Thousands pay their respects to Longford legend and 'utterly dependable' Seamus Flynn

Longford GAA icon Seamus Flynn was remembered as ‘utterly dependable’ and ‘seemingly indestructible’ at his Funeral Mass in St Mary’s Church, Lanesboro last Saturday afternoon.

During his homily, Fr Peter Burke, a former Clonguish team mate of the late Seamus, told the congregation that the 84-year-old left a marvellous legacy and possessed a deep love of football, life, family and faith.

CAPTION: Lanesboro native Fr Brendan O’Sullivan (Athlone) raising the Sam Maguire Cup at the Funeral Mass of the late Seamus Flynn (inset) in St Mary’s Church, Lanesboro last Saturday, On the left are Fr Peter Burke, Ferbane and Fr Tom Barden PP Kenagh, both former Clonguish football team mates of the late Seamus, and right is Chief celebrant Fr Turlough Baxter

Fr Burke recalled lining out alongside Seamus. “He was very encouraging and supportive. He always had your back. He was a leader in defence and elsewhere, always a commanding presence. He had the traits you needed in a full back, a safe pair of hands and a man that could mind the house. He was truly one of the greats of Longford GAA. He loved to win and was a ferocious competitor.”

During his glittering career, with Bornacoola, Harps & Shamrocks in Manchester, Clonguish, Rathcline, Longford, Leinster and ‘a less than legal sojourn’ with St Barry’s of Roscommon, the late Seamus, who entered this world on Sunday, December 10, 1939, won practically every honour and trophy possible in the game. However the one piece of silverware that eluded him was the Sam Maguire Cup and somewhat fittingly it was present in the church on Saturday as mourners gathered to honour his life and say their final farewell.

Seamus was the 4th of seven children born to the late James and Molly (nee Murphy) Flynn in the parish of Bornacoola. He was educated at Cloonmorris NS, Co Leitrim and Longford Vocational School before and like many Irish people of that generation, he ventured to Manchester where he worked in construction from 1959 - 1962.

He married his childhood sweetheart Mary Agnes McGurren in May 1960 and they went on to have two daughters Eithne and Sharon, four sons Michael, Gerard, Andrew and Kevin.

Seamus and Mary Agnes moved to The Green, Lanesboro in 1962 after he took up employment with Bord na Móna and he worked there for forty years until his retirement in 2002. A sod of turf, along with a gaelic football, the Clonguish and Rathcline jerseys, and a selection of medals, were presented as symbols of Seamus’ life, with Fr Burke highlighting the great fulfilment and lasting friendships that Seamus derived and formed while working at BnM.

Seamus played in eleven SFC finals from 1961 to 1976 (ten in Longford, one in the UK). He won eight Longford SFC titles with Clonguish in 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1972 & 1973 (Clonguish also reached the Leinster club semi-final that year), including as Captain in 1968 and 1972. He won a Lancashire SFC title with Harps & Shamrocks in 1961.

Fr Burke recalled that the GAA family was always close to Seamus’ heart and he provided some insight into the well orchestrated transfer of Seamus and his four brothers across the county and provincial boundary from Bornacoola to Clonguish. The move was spearheaded by ‘the unmatched diplomacy of the legendary Bertie Allen. It was Bertie’s finest stroke and with the Flynn family, shur he’d half a team!”

Seamus captained Leinster in the Railway Cup in 1969 (the only Longford player to ever do so) in a team that included four Longford players (Seamus Flynn, Brendan Barden, Jimmy Hannify & Seán Donnelly) and two subs (John Heneghan & Jackie Devine), as Longford proudly dined at the top table of gaelic football.

He won the JFC/JFL double with Clonguish in 1959 and quarter of a century later, he also won the Longford Junior Championship with Rathcline in the GAA’s Centenary Year, 1984 (aged 44).

Seamus made his Longford senior debut versus Mayo in the NFL in October 1959 and during the glory years of Longford GAA, he was pivotal the 1965 O’Byrne Cup triumph, 1965 Gaelic Weekly Cup win, the historic 1965/66 National League success, 1965/66 NFL Division 2 win and Longford’s finest hour, the 1968 Leinster SFC win.

He played for (and won titles with) Mount Dillon in Bord na Mona inter-works competition in 1960's & 1970's and competed in Roscommon inter-firms league in mid 1970's.

His last match in Longford colours was a reunion game organised in May 1978 between the 1966 Longford and Galway NFL final teams, which Longford won 3-10 to 1-11.

Seamus was a selector with Longford from 1976-78 when Jackie Devine was manager and from 1978-79 when Michael Kelly was manager and from 1990-1992 when Dessie Dolan (Snr) was manager.

He played centre-half for Boro Celtic in the Paddy Clabby Cup (Soccer) in 1982 and managed the Rathcline senior team in 1980's and early 1990's.

Seamus was a referee in Longford during the 1980's and 1990's. Indeed, he was an ever-reliable official and assistant to the County Board at various points over the years and was elected Leinster Council delegate in December 1998.

He was selected by the public at Right Full Back in Longford Leader 'Team of the Millennium' in 2000 and he was inducted into the Longford GAA 'Hall of Fame' in 2018.

Seamus regarded Sean Purcell of Galway as his GAA hero, and he also held Mickey Kearns (Sligo), Packie McGarty (Leitrim) and Mickey McLoone (Donegal) in very high regard and in 1968 he got to mark Kerry’s Mick O’Connell, a challenge he relished.

The late Seamus Flynn, The Green, Lanesboro died suddenly but peacefully on Tuesday, February 13. He was predeceased by his parents James and Molly and by his brother Brendan.

Seamus will be sadly missed and remembered with love by his family, loving wife of almost 64 years Mary Agnes, daughters Eithne and Sharon sons Michael, Gerard, Andrew and Kevin, sisters Jeanette Forde and Maura Sheridan, brothers JJ, Gene and Liam, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and a wide circle of friends.

Thousands of mourners from the four corners of the country attended his reposal at Glennon’s Funeral Home, Longford on Friday evening, reflecting the esteem in which Seamus was held.

Mass of The Resurrection was concelebrated on Saturday, February 17 in St Mary’s Church, Lanesboro where the Chief celebrant was Fr Turlough Baxter; Homily was delivered by Fr Peter Burke, Ferbane; Fr Tom Barden, Kenagh both former Clonguish team mates and Lanesboro native Fr Brendan O’Sullivan, Athlone.

And as Seamus was laid to rest in Clonbonny Cemetery, Jody Sheridan poignantly sang the ‘Blue and Gold’ at the graveside. Rest In Peace.

(Information on the playing career of the late Seamus Flynn from LongfordGaelicStats.ie)