Kerry Football Families

The Brosnans of Moyvane


by Matt Leen

Con Brosnan of Moyvane, Kerry and Munster, gave a lifetime of service to the GAA as a player, administrator, trainer and organiser. His wonderful career with Kerry started in 1923 when Kerry were unlucky to lose to Dublin by 2 points in the All Ireland final. In 1924 when Kerry got their revenge by defeating Dublin in the final by one point, Con Brosnan was to team up with the great Bob Stack of Doon to form a midfield partnership that was unbeatable on any field until they were parted in 1932 when Con Brosnan played at centre forward. A reporter of that period described the midfield partners as "giants", but this was only true in the football sense. Bob Stack was a small sized man and Con Brosnan weighed less that 12 stone. Stack did the heavy work while Brosnan applied the exquisite skill and accuracy.

Con Brosnan won AII Ireland Senior medals in 1924, '26, '29, '30, '31 and 1932. He captained his county to victory in 1931. He won 4 National League medals, inter-provincial medals, and toured the USA twice in 1927 and 1931. He retired from inter-county football in 1933 but continued playing club football and led a North Kerry selection to the County Championship final in 1938, where his opponent was none other than Paddy Ban Brosnan. Dingle won the title by one point after a wonderful game. In 1939, Con Brosnan trained the victorious Kerry team who defeated Meath in the AII Ireland Final, so he became the first man ever to captain Kerry to victory in an All Ireland and then train Kerry to victory in an All Ireland. He was a selector for many years, Kerry's representative on the Munster council and chairman of the North Kerry Board - so his service covered club, district, county and province. Con Brosnan was a legend in his own lifetime, and it gave him great pleasure to see his sons carry on the great tradition, both on the field of play and at administration level in later years.

Jim Brosnan, son of Con, started his inter-county career in the early fifties and continued up until the early Sixties. Jim won his first AII Ireland Senior medal in 1953, when he lined out at right half forward. From this position, Jim cut through the Armagh defence for some vital points. A forward of great natural ability plus his great strength, he was feared by back lines all over Ireland. His 2nd AlI Ireland medal came in 1955, in the epic decider with Dublin who were hot favorites. A report on that game read, "It was burly Jim Brosnan, the young Moyvane doctor, who had returned from post graduate work in the United States for the final who rocked Dublin on their heels. He quickly outwitted the opposing defence to bang over a valuable point and then he followed up with a dazzling solo run before whipping the ball over the bar. That brace of points were worth their weight in gold to Kerry". Jim, who played on the successful combined universities team that defeated Ireland in 1954, also won 3 Sigerson cup medals, 1 National League Medal and of course his 2 Senior All Ireland medals. When he retired from football, Jim served as Chairman of Kerry County Board for 10 years, was Kerry delegate to the central council on the GAA and was also a trustee of the GAA.

Mick Brosnan, also son of Con and brother of Jim, started a most promising career by captaining the victorious Kerry minor team to victory in the AII Ireland final of 1950. He attended UCC in Cork and won a Sigerson Cup medal with them in 1952. In 1953, he won his only Senior AII Ireland medal as a member of the Kerry panel which defeated Armagh in the AII Ireland final. Then a disastrous knee injury, sustained in a college game, curtailed a most promising career when he was just approaching his prime. He retired soon after. The Brosnans of Moyvane's contribution to Gaelic football in Kerry, both on the field of play and at an administrational level, was immense. They captained 2 AII Ireland winning teams, they won 9 Senior All Ireland medals, and they worked tirelessly at club, county, provincial and central council level for the betterment of the GAA.



Sections

Search Articles



 
Radio Kerry - The Voice of the Kingdom