Seán O'Neill
Encyclopedia
Seán O'Neill is a retired Northern Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football
with his local club John Mitchel
and was a member of the Down
senior inter-county team from the 1950s until the 1960s. O'Neill is one of only four Down players to win three All-Ireland
titles. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time.
O'Neill is regarded as one of Gaelic football
's outstanding forwards, scoring 85 goals and over 500 points for Down senior football team
, and was a major figure in the county’s All-Ireland
victories of 1960, 1961 and 1968. O'Neill's credits include seven Ulster
senior football medals and eight Railway Cup medals in 1960, 1963 to 1966, 1968, 1970 and 1971. He won three National League
medals, in 1960, 1962 and 1968, as well as six All Star awards
. Other honours include a Sigerson Cup
medal with the Queen's University of Belfast
in 1958, whom he later coached to further wins. He played club football with John Mitchel GFC
Newry, winning the Down Senior Football Championship in 1960, 1964, 1967 and 1968. He also won the Down Minor Championship with Newry Mitchels in 1956 - the year the club was formed.His brother Kevin won a all Ireland with down in the 1960s.
Along with Joe Lennon, Dan McCartan and Paddy Doherty he was one of four Down men who won all three All-Ireland medals in the 1960s.
.
Sean coached the Queen's University Belfast senior team in the early 1980s. As coach, he won the Sigerson Cup in 1982 and the Ryan Cup in 1984 and 1985.
He was named right half forward on the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Football Team of the Millennium.
O'Neill is a solicitor by profession.
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
with his local club John Mitchel
John Mitchel GFC
John Mitchel GFC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club, established in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland in 1956 and is called after the Irish Patriot John Mitchel...
and was a member of the Down
Down GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
senior inter-county team from the 1950s until the 1960s. O'Neill is one of only four Down players to win three All-Ireland
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...
titles. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time.
Career
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
's outstanding forwards, scoring 85 goals and over 500 points for Down senior football team
Down GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
, and was a major figure in the county’s All-Ireland
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...
victories of 1960, 1961 and 1968. O'Neill's credits include seven Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. 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 administrative and judicial...
senior football medals and eight Railway Cup medals in 1960, 1963 to 1966, 1968, 1970 and 1971. He won three 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...
medals, in 1960, 1962 and 1968, as well as six 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...
. Other honours include a Sigerson Cup
Sigerson 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...
medal with the Queen's University of Belfast
Queen's University of Belfast
Queen's University Belfast is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The university's official title, per its charter, is the Queen's University of Belfast. It is often referred to simply as Queen's, or by the abbreviation QUB...
in 1958, whom he later coached to further wins. He played club football with John Mitchel GFC
John Mitchel GFC
John Mitchel GFC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club, established in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland in 1956 and is called after the Irish Patriot John Mitchel...
Newry, winning the Down Senior Football Championship in 1960, 1964, 1967 and 1968. He also won the Down Minor Championship with Newry Mitchels in 1956 - the year the club was formed.His brother Kevin won a all Ireland with down in the 1960s.
Along with Joe Lennon, Dan McCartan and Paddy Doherty he was one of four Down men who won all three All-Ireland medals in the 1960s.
Later life
O'Neill was the Down minor team coach, winning the 1977 All-Ireland Minor Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Minor Football Championship
The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
.
Sean coached the Queen's University Belfast senior team in the early 1980s. As coach, he won the Sigerson Cup in 1982 and the Ryan Cup in 1984 and 1985.
He was named right half forward on the 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...
Gaelic Football Team of the Millennium.
O'Neill is a solicitor by profession.