Remembering John McCowell: Footballer supreme with Colmcille GFC Longford and London

The recent death of John McCowell (Caulfield) in London has renewed memories of that glorious period in Longford’s GAA history – the 1960s.

The GAA in London was also at its peak then and John McCowell was one of the finest footballers on the London scene at that time.

To be picked on a London team in the early 1960s was an achievement in itself.

There were 70 GAA clubs registered with the London Co Board in 1964, and the city was teaming with accomplished intercounty players who couldn’t find work at home in Ireland.

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John McCowell played for London in two All-Ireland Junior Football Finals, in 1962 and 1964 and, as an indication of his outstanding prowess on the field of play; he played at midfield on both occasions.

Unfortunately for London, they lost both finals. In 1962, they were beaten by Meath by two points,1-13 to 3-5, and beaten by Cork in 1964, by a single point 1-8 to 2-4.

The year 1965 marked the first coming of the great Longford team that won the National League in 1966 and Leinster Senior Championship in 1968.

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It all started when Longford beat Offaly on a wet day in Mullingar. Jackie Devine (Mostrim), another of the star performers in London at that time, was brought over to play against Offaly. The next round was against Laois and the call went out, “What about Johnny McCowell?”

Missed Leinster Senior Final
The County Board responded and, to the great delight of the footballing people in his native Colmcille, John McCowell lined out at midfield against Laois, and Longford won.

The Leinster semi-final against Meath was played in Croke Park on a glorious July day, but rising star, Jimmy Hannify, was chosen at midfield for that game.

However, when Hannify went off injured, it was McCowell who replaced him. What a memorable day that was, as Longford beat Meath to qualify for the Leinster Final for the first time in the history of Gaelic football.

The Leinster Final was a disappointment, as Dublin beat Longford on a rotten wet day in Croke Park, but it was also a bitter disappointment for John McCowell.

The story is that John came home from London and the arrangement was that he would be picked up at Purth Cross.

John was waiting there with his gear, ready for Croke Park, but his transport never turned up and he missed the Leinster Final.

Mobile phones, or phones of any sort, didn’t reach Purth Cross for many years to come.

That was the end of Longford’s great run for that year, and it was also the end of John McCowell’s footballing days with his native county.

1956 Longford Senior Final
As a youngster, John McCowell from Ballinulty, as well as his brothers, Mickie and Tony, starred with Colmcille and John won a Minor Championship medal in 1953.

By 1956 he had earned his place on the Colmcille Senior team and played at midfield in the County Senior Final, which Colmcille lost to Longford Slashers.

Before the throw-in, Johnny placed his “stuff” beside the goalpost and asked the goalie, Owen Denneny, to mind it for him.

It consisted of a cap, gloves and a baby-Power of whiskey. What could be summed up as; a cap for the sun, gloves for the rain and a slug for half-time.

St Vincent’s win London SFC
On the London club scene, John played for a number of clubs, but his greatest achievement came in 1961 when he played midfield with St Vincent’s who took the London Senior Championship in that year.

Interestingly, the winning St Vincent’s team also included two of Longford’s greats, Bobby Burns (Granard) and Seán Donnelly (Longford Slashers) as well as a number of other Longford men.

John also played for Erin’s Hope (Luton) for a period when he worked there and he won a London Junior Championship in 1959 with the club. Liam O’Rourke from Granard, Luke Dolan from Ballinamuck and Frank, Paddy and Jimmy Farrell from Newtownforbes were all on that team.

In his home territory of North Longford, John was known as Johnny McCowell and in London GAA circles as Seán McCowell. The original name “as Gaeilge” would be MacCathmhaoil, but in official circles it was often given as Caulfield.

This is a throwback to times of English rule in Ireland where people were obliged to use Anglacised versions of their surnames. Other examples in the immediate Colmcille area are McNaboe/Victory and Hourican/Summers.

John was affectionately known in football circles as “Red” McCowell and also had the name “Smokey”. Like all good footballers in days gone by, John was often prevailed upon to play a game “on the side” with other clubs, outside the London area.

On such occasions, he took advantage of his alternative name and referred to Caulfield as his “lookalike”.
Páirc an Chrócaigh and Wembley Stadium.

John would be one of the very few Longford men to play in Croke Park and to also play in Wembley Stadium.

On Whit Saturday 1962, John fielded for London against New York in Wembley and the next day he played for London against Offaly in New Eltham. John’s brothers, Michael and Tony, were also prominent footballers.

Tony won a Westmeath Senior Championship with Mullingar Shamrocks in 1964.

John McCowell married Margaret Collins from County Cork.

They met at a dance in one of the Irish halls in London and they had two children, Maria and Seán.

In the 1980s, John had a new house built in his home townland of Ballinulty and the plan was to take the family back to live in Ireland.

However, illness to his wife, and her subsequent death, put paid to his plans.

The family did spend some time in their new house at intervals and young Seán played some underage football with Colmcille.

He later played with Round Towers in London. John’s daughter, Maria, sat in the House of Commons as Conservative MP for Lewis constituency from 2015 to 2024 and held ministerial positions in British governments under Boris Johnston and Rishi Sunak.

John McCowell (Caulfield) died in London on 26 April 2025 at 90 years.

His funeral took place on 4 June at Holy Ghost Church, Balham and he was buried in Morden Cemetery.

The Gaels of Longford, and Colmcille especially, extend their sympathy to Maria and John and the extended Caulfield/ McCowell families.

Bhí trácht ar Sheán Mac Cathmhaoil mar imreoir ar leith sna caogaidí agus sna seascaidí, ní hamháin i gContae an Longfoirt ach i Londain chomh maith.

Ba chailliúint mhór é do Colmcille nuair a d’imigh sé go Sasana, ach ní dhearnadh dearmad riamh air ina áit dhúchais.

Dia go deo leis.