Kerry Football Families

The O'Donovans of Gneeveguilla


by Matt Leen

Tureencahill, Gneeveguilla lies in the heart of Sliabh Luachra country, famed for it's traditional music, song and dance. It was here that Cain and Hannah O'Donovan reared a fine family of 5 boys and 1 girl. From an early age, the boys, Patrick, Mossie, Neily, Ambrose and John showed a great interest in Gaelic football. Attending Tureencahill National School, under the shadow of the Pap mountains and a stone's throw from the River Blackwater, the O'Donovan boys, who always had a football around the house, were showing great promise even at this early stage. Rathmore Vocational school came next for the boys, where at least two of them helped to win AII Ireland Vocational football titles for the school. Neily was the first to be noticed by the Kerry selectors, and in 1975 he was picked on the Kerry Minor team.

Partnering the great Sean Walsh at midfield, Neily won his first AlI Ireland medal when Kerry defeated Tyrone in the AlI Ireland Final. Graduating to the Kerry U21 team, he won AII Ireland medals in 1975 and 1977, his team-mates including Charlie Nelligan, Paudie O'Shea, Jacko and the Bomber, men who were to form the backbone of the Kerry Seniors who won so much in later years. Neily played Senior for Kerry for a number of games, and also helped Gneeveguilla to win 3 East Kerry Championships. Meanwhile, Ambrose was playing great football at Rathmore Vocational School and helped them win 2 AII Ireland titles, and in 1977 was a member of the Kerry Vocational School team trained by another Kerry great, Donie O'Sullivan, who won the AlI Ireland title. He came to the notice of the Kerry Minor selectors and played a starring role at midfield in the AII Ireland winning team of 1980, making up for the narrow defeat by Dublin by 1 point in 1979. In this glorious period, Kerry Seniors were winning AII Ireland titles galore and in a settled team it is very hard for a newcomer to make a breakthrough.

Playing brilliant football for Gneeveguilla, Ambrose came to Mick O' Dwyers' notice and in early 1984 when Sean Walsh moved from midfield to fullback, Ambrose was selected to partner Jacko at midfield for the Munster final. Not alone this, Killarney, who had won the Kerry Co. Championship in 1983, but had no player on the Kerry team, nominated Ambrose to captain Kerry. What a start for Ambrose, and especially in a centenary year, playing Cork in the Munster Final. Also, the border of Cork and Kerry is so close to Gneeveguilla - and the rivalry is all the more intense. Kerry beat Cork, and went on to win the centenary AII Ireland of 1984 and there was no prouder man in Croke Park on that day than Ambrose as he accepted the Sam Maguire Cup from Paddy Buggy, President of the GAA.

Bringing Sam Maguire to Gneeveguilla and especially Tureencahill School was a very proud and emotional experience for him. He went on to win two more AII Ireland Senior medals in 1985 and 1986, to complete the 3 in a row. The legendary Joe Keohane, great Kerry fullback and in later years a selector, always instilled in the players, "Have pride in the jersey'' and no one epitomized this better than Ambrose O'Donovan, as he showed after scoring a splendid goal in a Munster final on a warm July afternoon against Cork in Fitzgerald Stadium. Kerry were a few points down when Ambrose cut loose from midfield and released an unstoppable shot from about 25 yards out. The Cork net was still shaking, as Ambrose, returning to his position, grasped his jersey with a clenched fist and shook it. Moments like this capture the true spirit of what makes a Kerry footballer tick. Ambrose gave great service and loyalty to his club Gneeveguilla, winning medals from juvenile up, winning 3 East Kerry Senior Championships, and one Club Championship in 1980. Indeed, all the O'Donovan brothers served Gneeveguilla with great distinction over the years.



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