John Joe O'Reilly (Gaelic footballer)

John Joe O'Reilly (1919 – 1952) was a famous Gaelic footballer for the Cavan senior team.

John Joe O'Reilly
Personal information
Irish name Seán Seosamh Ó Raghallaigh
Sport Gaelic football
Position Half-Back
Born 1919
Killeshandra, County Cavan
Died 1952
Occupation Commandant in the Irish army
Club(s)
Years Club
 Cornafean
Club titles
Cavan titles 9
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
 Cavan
Inter-county titles
Ulster titles 11
All-Irelands 2
NFL 1

Playing career

Born at the Derries Upper, Killeshandra, County Cavan, his father was Big John O'Reilly who played as goalkeeper on the Cavan county team and his mother was Sarah Anne. After early successes with St Patrick's College, Cavan and his club, Cornafean, he captained the Cavan team, which won All-Ireland Senior Football Championships in 1947 (at the New York City Polo Grounds)[1] and 1948, having also played on three losing sides in the final. He won 11 Ulster senior football medals, as Cavan took the title each year from 1937 until 1949, except two. He won a National Football League medal and four Railway Cup medals, in 1942 and 1943 (when he was the first ever Cavan captain), 1947 and as captain again in 1950. John Joe O'Reilly was one of only eight men to have had the honour of being presented with the Sam Maguire twice as captain. O'Reilly's father also played in goal for Cavan and his brother, Tom O’Reilly, played on the 1947 All-Ireland winning team and also won Railway Cup medals for Ulster in 1943 and 1944.

Death and legacy

A Commandant in the army, John Joe O'Reilly, picked up a serious injury during a football match against Ardclough in 1952 from which he never recovered. He died in the General Military Hospital in the Curragh on 22 November 1952 at only 33 years of age. In 1984, the GAA's centenary year he was named at centre half-back on the Football Team of the Century. In 1999 he was again honoured by the GAA by being named on their Gaelic Football Team of the Millennium. The song "The Gallant John Joe" was written by Peter Albert McGovern, Swanlinbar Co.Cavan Ireland, as a tribute to John Joe O' Reilly.

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See also
  • List of people on stamps of Ireland

References
  1. "1947 - Final in the Polo Grounds". GAA.ie. Archived from the original on 2009-09-16. Retrieved 2009-11-09.
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