Kevin Cassidy
Encyclopedia
Kevin Cassidy is an Irish
Gaelic football
er from Gweedore
, County Donegal
, Ireland
. He plays his club football for Gaoth Dobhair and also plays for the Donegal inter-county team
. Cassidy is regarded as one of the best attacking wing half-backs of his generation and has also played in midfield. He is a fluent Irish Speaker and lives in the Gaeltacht area of Donegal. Kevin and his wife both teach as a profession and have 2 young children.
final, but were defeated. He won an All Star Award
for his performances that year. The following year he helped Donegal reach the All-Ireland semi-final. 2004 saw Donegal once again finish Ulster Championship runners-up.
Cassidy played no part in the 2006 Championship
after disciplinary problems and went to Boston
in the United States
for the Summer.
He returned to the Donegal team the following year, this time in midifeld along with Neil Gallagher and played a pivotal role in helping Donegal win the county's first ever National Football League
title in 2007. It was the first piece of silverware for the county senior team since 1992.
Cassidy was named Donegal captain for the 2008 season.
He quelled a potential players revolt in 2010.
On 30 July 2011, he scored a long-range winning point in stoppage time at the end of extra-time in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Kildare
in Croke Park
that sent Donegal on to an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Dublin
. He had earlier helped Donegal to their first provincial title in 19 years with the defeat of Derry
in the Ulster final.
In November 2011, Cassidy was dropped from the Donegal team by manager Jim McGuinness
after contributing to a book. He appeared not to understand why this was so.
. He returned later in the summer to win a second Donegal Championship with Gaoth Dobhair, beating St Eunan's GAA
in the 2006 final.
in the International Rules Series
.
Anthony Tohill
, Seán Óg de Paor
of Galway
and Donegal's Anthony Molloy.
Cassidy is a fan of the Celtic F.C.
soccer team, having spent some of his childhood in Glasgow
, Scotland
. He regularly attends matches at Parkhead
.
In August 2008 he was attacked by a gang of about 30 people as he walked home from a niteclub in Derrybeg
with his wife and "sustained a black eye, a badly swollen lip and bad facial bruising.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
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 from Gweedore
Gweedore
Gweedore is an Irish-speaking district located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. Gweedore stretches some 16 miles from Meenaclady in the north to Crolly in the south and around 9 miles from Dunlewey in the east to Magheraclogher in the west, and...
, County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
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...
. He plays his club football for Gaoth Dobhair and also plays for the Donegal inter-county team
Donegal GAA
The Donegal County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Donegal GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Donegal. The county board is also responsible for the Donegal inter-county teams.Gaelic football is strongest in the...
. Cassidy is regarded as one of the best attacking wing half-backs of his generation and has also played in midfield. He is a fluent Irish Speaker and lives in the Gaeltacht area of Donegal. Kevin and his wife both teach as a profession and have 2 young children.
Inter-county
Cassidy and Donegal reached the 2002 Ulster ChampionshipUlster 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...
final, but were defeated. He won 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 performances that year. The following year he helped Donegal reach the All-Ireland semi-final. 2004 saw Donegal once again finish Ulster Championship runners-up.
Cassidy played no part in the 2006 Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2006
The 2006 Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Senior Football Championship began on Sunday, May 7, 2006. The 2006 championship used the same "Qualifier" system that was used in 2005....
after disciplinary problems and went to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for the Summer.
He returned to the Donegal team the following year, this time in midifeld along with Neil Gallagher and played a pivotal role in helping Donegal win the county's first ever National Football 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...
title in 2007. It was the first piece of silverware for the county senior team since 1992.
Cassidy was named Donegal captain for the 2008 season.
He quelled a potential players revolt in 2010.
On 30 July 2011, he scored a long-range winning point in stoppage time at the end of extra-time in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
that sent Donegal on to an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
. He had earlier helped Donegal to their first provincial title in 19 years with the defeat of 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 Ulster final.
In November 2011, Cassidy was dropped from the Donegal team by manager Jim McGuinness
Jim McGuinness
Jim McGuinness , is a retired Gaelic footballer and current manager for Donegal senior team, He was a member of the 1992 All-Ireland winning team. He was also a star of Third Level Colleges football winning Sigerson Cups with Tralee in 1998 and 1999 as captain and with University of Ulster,...
after contributing to a book. He appeared not to understand why this was so.
Club
Cassidy won a Donegal Senior Football Championship medal with Gaoth Dobhair in 2002. While in the United States in 2006, he played in the Boston ChampionshipBoston Senior Football Championship
The Boston Senior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition, played in the Boston region of America. The competition is organised by the Northeast Division Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The games are played at the Irish Cultural Center, in Canton, Massachusetts. The...
. He returned later in the summer to win a second Donegal Championship with Gaoth Dobhair, beating St Eunan's GAA
St Eunan's GAA
Naomh Adhamhnáin is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. Their home ground is O'Donnell Park.- History :The club was founded in 1927...
in the 2006 final.
International Rules
Cassidy has in the past represented IrelandIreland international rules football team
The Ireland International rules football team is the representative team for Ireland in international rules football, a compromise between Gaelic football and Australian rules football...
in the International Rules Series
International Rules Series
The International Rules Series is a senior men's International rules football competition between the Australia international rules football team and the Ireland international rules football team...
.
Personal life
While young, Cassidy's childhood football heroes were Derry'sDerry 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...
Anthony Tohill
Anthony Tohill
Anthony Tohill is an Irish retired Gaelic footballer who played for Derry in the 1990s and early 2000s. He was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning side, also winning two Ulster Championships and four National League titles with the county. Tohill won four All Star...
, Seán Óg de Paor
Seán Óg De Paor
Seán Óg de Paor is a former inter-county footballer for Galway.De Paor comes from An Cheathrú Rua in the Connemara Gaeltacht, where he attended the local national school, Scoil Mhic Dara...
of Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
and Donegal's Anthony Molloy.
Cassidy is a fan of the Celtic F.C.
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...
soccer team, having spent some of his childhood 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...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He regularly attends matches at Parkhead
Parkhead
Parkhead is a district in the East End of Glasgow. Its name comes from a small weaving hamlet at the meeting place of the Great Eastern Road and Westmuir Street. Duke Street and Springfield Road also meet there, to form a turreted Edwardian five-way junction at Parkhead Cross...
.
In August 2008 he was attacked by a gang of about 30 people as he walked home from a niteclub in Derrybeg
Derrybeg
Doirí Beaga is a Gaeltacht village and townland in the civil parish of Tullaghobegly in County Donegal, Ireland. It includes a Roman Catholic church, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta regional studios, a Gaelic Athletic Association club and a golf club.-References:...
with his wife and "sustained a black eye, a badly swollen lip and bad facial bruising.