Séamus Moynihan is an Irish Gaelic footballer from Shronedarraugh - a townland half way between Barraduff and Glenflesk, County Kerry

County Kerry

Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...

. He has played football for St Brendan's College, Glenflesk

Glenflesk GAA

Glenflesk is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from County Kerry, Ireland.-Honours:* East Kerry Senior Football Championship 6: 1988, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001* Kerry County Club Championship 1: 2000...

, East Kerry

East Kerry GAA

The East Kerry Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association caters for Gaelic football and hurling in the East Kerry division of the GAA county of Kerry.The East Kerry Divisional Board is made up of 13 Football Clubs and 1 Hurling Club...

, University College Cork

UCC

-Law:* Uniform civil code of India, referring to proposed Civil code in the legal system of India, which would apply equally to all irrespective of their religion...

, Institute of Technology Tralee

Institute of Technology, Tralee

Institute of Technology, Tralee is a third-level educational institution located in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. It was established in 1977 as the Regional Technical College, Tralee.-General information:...

, Kerry

Kerry GAA

The Kerry 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 Kerry...

 Minor, U21 and Senior teams, Munster

Munster GAA

The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...

 Railway Cup side and Ireland International Rules Football

International rules football

International rules football is a team sport consisting of a hybrid of football codes, which was developed to facilitate international representative matches between Australian rules football players and Gaelic football players....

 team. He was a member of the Kerry Senior Football Panel from 1992–2006 and still plays club football for Glenflesk. He resides in Shronedraugh with his wife Noreen + son, Jamie.

Early career

Séamus Moynihan was an impressive underage player, idolising the style of Kerry All-Star forward John Egan and playing for his local GAA club Glenflesk, secondary school team St. Brendan's, Killarney

St. Brendan's, Killarney

St. Brendan's, Killarney, known locally as The Sem, is a secondary school in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland.-History:St. Brendan’s is a Catholic Diocesan College, founded in 1860 by Bishop David Moriarty as a boarding and day-school for boys under the name of ‘ St. Brendan’s Seminary’. The first...

 and Kerry Minors and U21s. Moynihan first taste of inter-county success arrived at the age of 16 when he was part of the Kerry Minor team that claimed the Munster crown in 1990. Growing in stature and influence, the young Moynihan had a stellar year in 1992 when he lined out on the St. Brendan's team that beat St. Jarlath's College

St. Jarlath's College

St. Jarlath's College is a Roman Catholic secondary school for boys in Tuam, County Galway, Ireland. It is an amalgamation of the former St. Jarlath's College and St...

 of Tuam

Tuam

Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...

 in the All-Ireland Colleges Final Hogan Cup

Hogan Cup

The Hogan Cup 1946-48 & 1957-) is the cup presented to the winners of the colleges All-Ireland "A" senior football championship, the top level Gaelic football championship for secondary schools in Ireland. The competition itself is regularly referred to by reference to the trophy's name.St...

 and also turned heads on the Kerry U21 team that won out in Munster. It was about this time that Mickey 'Ned' O'Sullivan, former Kerry captain and current Senior Manager of Limerick began to talk to people about Moynihan's potential. Séamus Moynihan, aged just 18, made his senior debut at midfield for Kerry in the Munster Final, replacing Gneeveguilla

Gneeveguilla

Gneeveguilla, officially Gneevegullia , is a small village in the Sliabh Luachra region of South East County Kerry, Ireland. It lies about east of Killarney, close to the County Kerry/County Cork border....

 veteran Ambrose O'Donovan. Any elation felt by the young player at togging off alongside the likes of Kerry great Eoin 'Bomber' Liston

Eoin Liston

Eoin 'Bomber' Liston is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Beale, his divisional side Shannon Rangers and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1978 until 1993...

 and midfield colossus Jack O'Shea

Jack O'Shea

Jack O’Shea is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played football at various times with his local clubs St. Mary’s in Kerry and Leixlip in Kildare. He was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1976 until 1992...

 was muted as Kerry succumbed to a steely Clare

Clare GAA

The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....

 side on a score of 2-08 to 0-10. It was O'Sullivan's last game in charge.

Formative Career: 1992-1996

During 1992 and 1993 campaigns, Moynihan was tried at halfback, midfield and half forward before settling into the half back line. The next 3 championship seasons were unsettling from a Kerry viewpoint as 3 straight defeats by Cork in 1993, 1994 and 1995 Munster Finals saw the Kerry Seniors eyeballing a 10 year low. Despite this disappointing level of achievement at inter-county level, Séamus Moynihan was beginning a strong run of success at Sigerson Cup level, playing for U.C.C. in the 1994 and 1995 finals; then returning 2 years later in 1997 and 1998 whilst studying a Masters at Tralee IT

Institute of Technology, Tralee

Institute of Technology, Tralee is a third-level educational institution located in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland. It was established in 1977 as the Regional Technical College, Tralee.-General information:...

 to collect a couple more winners medals.

Retirement and Plaudits

Moynihan announced his retirement from inter-county football on Saturday, September 23 through an article in The Irish Times. On the following Monday, Kerry team manager Jack O’Connor hailed Moynihan as “a one-off player” and said Kerry football would never see his like again. He also stated that Séamus was an inspiration to the entire Kerry team, particularly the younger players and that he would be missed. Announcing his decision to quit lining out for Kerry, Moynihan said: “All good things come to an end.”

Career Awards

Moynihan has won four All-Ireland medals, three National Leagues, nine Munster championship medals, four Sigerson Cup medals, three GAA All-Stars, one Railway Cup medal and one Division 2 title. He also won three county championship medals with East Kerry and captained his country in the International Rules series.

Teams