhain.

Did he play championship for all three counties? What was the timespan?

kennypowers

Ger lynch kerry 82 /89 3 all Ireland medals
Brendan o Sullivan Kerry panel last few years .Both from valentia island.

Mad_maxx

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Sean og O'Halpin.

Fiji is an island

And just like fermanagh

Not a hurling stronghold

Agus

kennypowers wrote: »

Ger lynch kerry 82 /89 3 all Ireland medals
Brendan o Sullivan Kerry panel last few years .Both from valentia island.

10 Valentia players in total.



http://terracetalk.com/kerry-football/club/35/Valentia

feargale

Agus wrote: »

10 Valentia players in total.



http://terracetalk.com/kerry-football/club/35/Valentia

Excellent contribution.

P.S. You used to take part in the hurling and football pools. Did you hang up the boots?

feargale

Mad_maxx wrote: »

And just like fermanagh

Not a hurling stronghold

And neither an island.

feargale

OK, are we done here? I'm surprised at how many have turned up from Achill, Valentia and Bere Island.
On the other hand, is there nobody at all from some of the smaller islands, Clare Island, Rathlin, Cape Clear, Whiddy, Sherkin etc?

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

feargale wrote: »

OK, are we done here? I'm surprised at how many have turned up from Achill, Valentia and Bere Island.
On the other hand, is there nobody at all from some of the smaller islands, Clare Island, Rathlin, Cape Clear, Whiddy, Sherkin etc?

In the case of Mayo, Achill has a lot of people, is connected to the mainland by a bridge and has long had a GAA club.

Clare Island has few people, no bridge and hasn't usually had a GAA club.

beggars_bush

I wonder did anyone who lived on an island on a lake ever play for a county team?
I know there are/were inhabited islands along the Shannon, Corrib and elsewhere

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

beggars_bush wrote: »

I wonder did anyone who lived on an island on a lake ever play for a county team?
I know there are/were inhabited islands along the Shannon, Corrib and elsewhere

I was wondering the same. My father told me before about a man he knew who grew up on an island on one of the lakes in Fermanagh. There are probably some examples.

RedDevil55

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

In the case of Mayo, Achill has a lot of people, is connected to the mainland by a bridge and has long had a GAA club.

Clare Island has few people, no bridge and hasn't usually had a GAA club.

Louisburgh GAA club would usually have a few Clare island residents playing for them. I don't know if any of them played county though.