Killererin and the Galway-Donegal connection
Galway are facing Donegal in the All Ireland semi-final later today (14th Jul 2024). Yesterday while on our Heritage Tour to Foynes Aviation and Maritime Museum, and King John’s Castle, in Limerick, I received an article about my late uncle Frank White from my eldest son John who now resides in Donegal. Consequently, I just couldn’t resist writing about my family’s connection to both Counties.
I am unashamedly proud of all my children, John, Kate, Dermot and Colin and they have all given Ollie and me, many moments of joy and reasons to be proud of them throughout their lives.
The Galway Connection
In this instance, we were very proud on 1st May, 2011 when our youngest son Colin lifted the Tom Markham Cup in Croke Park. He captained the u-21 Galway footballers to victory against Cavan on a scoreline of Galway 2-16 to 1-9. He had enjoyed previous successes with St. Jarlath’s College, (4 Connacht Colleges Medals, Minor & U 16 Medals; With his club Killererin – Senior County Championship Medal, Galway Minors: All-Ireland medal 2007 and Galway U 21s as stated above.
This was a particularly difficult time for our family as my Dad had died just four days before on 27th April and was buried just two days before the final. We were extremely proud of how he dealt with it all.
Unfortunately his footballing career ended after some time with the senior team when he incurred an injury which brought his career to an abrupt end. He is currently pursuing a PhD in England.
The Donegal Connection – Frank White
Frank was one of a family of five, two sisters and two brothers, my Dad being the eldest. In his own words in the article mentioned above, Frank said “he was obsessed with football from an early age.and took great inspiration from his uncle John Gannon who captained Sligo to a Connacht Junior title in 1926.”
Frank began his footballing career with Knockkalassa club in Sligo and played at all levels beginning his inter-county career with Sligo in 1943. With war taking place, career prospects were few and far between so when Garda recruitment began in 1943, he applied and passed the entrance exam. Lo and behold, he was sent to the Rosses area of Donegal. He was courted by clubs and County alike and in 1945, Frank White lined out for Donegal in the Ulster championship and was made captain the following year.
In 1946, Sligo came knocking on the door and in 1947, he made the transfer to his native county while still playing his club football with Dungloe in Donegal.
Railway Cup team
In 1951, Frank was part of the Connacht squad which defeated Munster by a point to win Railway Cup in front of 36,000 people in Croke Park. In 1954, Again, in the 1955 Railway Cup final, he kept Kevin Heffernan of Dublin “a great footballing brain”according to Frank, in check with a powerful defensive performance. It’s ironic that my own son played also in the defensive role as full-back for most of his career.
In 1955 Frank had the honour of captaining Sligo in a challenge match against Mayo to mark the official opening of Markievicz Park, the ground which has become the spiritual home of Sligo GAA.
Frank had a long and distinguished career with Donegal and Sligo and many tributes have been paid to him throughout the years.
However, the most unexpected and most telling for me, was at my son’s wedding ten years ago in Gortahork, Co. Donegal when the celebrating priest told the congregation that the grooms granduncle Frank White was the bane of their lives, I think he was from the Gweedore are but I could be wrong there.
If you want to learn more, just follow the link below from which I gathered all the information for the above article. I want to thank the author on writing such a wonderful piece on my uncle which has been passed to all my siblings.
Whatever the connections are however, I wish Padraic Joyce Galway football manager who hails from Killererin and the Galway senior team the very best of luck today. Come on the maroon and white!!
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