Joe Brolly
Encyclopedia
Joe Brolly is an Irish
barrister
, TV pundit, and ex Gaelic football
er who played for Derry
in the 1990s and early 2000s. He was part of Derry's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
winning side in 1993
and also won two Ulster Senior Football Championship
s and four National League
titles. He also won two All Star awards
during his career.
Brolly played club football for St. Canice's Dungiven
for most of his career, before transferring to St. Brigid's GAC in Belfast
. With Dungiven he won two Derry Senior Football Championships and one Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
.
He usually played as right corner forward and was renowned for his accurate point-taking, goal-scoring ability, pace and ability to take on opponents. He was also known for his goal celebration of blowing kisses to the crowd, and had his nose broken twice during his career immediately after scoring goals.
councillor Anne Brolly
. His father Francie also played for Derry in the 1960s, and was later a Sinn Féin councillor and MLA
. Joe Brolly is also the first cousin of Derry player Liam Hinphey
and Monaghan
player Vincent Corey, and second cousin to Tyrone footballers Colm and Plunkett Donaghy
. Joe's brother in law Ciaran Heron plays hurling
for Antrim
Brolly was a boarder in Saint Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh
. He played basketball for Ireland as a schoolboy. After school he went to Trinity College, Dublin
, before doing a postgraduate course at Queen's University Belfast. He was a prominent member of the Dublin University Central Athletic Club (DUCAC) in his Trinity days, and became a member of the student executive. He is married and has five children.
As a barrister he has specialised in criminal matters and has defended Irish republicans
in court. He was involved in a UK Supreme Court
case in 2011 that established a right to compensation for a miscarriage of justice
without the requirement to prove the innocence of the wrongly convicted person (in this instance the Derry
republicans Eamonn McDermott and Raymond McCartney
).
He also works as a journalist, writing a column for Gaelic Life and the Ireland Mail on Sunday. He also is a radio and television football pundit, working on the RTÉ
Gaelic Athletic Association
show, The Sunday Game
.
in the 1990 National League
. In 1993 he was part of the Derry side that won the Ulster Championship
and the county's first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
. His GAA All Stars Awards
recognition surprisingly came in the relatively barren years of 1996 and 1997. He was top scorer in the 1997 Ulster Championship with 3-15 (24 points). Brolly added a second Ulster Senior Football Championship
in 1998, in the final of which he scored the clinching goal in the last minute. Derry won the National Football League four times in a nine year period from 1992 to 2000 (1992, 1995, 1996, 2000), with Brolly being part of all four. Brolly and Derry finished runners-up to Offaly
in the 1998 National League decider.
. He was top scorer in that year's Derry Championship with 1-25 (28 points) and was man of the match in the final at Celtic Park
.
He played for St. Brigids GAC in Belfast
when it won the Antrim Intermediate Football Championship. In 2006 St. Brigid's became the first GAA club to play against the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Gaelic football team. In 2009 Brolly broke his leg while playing in a challenge match against Cookstown
. St. Brigid's reached that year's Antrim Senior Football Championship semi-final, but were defeated after a replay by a point by Portglenone.
that Joe Brolly first appeared on the national stage. He won his only inter-varsity medal in 1992, as a member of Queen's victorious Ryan Cup team.
when they won Division 2 of the All-Ireland Féile na nGael
in 1982.
team that finished runners-up in the 2007 Tommy Murphy Cup
and winners of the 2008 competition.
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, TV pundit, and ex Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er who played for Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
in the 1990s and early 2000s. He was part of Derry's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
winning side in 1993
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1993
-All-Ireland Football Final:-Top championship scorer:...
and also won two Ulster Senior Football Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
s and four National League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
titles. He also won two All Star awards
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...
during his career.
Brolly played club football for St. Canice's Dungiven
Dungiven GAC
St. Canice's GAC Dungiven is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dungiven, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They currently cater for Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football. The hurling club in the town is Kevin Lynch's....
for most of his career, before transferring to St. Brigid's GAC in Belfast
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...
. With Dungiven he won two Derry Senior Football Championships and one Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
The Ulster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition played between the top clubs in Ulster. The trophy awarded to the winners is the Seamus McFerran Cup...
.
He usually played as right corner forward and was renowned for his accurate point-taking, goal-scoring ability, pace and ability to take on opponents. He was also known for his goal celebration of blowing kisses to the crowd, and had his nose broken twice during his career immediately after scoring goals.
Personal and professional life
Brolly is the son of Sinn FéinSinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
councillor Anne Brolly
Anne Brolly
Anne Brolly is a Sinn Féin politician and councillor on Limavady Borough Council in Northern Ireland. She is the wife of MLA Francie Brolly and together they form a singing duo and write songs. Their son Joe Brolly is a famous Derry footballer and TV sports pundit.In 2001, Brolly was elected as a...
. His father Francie also played for Derry in the 1960s, and was later a Sinn Féin councillor and MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
. Joe Brolly is also the first cousin of Derry player Liam Hinphey
Liam Hinphey
Liam Óg Hinphey is an Irish dual GAA player who plays Gaelic football and hurling for Derry, with whom he has won the National Football League title and Nicky Rackard Cup ....
and Monaghan
Monaghan GAA
The Monaghan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Monaghan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Monaghan and the Monaghan inter-county football and hurling teams. Separate county boards are responsible for the...
player Vincent Corey, and second cousin to Tyrone footballers Colm and Plunkett Donaghy
Plunkett Donaghy
Plunkett Donaghy is a former Tyrone Gaelic footballer. He won three Ulster Senior Football Championship medals and an All Star in 1986. He lives in The Moy, Co. Tyrone.-Background:...
. Joe's brother in law Ciaran Heron plays 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...
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...
Brolly was a boarder in Saint Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh
Saint Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh
St Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh, is a Roman Catholic boys' voluntary grammar school in the city of Armagh, Northern Ireland. The present-day school was officially opened on Thursday 27 October 1988 by the late Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich, the then Chairman of the Board of Governors, and was the...
. He played basketball for Ireland as a schoolboy. After school he went to Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, before doing a postgraduate course at Queen's University Belfast. He was a prominent member of the Dublin University Central Athletic Club (DUCAC) in his Trinity days, and became a member of the student executive. He is married and has five children.
As a barrister he has specialised in criminal matters and has defended Irish republicans
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
in court. He was involved in a UK Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is the supreme court in all matters under English law, Northern Ireland law and Scottish civil law. It is the court of last resort and highest appellate court in the United Kingdom; however the High Court of Justiciary remains the supreme court for criminal...
case in 2011 that established a right to compensation for a miscarriage of justice
Miscarriage of justice
A miscarriage of justice primarily is the conviction and punishment of a person for a crime they did not commit. The term can also apply to errors in the other direction—"errors of impunity", and to civil cases. Most criminal justice systems have some means to overturn, or "quash", a wrongful...
without the requirement to prove the innocence of the wrongly convicted person (in this instance the Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
republicans Eamonn McDermott and Raymond McCartney
Raymond McCartney
Raymond McCartney is a Sinn Féin politician, and a former hunger striker and volunteer within the Provisional Irish Republican Army .-IRA membership:...
).
He also works as a journalist, writing a column for Gaelic Life and the Ireland Mail on Sunday. He also is a radio and television football pundit, working on the RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
show, The Sunday Game
The Sunday Game
The Sunday Game is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's main Gaelic games television programme. It is shown on RTÉ Two every Sunday during the Football Championship and Hurling Championship seasons. It is one of RTÉ Two’s longest-running shows, having been on air since 1979, one year after the channel first...
.
County
Brolly made his Derry Senior debut against CavanCavan GAA
The Cavan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Cavan...
in the 1990 National League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
. In 1993 he was part of the Derry side that won the Ulster Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
and the county's first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
. His GAA All Stars Awards
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...
recognition surprisingly came in the relatively barren years of 1996 and 1997. He was top scorer in the 1997 Ulster Championship with 3-15 (24 points). Brolly added a second Ulster Senior Football Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
in 1998, in the final of which he scored the clinching goal in the last minute. Derry won the National Football League four times in a nine year period from 1992 to 2000 (1992, 1995, 1996, 2000), with Brolly being part of all four. Brolly and Derry finished runners-up to Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in the 1998 National League decider.
Club
As a 21 year-old Brolly was part of Dungiven's Derry Senior Football Championship success in 1991. Brolly won another Derry Championship medal in 1997, and also won the Ulster Club ChampionshipUlster Senior Club Football Championship
The Ulster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition played between the top clubs in Ulster. The trophy awarded to the winners is the Seamus McFerran Cup...
. He was top scorer in that year's Derry Championship with 1-25 (28 points) and was man of the match in the final at Celtic Park
Celtic Park (Derry)
Celtic Park is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Derry, Northern Ireland. It is the main home of the Derry GAA's hurling and Gaelic football teams. The ground has a capacity of about 22,000....
.
He played for St. Brigids GAC in Belfast
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...
when it won the Antrim Intermediate Football Championship. In 2006 St. Brigid's became the first GAA club to play against the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
Gaelic football team. In 2009 Brolly broke his leg while playing in a challenge match against Cookstown
Cookstown Fr. Rock's
Cookstown Father Rocks is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the town of Cookstown in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. In recent years Owen Mulligan and Raymond Mulgrew have both won All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals with the Tyrone senior team...
. St. Brigid's reached that year's Antrim Senior Football Championship semi-final, but were defeated after a replay by a point by Portglenone.
College
It was in the Sigerson CupSigerson Cup
The Sigerson Cup is the top division of Higher Education Gaelic football in Ireland, It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
that Joe Brolly first appeared on the national stage. He won his only inter-varsity medal in 1992, as a member of Queen's victorious Ryan Cup team.
Hurling
Brolly played hurling for local club Kevin Lynch'sKevin Lynch's Hurling Club
Kevin Lynch's Hurling Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dungiven, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They currently cater for hurling. The Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football team in the town is St...
when they won Division 2 of the All-Ireland Féile na nGael
Féile na nGael
Féile na nGael , Irish for "Festival of the Gaels") is an annual tournament comprising the sports of hurling, camogie and handball organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association...
in 1982.
Coaching career
Brolly helped out with the coaching of the 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...
team that finished runners-up in the 2007 Tommy Murphy Cup
Tommy Murphy Cup
The Tommy Murphy Cup is a Gaelic football competition, featuring senior county teams elimainated from the early stages of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and also Kilkenny when not fielding a team in the main All-Ireland...
and winners of the 2008 competition.
County
- All-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
- Winner (1): 1993 - National Football LeagueNational Football League (Ireland)The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
- Winner (4): 1992, 1995, 1996, 2000 - National Football LeagueNational Football League (Ireland)The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
- Runner up: 1998 - Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipUlster Senior Football ChampionshipFor information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
- Winner (2): 1993, 1998 - Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipUlster Senior Football ChampionshipFor information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
- Runner up: 1992, 1997, 2000 - Dr. McKenna Cup - Winner (2): 1993, 1999
Club
- Ulster Senior Club Football ChampionshipUlster Senior Club Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition played between the top clubs in Ulster. The trophy awarded to the winners is the Seamus McFerran Cup...
- Winner (1): 1997 - Derry Senior Football Championship - Winner (2): 1991, 1997
- Derry Senior Football Championship - Runner up: 1996
- Derry Senior Football League - Winner (1/2?): 1990?, 1991
- Antrim Intermediate Football Championship - Winner (1?): Year?
- Underage awards
Individual
- All StarGAA All Stars AwardsThe 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...
- Winner (2): 1996, 1997 - All StarGAA All Stars AwardsThe 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...
- Nominated (runner up): ?
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.
External links
- Interview
- Derry GAA official site
- Latest GAA news
- GAA website
- List of clubs by county and club websites