Sporting success can prove pathway to political triumph
World of Politics with Harry McGee
In the build-up to the All-Ireland final at Croke Park last Sunday, they showed footage of Galway winning the first of its three titles in 1964. The footage featured many young men who I was familiar with many years later as I grew up in the city – Christy Tyrrell, Enda Colleran, Pat Donnellan and Johnny Geraghty to name just some.
The captain of the team was none other than the Dunmore McHales’ legend John Donnellan.
Donnellan is an interesting case. Until 1964 he was known only as a footballer. His father Michael was a TD, who had once been a Fianna Fáil councillor, but had been a founder and first leader of the farmers’ party, Clann na Talmhan.
The party had represented smaller and more disenfranchised farmers in the western counties and was particularly strong in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. At its peak it had ten TDs. It formed part of the two inter party governments after the Second World War.
Donnellan’s views were quite radical and outspoken. He believed in land redistribution. By the time of his last election in 1962, only two Clann na Talmhan TDs survived.
Michael Donnellan has also been, like his son, a Galway football hero, and was a member of the team that won the 1925 All Ireland final. He also captained the team that lost the 1933 All Ireland.
The 1964 final was fateful. Michael Donnellan senior was in the Hogan Stands to watch his two sons, Pat and John, play when he suffered a fatal heart attack.
Neither of his sons were told of their father’s death until well after the match. There is poignant footage (and pictures) of an ecstatic John Donnellan lifting the Sam Maguire, oblivious to the tragic news that his father had died shortly before that, close to where he stood.
John Donnellan stood in the by-election that December – not for Clann na Talmhan, which had come all but defunct but for Fine Gael – and was easily elected on the back of his sporting fame and political destiny.
Pictured: Sporting chance...the late John O'Mahony, joined by former Galway footballer Sean Og Dr Paor and former Galway hurler Pat Malone (right), canvassing former Clare hurler Frank Lohan at his home in Rinville, Oranmore, in 2016. Also in the photograph ar Frank's sons, Gus and twins Paul and Michael. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy.