Kerry Football Families

A Legendary Kerry Family - The Lynes of Cleeney


by Matt Leen

Denny Lyne, who captained Kerry in the historic New York Polo Grounds Final of 1947, in his last ever interview told me that if Dr. Eamon had been brought to New York, Kerry would have won that final - "How I regret that decision".

What better way to remember Dr. Eamon o Sullivan than to recall and pay tribute to one of the most famous and forgotten GAA family's this county has ever produced. Sixty long years ago in 1946 my club won their won and only Kerry senior football county championship and without the Lynes of Cleeney this momentous achievement would not have happened. The story of the Lynes is one of the great traditions of this county, for the next two weeks you can judge for yourself as you read about this great family, all now sadly departed this life. They touched my football life in many ways, this is my tribute to that legion family.

 When Denny Lyne died on November 29th '01 it brought to an end a unique family association with Kerry football, a family connection that stretched back to the early thirties. The six brothers in the family all played with their local club Killarney Legion, four of the boys went on to win All Ireland medals with Kerry in some grade and in fact four of the boys all played together on the Kerry Junior team that won the 1941 All Ireland title.

Their story is similar to that of many other great Kerry families who through the decades played a massive part in building the great Kerry tradition, and I choose this Lyne family from the town land of Cleeney one mile outside the town of Killarney on the Tralee road as my family topic simply because they were the men who were instrumental in the building of my club, previously mentioned, Killarney Legion, and I was fortunate to know most of them on a personal basis. Indeed before Denny died, he had captioned Kerry in that historic Polo Grounds final in New York in 1947, I had visited him, and he kindly gave me what was to be the very last interview recounting his and his family's life which as he himself said "was dominated by Kerry football".

Their father had bought the Cleeney farm early in the 19th centaury and Denny had vivid memories of traveling to Castletownbear to buy cattle and then walking home to Killarney driving the herd before them, landing home tired and weary. The longest journey undertaking by the cattle dealing family was to Roscommon, once again on foot, selling cattle to the local farmers along the way, this recalled Denny " took a couple of weeks and these long stamina sapping journeys was to stand to us in the succeeding years as we lined out against the greatest names in Gaelic football at that time, we were naturally fit." 

Mickey the eldest boy in the family was, arguably the most stylish forward Killarney has ever produced, although Tadghie Lyne, no relation, Johnny Culloty, and Timmy o Leary in a career dogged by illness ,had possibly an equal claim. Studying for the priesthood, Mickey's football career, because of the prevailing playing conditions on clerical students was confined to his holidays from college. Mickey Lyne never kicked a ball in the National League with Kerry and amazingly he, the oldest of the Cleeney brothers went on to win All Ireland medals with The Kingdom in minor, 1933, junior, 1941, and senior, 1937, all in a twelve year playing span with Kerry

The renowned Kerryman GAA reporter P.F tells this lovely story in his book "Kerry's Football Story" .Writing about the counties All Ireland Junior win of 1941 he recalls." Our juniors followed in the footsteps of the seniors by winning All Ireland honors, they started of with a draw against Cork in Tralee in the Munster Championship.  For the replay in Macoom a young man traveled as a spectator, he was invited to play and to such good effect that he was largely
Responsible for Kerry's victory, 2-10 to 2-7, he was Father Michael Lyne, Killarney, now in Glasgow."1937 was the fiftieth year of the All Ireland Championships, and a memorable year it proved for Kerry, and Mickey Lyne kicked a point for his county that year which would remain forever etched in his memory. Following a draw against Laois in the All Ireland semi final in Cork the re play took place in Waterford City and in a match which abounded with thrills from start to finish the sides were level at seven points each with five minutes remaining in the hour. Then in stepped the Legion man, fielding beautifully he rounded his marker and sent the leather high and true between the posts and Kerry were in the final.

And in that final Kerry defeated Cavan following a re play,  due to his clerical duties Mickey missed that game,  however his club mate Timmy o Leary came in and helped Kerry to a 4-4 to 1-7 victory,  Leary scoring two great goals. This was the youngest Kerry team at the time to win the championship. Mickey Lyne won his second senior medal in 1941 when he came on as a sub in the second half of that final as Kerry beat Galway 1-8 to 0-7, playing for Galway that day was Dan Kavanagh the West Kerry man who was an engineer in that county, Dan would go on and star for Kerry five years later when The Kingdom defeated Roscommon in 1946.

Mickey Lyne later became Cannon Lyne and ministered in Glasgow for over forty years where he was also Chaplin to the Glasgow Celtic Football Club. In a forward to our club history "A Legion of Memories" he wrote as club President. "My first game for The Legion had a disastrous beginning, I slipped out of St. Brendan's Seminary Killarney to play with my club, and this led to my expulsion from the College. In the eyes of many I had brought disgrace and shame on my family and friends, a complete failure,  to day I am proud to say that expulsion from The Seminary was my salvation,  I went back as a day boy, worked harder than ever , passed all my examinations,  entered All Hallows College in 1935 and was ordained in 1941. This year (1979) I have completed 38 years of active service work in the Archdiocese of Glasgow."

I remember Cannon Mickey Lyne as a man of great leadership, tremendous drive and great passion, both on and off the field and he being the oldest of the family must definitely have had a massive influence on the brothers that would play with club and county in the succeeding years following his departure to minister in Glasgow.

Donie Lyne the quiet man of the family was probably the most dedicated of the boys to the service of his club Killarney Legion,  not having the distraction of playing either with St. Brendan's or any Kerry team.  He served his club only, and served them faithfully and well.  Declan Horgan writing in the club history recalls, "One still has pleasant memories of Donie with his short mincing steps, jacket unbuttoned, and boots held behind his back arriving at the gates of Fitzgerald Stadium,  he was always an early arrival,  Denny Casey might be mending a puncture at the foot of Tiernaboul, Jimmy Fleming might be laughing his way down a slow pint in Pat o Mares, Mickey o Sullivan the postman might be seen going down New Street the wrong way as our poor secretary Jack o Shea jotted down the names of the late arrivals to the background of the reffs insistent whistle.

But Donie Lyne was togged and eagerly waiting to take up his half back position, where no man in Kerry played with more spirit or enjoyment. It was a pleasure to share Donies cheerful smile and even temper as a team-mate". He might not have been as famous as his brothers, however Donie typified all that is great in a club player and it must be said that his contribution to the Lyne tradition was immense.

Teddy the third of the Lyne boys was the stormy petrel of the family, and with Teddy around the expression "hard knocks were given and taken" was hardly a cliché. He was always in the tick of the action and many shrewd judges, even today swear that he was the hardest of all the boys.
A butcher by trade Teddy won Munster and All Ireland Junior medals with Kerry in 1941, and Kerry senior county championship medals with his club in 1946 and later with Killarney in 1949.

Death cut short the brief, but brilliant career of Tom Lyne who died in 1942 in his early twenties.  He had shown great promise as an aggressive half back, but sadly his great potential was never fully realized. God took him in his prime, a sad blow to a family so closely knit

Denny was the fifth of the brothers and he out lived the rest of the boys and so his death in November 01 following a long illness brought down the curtin on a proud family who had served club and county with loyalty,  passion,  dignity, and full commitment.  I was fortunate to have known him better than the rest of the boys and indeed I would visit him at his home in Cleeney until shortly before his death where we would chat about the boys and in particular his own football career.  Memories of one beautiful August evening, it was in fact just four months before his death, remaining etched in my memory.  We sat inside the window of his front room looking out as the sun set casting a golden glow on the lush green fields which fronts the farm house, and as Denny talked recalling in wonderful detail his families sporting history I recorded for posterity and my Terrace Talk programme Denny's memories, his life and times both as a farmer and Kerry footballer

As we spoke and drank together it was clearly evident that one aspect of this exemplary mans sporting life had left some very painful memories.  This was Kerry's defeat by Cavan in the 1947 All Ireland Senior Football Final which had been played for the only time in history in the Polo Grounds New York.  By virtue of the fact that our club had won the 1946 county championship Denny had assumed the mantle of captaincy as is the rule in Kerry.  And now 54 years later.
I listened in captive silence as he stated publicly for the first time his version of why Kerry had lost that historic 1947 final. "It was one of the biggest mistakes of my life; I should have insisted that the great Kerry trainer Dr. Eamon o Sullivan would be brought to America for that game. We did little or no training for that final, Eamon had been brought back the year before and trained us to win that 1946 final against Roscommon, without him we would not have won and if he had come to America with us I am utterly convinced that Cavan would not have beaten us.  Dan Kavanagh, Teddy o Connor, Jackie and I often spoke about this and we should have insisted, insisted that he be brought. He was probably too good to the players, if you had anything at all wrong with you expense for medical bills was no problem and they did not want him because of this, that's what I believe.

Many people blame the referee from Wexford, Martin o Neill for that defeat and I'll tell you a story now, a few years ago I met a man from Wexford in Charlie Foleys pub in Killarney, he knew Martin o Neill and he told me that o Neill asked him, if you meet Denny Lyne in Killarney tell him that I said they were robbed of that All Ireland in New York. What did he mean by that remark, you can guess you're self."

Full backs in football during Denny's ere played with effect rather than with style as the defensive nature of the position leaves little room for the stylist, however this was not so with the fifth of the Lyne brothers. Denny combined a graceful elegance with the normal solid defensive play of a full back as his secure fielding and stylish, lengthy clearances more than compensated for his lack of inches. Indeed it is of interest to recall that Kerry selected him as a corner forward in the 1944 All Ireland final which Kerry lost to Roscommon because of his stylish football, although he later played at corner back in the 1946 and '47 finals and one of his greatest memories is winning his All Ireland medal in 1946 with his brother Jackie staring at right half back just in front of him. The memories of the home coming, thousands gathering at Killarney railway station and especially the massive bonfire lighting up the dark September sky at the Cleeney home as the two brothers arrived with the Sam Maguire cup. My final meeting that summers evening at the Cleeney farm which Denny worked all his life is one of my fondest sporting memories,  and,  despite his great career that loss in The Polo Grounds New York 1947 when he captained that star studded Kerry team, I believe, haunted him right up to the time of my final interview with him. One of Denny's four sons Denis now runs the farm at Cleeney.


Jackie the sixth of the Lyne boys was the best known and indeed in tracing his career it must be said that he was one of the all time greats of Kerry football, his record speaks for itself.  His playing career spanned twenty years in Cork,  Dublin,  and Kerry,  and indeed when he hung up his boots he served the county both as a selector and later as a most successful trainer, guiding Kerry  to two senior All Ireland wins in 1969, '70. Jackie was the most versatile of the family, gaining All Ireland medals with Kerry both as a back and forward, a rare feat indeed and despite gaining almost every national honour he was before all else a dedicated club man. He wore the green and white of his beloved Legion for eighteen consecutive years, surly a club record at the time

Like his brothers Jackie began school at the local Presentation Monastry, he then moved across the road to the famed football nursery, Saint Brendan's College, and here his great football talents began to flourish and grow.  He helped the Sem.  to  win the Dunloe Cup, The Kerry Colleges Cup,  and the Kerry Colleges Senior Hurling title. Thus began a career which would see The Legion man travel the world both as a player and ambassador for his county.      
 
Jackie played for the Kerry minors in 1941 and Roscommon beat them in the semi final,  His direct opponent that day was the great Bill Carlos,  following his time in the Sem. he helped UCC to a Sigerson cup victory. The previous year however in the Autumn of '43 he donned the county jersey for the first time in a tournament against Roscommon and later recalled," I caught the first ball cleanly that came my way and put it over the bar," a new star had burst on to the Kerry GAA stage.

The year 1944 saw the fair haired, low sized, built like a tank Jackie win his first Munster medal with legendary names such as Danno Keeffe, Joe Keohane, and the great Paddy Kennedy,  beaten by Cork in '45 the following year however was to prove unforgettable for the Lyne family as Jackie won his first All Ireland medal beating Roscommon in the final with brother Denny behind him at corner back.  His opponent that day in 1946 was Donal Keenan later to become President of the GAA,  Jackie later admitted just how lucky they were in the drawn game against Roscommon. "I was sure we were gone that day and then Paddy Burke and  Gega Connor got two late goals to save the day and we won the re play 2-9 to 0-10." While Jackie was winning his first Celtic Cross Danno Keeffe was winning his then record  seventh medal. The following year 1947 saw The Legion man march behind his brother in that famous Polo Grounds final and the bitter disappointment of defeat that followed. Another Munster medal in '48 and interestingly the ball was thrown in that day by Monsignor Hugh o Flaherty who is world known for his exploits in Rome during the Second  World war when he defied the German forces and saved more Allied lives than probably any single person, the Killarney priest lies buried in Caherceiveen. Kerry proved no match for Mayo in the semi-final that year.

Clare sensationally beat Kerry in 1949 but wait, missing from that team for family reasons were Jackie and brother Denny. Now starring at centre back, 1950 saw the Cleeney man proudly captain his beloved Kingdom to another Munster win with Teddy o Sullivan, Dan Kavanagh, and Jim Brosnan as team mates. In the All Ireland semi-final Louth scored a surprise 1-7 to 0-8 victory. Yet another Munster medal in 1951 as Paddy Bawn Brosnan starred,  however following a re play against Mayo it was more heart break for Jackie as the Connought men won the re-play 2-4 to 1-5.Cork were too good in 1952, however the following year would be extra special for the Cleeney man as Kerry won the Jubilee All Ireland beating Armagh in a dramatic final. The moment of greatest suspense came in the second half when Kerry were leading by two points and Armagh were awarded a penalty, Years later Jackie spoke to me of the drama surrounding that moment  in time." There we stood helplessly, as Bill McCorry ran up to take the kick faced by our goalkeeper Johnny o Mahony, my line of vision to the goal was obscured by players, but when I saw the Kerry men jumping with delight in the air I knew he had failed to score and yes,  there might be truth in the story that McCorry was obstructed by some of our lads as he ran to kick the ball." Jackie and J.J.Sheehan added points and another All Ireland was on its way to the farm home in Cleeney.Years later Jackie recalled "I have been playing All Irelands since 1944 and I was the only link with the boys who won the last title in 1946, the spirit was tremendous and the training under Dr. Eamon and Paul Russell was the best we ever had and it was extra special for me as I had my club mates Mixi palmer, Donie Murphy, J. J. Sheehan, and  Gerald oSullivan with me."

The following year1945 saw the end of Jackie Lynes inter county career and it ended in a storm of controversy. Kerry qualified to meet Meath in that year's final, collective training was banned  and the selectors dropped a bombshell when they dropped Jackie for the game. Raymond Smith in has excellent book, "The Football Immortals" summed up the prevailing mood in the county at the time. "The Kerry selectors made a huge blunder by dropping Jackie Lyne, although approaching the veteran stage he was confidently expected to land a goal or two, and the attack lost much of its sting by his absence, his heart was set on winning a third medal before he retired. Kerry turned in one of their worst ever performances in that final and Meath won easily.  He was however too big a man to let personal regrets effect his loyalty to his beloved county and despite the disappointment of being denied the honour of a third medal he continued his association with the senior team and he was a member of the selection committee when Kerry beat Dublin in that historic 1955 final."

The last time Jackie Lyne wore the green and gold was in a tournament game in Tralee in 1954 and with his final kick shook the Mayo net, he lined out for Munster from 1945 to 1954 missing out just once while he also had the honour of captaining his providence to a Railway Cup win in 1948 while he also represented Ireland twice against the Combined Universities, a fore runner to the present All Stars. Jackie gave eighteen consecutive years to our club, he with his brothers, were the heart and soul of The legion, and,  at the height of his career he was the star as he led them to County championship victory. 1946 was the year, Mickey was captain while Teddy lined out at mid field and Denny in defense, the bonfires blazed again in Cleeney that evening as the boys brought home the cup. Lining out with Teddy at mid field that day was Tom Spillane, he later married Maura, one of the boys two sisters and they had four sons, Pat, Mick, and Tom who went on to become Kerry stars with Mick o Dwyer great side. (An ounce of breeding is worth a ton of feeding.)

With Kerry football going through a periodic crisis in the middle sixties the county turned to Jackie ,he accepted the position of trainer and the rest is history. He built a marvelous Kerry side, and while they lost to Down in 1968 Jackie's team went on to win the All Irelands in 1969 and 1970.Training under him was a revelation he knew how to get the best out of each individual, and Paud o Donoghue, Tom Prendergast, Liam Higgins, Mick Morris nod D.J.Crowley blossomed under his guidance while he pulled a master stroke as he coaxed some Kerry legends out of inter county retirement to help his cause. Mick o Connell, Johnny Culloty, Seamus Murphy, and Mick o Dwyer all made a come back when approached by the Cleeney legend and without them Kerry would be minus two titles. The win in 1969 was special for our club, not alone did Jackie train the side but Johnny Culloty was captain, and, it was Kerry's 21st  All Ireland victory. Kerry had lost the 1966 and '67 Munster finals to Cork and the county was in big trouble, what would have happened if Jackie Lyne had not taken over as trainer in that point of Kerry's history, we can only speculate.

Jackie's  contribution to the GAA was huge in all facets, he refereed many games including the 1957 Munster final between Cork and Waterford as well as a Kerry senior football final, he was a good hurler and helped establish basketball in Killarney in the early fifties. In 1982 he retired from his job as a rep. for Guinness with whom he worked for eighteen years, fishing on the magnificent Killarney lakes and mountain walking became favorite past times. A far cry from  and a stark contrast to the roar of the crowds on which he grew up, it was here he was happiest. Jackie Lyne strode the fields of Kerry, Munster, and Ireland like a colossus and looking back through the mists of time it is in my opinion safe to say that this member of the Cleeney family was as good as any of the great players before or after him.

Jackie Lyne died unexpectedly on Wednesday December 15th 1993 and lies buried in Aghadoe cemetery overlooking the lakes and mountains of Killarney.

Strangely enough ,Con the seventh and youngest Lyne brother, never played football, but his brothers often told me that he knew more about the game than all of them put together and they were never in a rush home to face the sharp lash of Cons tongue following a defeat for either club or county.

Rarely can a single family have served club and county so loyally as did the Lyne family of Cleeney, I became involved in the Legion around the middle fifties and in got to know six of the boys, their passion and dedication to the game was to me in my young days frightening, and its families such as the Lynes scattered all around the country that are the back bone of the Gaelic Athletic Association. We may never see their likes again.



Sections

Search Articles



 
Radio Kerry - The Voice of the Kingdom