Kerry Football Families

The Spillanes of Templenoe


by Matt Leen

The record book on Gaelic Games states "The honor for the most senior AII Ireland Medals won by members of one family goes to the Spillane family of Templenoe in Kerry". Pat, Mick and Tom came from a family steeped in the tradition of Gaelic football, their father Tom had played with Kerry, won a Railway Cup medal with Munster and a Kerry County Championship with the Legion club, their mother Maura was one of the Lynes of Cleeney, Killarney, whose brothers had won All Ireland medals with Kerry in the 40's and 50's.

The 3 brothers went to St. Brendan's Seminary in Killarney, that great nursery that has provided the Kingdom with some of it's greatest players down through the years. In fact, Pat Spillane made his Croke Park debut as a member of the St. Brendan's team who were defeated by St. Pats of Cavan in the AII Ireland colleges final of 1972. The first taste of success came in 1974 when Pat and Mick helped Kenmare win the Kerry Senior Co. Championship. 1975 was to be a momentous year for the Spillanes; Kerry won a famous triple, minor, U21 and Senior and also went up the steps of the Hogan stand to collect the Sam Maguire Cup deputizing for Mickey Ned O' Sullivan who was injured during the game. From 1975 on, the Spillanes blazed a trail and won every honor in the game up until 1987.

Mick went on to win 3 in a row U21 medals in '76, '77 and of course 1978 was to be another memorable year. Both brothers won All Ireland Club medals with Thomond College, Limerick, Pat being captain. Both won Senior AII Ireland medals with Kerry (start of the 3 in a row) and Pat won The Texaco Award for Footballer of the year. AII Ireland Senior medals on the double came in '79, '80, and 1981 surpassed anything that had come before when younger brother Tom won his first senior medal as a member of the panel. Tom had won 3 Munster minor medals and one AII Ireland minor medal before graduating to the senior team.

1982 Kerry were going for the five in a row when the Darby goal put a stop to that but it was only a hiccup as Kerry came back in 1984 to start another period of dominance. When Kerry stepped out on Croke Park on Sunday September 23rd in 1984, Centenary year, there together behind captain Ambrose O'Donovan were Pat, Mick and Tom Spillane, creating another special piece of history.

The Landers Brothers in the 30's and the Sheehy brothers in the 60's had won 3 AII Ireland Senior medals together, and now the Spillanes of Templenoe became the third set of 3 brothers to equal this monumental feat. They went on in 1985 and 1986 to stand on their own as the only 3 brothers ever in either hurling or football to win 3 AII Ireland senior medals to ether 3 years in a row. In 1986, Tom Spillane was winning his 4th senior AII Ireland Medal, Mick Spillane was winning his 7th senior AII Ireland and Pat Spillane was winning his record 7th Senior AII Ireland Senior medal and to crown all these achievements, Pat was winning his 2nd Texaco award as footballer of the year. In 1987, when Kenmare defeated Dr. Crokes in the Kerry Co. Championship final, Mick and Pat were collecting their 2nd medals, while Tom was winning his first. The Spillane brothers' contribution to Templenoe, Kenmare and Kerry over the years was inspirational;

Tom and Mick as staunch defenders and Pat as a forward described by the great maestro Mick O'Dwyer as follows: "Pat Spillane is the best forward that ever played the game". Pat Spillane, 'a legend in his own lifetime', selects on the "Team of the Century" scored a massive 19 goals and 122 points in championship football between 1975 and 1991. Pat played for Ireland against Australia on a number of occasions and also represented Ireland in the triathlon competition. In their honor-laden careers, The Spillane brothers won the following:

  Pat Mick Tom
All Ireland Senior 8 7 4
All Ireland U21 2 3 -
All Ireland Minor - 1 1
All Ireland Club 1 1 -
National League 4 2 2
Railway Cup 4 - -
All Star 9 - 3
County Championship 2 2 1
Texaco Award 2 - -

For all their great achievements Tom, Mick and Pat Spillane would like to acknowledge the part played by their mother, Maura Spillane. Through thick and thin she was 'The Rock', the inspiration, the motivator, and as the saying goes, behind every good man is a good woman and in this case behind 3 great men was one great woman. 



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