Gerry Garvan is a former Irish

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 footballer

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 and coach who played as a midfielder for several clubs, during the 1960s and 1970s, in the League of Ireland

League of Ireland

The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...

, including Drumcondra, Shelbourne

Shelbourne F.C.

Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division....

 and Athlone Town

Athlone Town A.F.C.

Athlone Town F.C. is an Irish football club from Athlone, playing in the League of Ireland. The club was founded in 1887. First elected to the League of Ireland in 1922, they play their home matches in Lissywoollen their new stadium which opened in 2007...

.

Club career

On November 19, 1967, while playing for Shelbourne

Shelbourne F.C.

Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division....

 against Bohemians

Bohemian F.C.

Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11...

 at Dalymount Park

Dalymount Park

Dalymount Park is an Irish football stadium situated on Dublin's Northside. It is the home of Bohemian F.C., who have played there since the early 20th century. Affectionately known as 'Dalyer' by fans, it was also historically the "home of Irish football" holding Irish internationals and FAI Cup...

, Garvan helped Jimmy O'Connor

Jimmy O'Connor

Jimmy O'Connor is a former Irish footballer notable for being the fastest hat-trick scorer in top level domestic league history. He scored three goals for Shelbourne in 2 minutes and 13 seconds, versus Bohemians at Dalymount Park on November 19, 1967...

 score the fastest hat-trick in top division domestic football history. Garvan provided the cross which allowed O'Connor to head home his third goal in the space of 2 minutes and 13 seconds.He also had a hand in both other goals that created world history to this day.

Family

When Garvan married his wife Mary Martin, he married into a notable Irish footballing family. His father-in-law, Con Martin

Con Martin

Cornelius Joseph Martin , commonly referred to as Con Martin, is a former Irish footballer. Martin initially played Gaelic football with Dublin before switching codes and embarking on a successful soccer career, playing for, among others, Drumcondra, Glentoran, Leeds United and Aston Villa...

, was an international during the 1940s and 1950s and captained both Ireland teams - the FAI XI and the IFA XI

Ireland national football team (IFA)

The Ireland national football team represented Ireland at association football, it was organised by the Irish FA , and is the fourth oldest international team in the world. It mainly played in the British Home Championship against England, Scotland and Wales...

. Garvan subsequently worked as an insurance broker and formed a company, Martin & Garvan Insurances Ltd. His brother-in-law Mick Martin

Mick Martin

Michael Paul "Mick" Martin was an Irish soccer player during the 1970s and 1980s.Born in Dublin, he played for Bohemians, Manchester United, Newcastle United, West Bromwich Albion, Vancouver Whitecaps, Cardiff City, Preston North End, Peterborough United, Rotherham United and the Republic of...

  played for both the Republic of Ireland

Republic of Ireland national football team

The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....

 and Manchester United

Manchester United F.C.

Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...

 while his son, Owen Garvan

Owen Garvan

Owen Garvan is an Irish footballer who currently plays for Crystal Palace and the Republic of Ireland U21s. He previously played for the Irish schoolboy team Home Farm, before moving to England to join Ipswich Town...

, currently plays for Crystal Palace F.C.

Crystal Palace F.C.

Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...

.

Coaching career

As a coach Garvan found success with the junior team’s of Home Farm

Home Farm F.C.

Home Farm Football Club is an Irish football club based in Whitehall, Dublin. Originally founded in 1928, the club joined the League of Ireland in 1972 after merging with Drumcondra. Following this merger they were briefly known as Home Farm Drumcondra...

 in the Dublin and District Schoolboy League. Under Garvan, the U-14 team, which featured his own son, Owen, went unbeaten for three years between 1999 and 2002. Along the way they won the Schoolboys FAI Cup twice.

In 2002, Garvan took his Home Farm U-14 team to play a Celtic

Celtic F.C.

Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...

 youth team in Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

 and Darren O'Dea

Darren O'Dea

Darren O'Dea [pronounced dah-renh-oh-dee] is an Irish footballer who currently plays as a centre back for English Football League Championship club Leeds United after joining on a loan deal from Celtic. O'Dea has represented his country at under-21 level and at senior level...

 scored twice as Home Farm won 2-0. O'Dea, Diarmuid O'Carroll

Diarmuid O'Carroll

Diarmuid O'Carroll is an Irish professional footballer, who currently plays as a forward for IFA Premiership side Glenavon.- Club career :...

, Gary Walsh and Gareth Christie were already being tracked by Celtic youth development officer, Tommy Burns, and all four were subsequently offered contracts. Three further members of Garvan’s team - goalkeeper Shane Supple

Shane Supple

Shane Supple is an Irish sportsman. He plays Gaelic football with the Dublin senior football team and with his home club St Brigids, in Castleknock...

, defender Michael Synnott and midfielder Owen Garvan

Owen Garvan

Owen Garvan is an Irish footballer who currently plays for Crystal Palace and the Republic of Ireland U21s. He previously played for the Irish schoolboy team Home Farm, before moving to England to join Ipswich Town...

 - were recruited by Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town F.C.

Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....

. Another member of the team Chris McCann

Chris McCann (footballer)

Christopher John "Chris" McCann is an Irish footballer currently playing for Burnley.- Burnley :Brought over to Lancashire from the Irish club Home Farm, Chris progressed through the youth system at Burnley, and made his senior debut in the 2005–06 season, coming onto the pitch as an early...

 signed for Burnley

Burnley F.C.

Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...

.