Andy McCallin
Encyclopedia
Andy McCallin was a Belfast
, Northern Ireland
born dual county player for Antrim
and Limerick
in both hurling
and Gaelic football
.
footballer that has received an All Star Award
for his county which he received in the inaugural year, 1971. Despite this accolade, he was also well known as an excellent hurler
for Antrim. His fame began in 1969 when he played a pivotal role in collapsing Roscommon
in the All-Ireland Under 21 Football final. Antrim won with a scoreline of 1-8 to 0-10 with the victory over Roscommon, bringing Antrim its first national football title. Playing at corner-forward, McCallin finished the game with a magnificent scoring tally of 1-5.
1971 proved to be his most successful year at senior level. He became the first Antrim player since Kevin Armstrong
in 1946 to represent Ulster in both football and hurling. Also in 1971, Andy was on the Ulster side that defeated Connacht
in the Railway Cup football final. This proved to be his only inter-provincial title.
During the 70's he played with Tarbert
in Kerry for a spell wile he had been working in the ESB station there.
In 1980 he left his native county to settle in Limerick
where he played with Mungret.
McCallin became a regular on the Limerick
football team and amazingly played one game for Limerick in the Oireachtas Cup against Kilkenny
.
In 1987 Andy returned to his native Antrim, choosing to live in Cushendall
in the Glens of Antrim
. He played hurling with Cushendall and football with Glenravel and went on to represent Antrim masters in 1999. He is now retired from both football and hurling but is managing the senior football team in his beloved St John's for the 2008 season.
.
In 1984, he became the manager of the Limerick
senior football team; this proved to be an unsuccessful period in his career.
He returned to Antrim in the late 1980s and has since managed the St. John's senior football team.
He also plays golf of a handicap of 6.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
born dual county player for Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
and Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
in both hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
and Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
.
Early career
McCallin is the only AntrimAntrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
footballer that has received an All Star Award
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
for his county which he received in the inaugural year, 1971. Despite this accolade, he was also well known as an excellent hurler
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
for Antrim. His fame began in 1969 when he played a pivotal role in collapsing Roscommon
Roscommon GAA
For more details of Roscommon GAA see Roscommon Senior Club Football Championship or Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Roscommon County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Roscommon GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games...
in the All-Ireland Under 21 Football final. Antrim won with a scoreline of 1-8 to 0-10 with the victory over Roscommon, bringing Antrim its first national football title. Playing at corner-forward, McCallin finished the game with a magnificent scoring tally of 1-5.
1971 proved to be his most successful year at senior level. He became the first Antrim player since Kevin Armstrong
Kevin Armstrong
Kevin Armstrong was a renowned dual player who excelled at football and hurling for his local club O’Connell’s and for the Antrim senior inter-county teams in both codes from the 1940s until the 1960s....
in 1946 to represent Ulster in both football and hurling. Also in 1971, Andy was on the Ulster side that defeated Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
in the Railway Cup football final. This proved to be his only inter-provincial title.
Club career
At club level he won eight senior football championship medals for St. John’s as well as two senior hurling championship medals. He also won an Ulster club hurling championship medal with St John's.During the 70's he played with Tarbert
Tarbert GAA
Tarbert are a Gaelic Athletic Association Gaelic football club in Tarbert, County Kerry, Ireland. They play in the Kerry Junior Championship, Div 2 County League and Div 1 North Kerry Championship.-History:...
in Kerry for a spell wile he had been working in the ESB station there.
In 1980 he left his native county to settle in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
where he played with Mungret.
McCallin became a regular on the Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
football team and amazingly played one game for Limerick in the Oireachtas Cup against Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
.
In 1987 Andy returned to his native Antrim, choosing to live in Cushendall
Cushendall
Cushendall and formerly known as Newtown Glens is a village and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.It is on the A2 coast road between Glenariff and Cushendun, in the Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
in the Glens of Antrim
Glens of Antrim
The Glens of Antrim , known locally as simply The Glens, is a region of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It comprises nine glens , that radiate from the Antrim Plateau to the coast. The Glens are an area of outstanding natural beauty and are a major tourist attraction in north Antrim...
. He played hurling with Cushendall and football with Glenravel and went on to represent Antrim masters in 1999. He is now retired from both football and hurling but is managing the senior football team in his beloved St John's for the 2008 season.
Management
While McCallin was still in his twenties he took up his first management role. As a manager, he won three consecutive titles with county minors with St John's in 1972, 1973 and 1974. With this experience behind him, he became the manager of the Antrim minor team between 1977 and 1980 until he left his native county to settle in LimerickLimerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
.
In 1984, he became the manager of the Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
senior football team; this proved to be an unsuccessful period in his career.
He returned to Antrim in the late 1980s and has since managed the St. John's senior football team.
He also plays golf of a handicap of 6.