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3:01pm - May 13th, 2008
Con Brosnan
by Cormac O'Leary
It
was that great sportswriter, P.F., who once wrote in 'The
Kerryman', that almost every parish in Kerry had "its All-Ireland
man." And attributed the continued growth and strength of the
GAA in the county, in no small measure, to that fact.
This parish has been singularly lucky that so many of its sons
have graced with distinction the green sward of All-Ireland
Final Day, and their names are carved with pride in the hearts
of all Moyvane people at home and abroad.
Names
like Thomas Mahoney, Jack Flavin, Jim and Mick Brosnan, Bernie O'Callaghan,
Johnny Mulvihill, etc. spring readily to mind, but few will cavil
with the assertion that Con Brosnan was "the greatest Roman of them
all."
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Con Brosnan
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Picture of Flying Column taken during War of Independence
Front Row: Patrick J. McElligott, Denis Quille, James Sugrue, Brian O'Grady.
Middle Row: Martin Quille, Christopher Broder, Con Brosnan, Timothy O'Sullivan
Back Row: Daniel O'Grady, Miss Mary Ahearne, Seán Coughlan
In the early twenties, rumour was rife in the County that a young
football prodigy was appearing in the sportsfields of North Kerry,
and quickly it was confirmed that a new star had burst with brilliance
on the football scene. Soon the name Con Brosnan became widely known,
not least to the Black and Tans who, smarting under the ignominy of
his daring exploits against them, and their failure to apprehend him,
descended on Moyvane one spring morning and burned the Brosnan home
to the ground.
When peace was restored and the prison gates of Frongoch were opened,
a great young Kerry team - the greatest some would maintain - began
to take shape, and sited at midfield was the young Moyvane man facing,
in his first All-Ireland Final (1923), two of Gaelic Football's all-time
greats: Paddy McDonnell and Larry Stanley.
His immaculate fielding, precision kicking and unflinching endurance
all but carried the day, but defeat was the lot of this young team
on their maiden voyage. But Con was back the following year, facing
the same opposition - Dublin - now going for their fourth All-Ireland
in a row. A thrilling game ensued, two great teams locked in battle,
the scores level with minutes remaining, until a marvelous point from
the boot of the Moyvane midfield broke the deadlock and carried the
day for the Kingdom, giving Con the first of his six All-Ireland medals.
A quote from a poem commemorating the great victory:
At
midfield where the fight was raging
Shone Brosnan, bright as the morning star.
He drove the leather right up to Landers
Who fisted neatly across the bar...
and the
lines describing his great winning score were as follows:
With
steady nerve and unerring aim
He scored a point and again we led them.
'Twas the final score in a hard-fought game.
Con played
in eight All-Ireland Finals, winning six, and captained the victorious
team of 1931 when Rock Street Austin Stacks made the magnificent gesture
of offering him the captaincy. His last All-Ireland Final appearance
was also a winning one - against Mayo in 1932 - and he finally hung
up his County boots in 1934, though he played for many more years
with his beloved Moyvane.
Tribute to Con Brosnan
Gabriel Fitzmaurice introduces Con Brosnan Park. Gerry Brosnan, Sean Walsh, Liam Hanrahan and the late Cormac O' Leary remember Con. Billy Cunningham recites a ballad about Con to the man himself.
Length: 8 minutes - Size: 6mbs
Here is a 3.5 minute silent film of Kerry Vs Kildare in 1926 with Con playing. In the teamphoto at the beginning, Con is standing third from the left at the back with his arms folded.
On retiring, he served for many years as Munster Council representative,
was a Kerry selector, and trained two All-Ireland winning sides.
A man of magnificent physique, he never resorted to foul or questionable
tactics to beat an opponent, and was hailed the length and breadth
of the land as an accomplished sporting footballer of the highest
calibre.
And when life's final whistle sounded for Con a few years ago, Gaels
from Malin head to Mizen Head thronged to pay their last respects
to "Kerry's Idol from Newtownsandes."
Here is another article about Con Brosnan by Liam Hanrahan
Con Brosnan and the Midfield Might
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