John Joe O'Reilly (1918 – 1952) was a legendary Gaelic footballer who played for the Cavan county football team, Cavan county team. He is the only man to lead a team to All Ireland glory outside of Ireland, having captained the Breffni men to victory against Kerry GAA, Kerry in the iconic 1947 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final played at the Polo Grounds in New York City.

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 GAA, Cornafean, he captained the Cavan county team, which won All-Ireland Senior Football Championships in 1947 (at the New York City Polo Grounds) 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 (Cavan politician), 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 Irish Army, John Joe O'Reilly, suffered 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 34 years of age. In 1984, the Gaelic Athletic Association, GAA's centenary year he was named at centre half-back on the GAA Football Team of the Century, 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, 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.

Honours

Cornafean GAA

* Cavan Senior Football Championship Winner (2) : 1936, 1937

Curragh Camp GAA, Curragh Camp

*Kildare Senior Football Championship Winner (1) : 1948 (captain) *Kildare Senior Hurling Championship Winner (1) : 1940

Cavan county football team, Cavan

*All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Winner (2) : 1947 (Captain), 1948 (captain) *Ulster Senior Football Championship Winner (11) : 1937, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944 (captain), 1945, 1947 (captain), 1948 (captain), 1949 (captain) *National Football League (Ireland), National Football League Winner (1) : 1947-48 (captain) *Dr McKenna Cup Winner (3) : 1940, 1943, 1951 (captain)

Ulster GAA, Ulster

* Railway cup, Railway Cup Winner (4) : 1942 (captain), 1943 (captain), 1947, 1950 (captain)

St Patrick's College, Cavan

* MacRory Cup Winner (3) : 1935, 1936, 1937 (captain)

References

The Gallant John Joe : Cavan's Millennium Man (Cavan, 2020) by Cartwright, George. {{DEFAULTSORT:O'Reilly, John Joe 1918 births 1952 deaths All-Ireland-winning captains (football) Cavan inter-county Gaelic footballers Cornafean Gaelic footballers Gaelic football backs Irish Army officers People educated at St Patrick's College, Cavan