Séamus Flynn - Misplaced Pages

Irish Gaelic footballer and manager (1939–2024

Séamus Flynn
Personal information
Irish name	Séamus Ó Floinn
Sport	Gaelic football
Position	Right corner-back
Born	1939 (1939) Newtown Forbes, County Longford, Ireland
Died	13 February 2024 (aged 84) Lanesborough, County Longford, Ireland
Occupation	Bord na Móna employee
Club(s)
Years	Club
	Clonguish Harps & Shamrocks Rathcline
Club titles
Longford titles	8
Inter-county(ies)
Years	County
1957–1971	Longford
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles	1
All-Irelands	0
NFL	1
All Stars	0

Séamus Flynn (1939 – 13 February 2024) was an Irish Gaelic footballer, administrator and manager. He played at club level with Clonguish and at inter-county level with the Longford senior football team. Flynn also served as a county board officer and manager.

Playing career

Flynn first played Gaelic football with Clooneen in the local parish leagues at the age of 14. He also lined out as a schoolboy with Longford Vocational School, with whom he won a vocational schools' title. Flynn received a suspension for playing illegally in Roscommon in 1958. After serving his suspension he returned to playing with Clonguish and won a junior league-championship double in 1959.

After emigrating to England shortly after these victories, Flynn continued to play Gaelic football after joining the Harps & Shamrocks club. He won a Lancashire SFC title in 1961. Flynn returned in 1962, rejoined the Clonguish club and won a Longford SFC title. It was the first of eight such title victories over the course of 12 seasons, with Flynn captaining the team in 1968 and 1972.

Flynn first appeared on the inter-county scene with Longford during a two-year tenure with the minor team in 1956 and 1957. He was just out of the minor grade when he made his senior team debut in a game against Galway. Flynn's time in England saw him line out with the Lancashire county team, however, he rejoined the Longford team in 1962 and was an ever-present member during the team's most successful era. After winning an O'Byrne Cup title in 1965, he was part of the team that beat Galway and New York to win the National League Division 1 title in 1966. Two years later, Flynn added a Leinster SFC medal to his collection after Longford claimed their first ever title.

Flynn was the only Longford player to captain Leinster in the Railway Cup. His club career continued following his retirement from the inter-county game in 1971. Flynn brought his club career to an end after winning a Longford JFC medal with Rathcline at the age of 45 in 1984.

Administrative and coaching career

Flynn began his coaching career while he was still a player. He was player-manager when Clonguish won back-to-back Longford SFC titles in 1968 and 1969. Flynn also trained the Kilmore club in Roscommon. He also served as a selector and kitman with the Longford senior team.

Flynn also spent ten years as Longford's delegate to the Leinster Council. He also held a number of positions at county board and club levels, including treasurer of his adopted Rathcline club. Flynn was named in the right corner-back position on the Longford Team of the Millennium.