Weeshie's Week

Dr. Eamonn O Sullivan - A Man Before His Time

June 12th, 2007
by Weeshie Fogarty

The idea of writing a book about Dr. Eamonn o Sullivan has been in my head for many years and as I got older the realization of what he had achieved in his lifetime became more and more evident. I had never ceased to be amazed that some well known writer/sports journalist had not taken up the task of getting down in print some of the achievements of this most extraordinary Kerryman.

My earliest recollections of first seeing Dr. Eamonn go right back to 1953, the year he trained Kerry to win their Jubilee All Ireland. In that dramatic and historic match they defeated Armagh, a final that will be forever remembered for Bill McCorry's second half penalty miss. I was too young to be in Croke Park that day, I was only twelve years of age, nevertheless I had a close and personal look at the Kerry team for weeks before the final as they had then as now trained for all big matches in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney. I can trace the beginning of my passion for Kerry football right back to what I experienced that year of 1953. Back then the gates of the field were always open and we would spend our evenings retrieving the football from behind the goals and around the field as the players practiced their point kicking and general football play

The names of the players were revered in the county. Legends such as, Sean Murphy, Jas Murphy, (the captain), Mixi Palmer Jim Brosnan Jackie Lyne, Ned Roche and our own Killarney hero Tadghie Lyne. And there we were in the very same field as them. The Dr. would line them up in a straight line, blow the whistle, the players would sprint flat out for about fourteen yards, he would whistle again and they would slow to a fast walk, and this exercise would be repeated up and down the field. His theory was, fast off the mark, quick reactions. Piggy back, rope skipping, hand passing in fours up and down the field and big groups standing around in a circle passing the ball alternatively with the right and left hands. These were only a few of the drills I remember of those long gone days of the fifties. While the group hand passing was going on he would talk in his low quiet measured tones, passing on his vast knowledge to his players.

It was a regular and much looked forward to visit each evening to the Stadium as I and my boyhood friends looked on it awe as these giants of Kerrymen were put through their paces. And there in the middle of the field was this tall stately man, dressed in a suit, shirt and tie wearing either brown or black shoes always shining and brightly polished. He always had a stop watch in one hand and a whistle in the other and some evenings he would sit down as he regularly carried with him one of these golf sticks you could open at the top and form a little seat. He was never dressed in a track suit, never wore a pair of football boots and a wet evening he would have a brightly colored umbrella and wore a gabardine raincoat.

And my most abiding memory of all, in stark contrast to to-days trainers this quiet elegant man never once raised his voice to shout at, encourage, or berate one of his players. This I remember most all of the first person I saw training a Kerry team. Dr. Eamonno Sullivan. Little did I realize then that I was in the presence of a man who had trained Kerry to win All Irelands in 1924-26-37-46. They would as stated win that 1953 final and he would go on and add three more to his record, 1955-59-62

Let me say straight away that I would never have taken on the task of documenting his greatest achievements except for the fact that his sons very kindly gave me permission to re print in full his very lengthy and detailed account which he himself entitled, "Self-Outline of Biographical Details". This wonderful previously unpublished typed document was written by Eamonnwhen he retired from his position in Saint Finan's Hospital Killarney as Resident Medical Superintendent in July 1962

It contains detailed and specific accounts of his life from the year he was born right up to his retirement. This biographical account if published on its very own would be sufficient to declare that Eamonnwas truly one of the great Kerrymen of the twenty century. I believe it would be fair to say that his written self-outline is in itself a historic document in its own right and deserves to be published and available for future generations.

So the main basis of this book is the wonderful life account of what Eamonnhimself has left us. That I have included in its entirety, without any additions or subtractions. This was my final decision following consultation with writers far more eminent that myself. I then decided to include in the book people and events which we know from his account touched on Eamonnlife one way or another.eg. He reveals that, "my old friend the late "Phileen" o Sullivan announced to the Kerry team of 1924 that I would train them for the delayed final against Dublin". This was in fact the very first Eamonnhad heard that he was the new Kerry trainer. So who was this man Eamonncalled "Phileen" who can now be credited with the honour of beginning Eamon's Kerry training career? I include a short account of Phil's life and sadly I discovered that the Tousist man is the only winning Kerry captain buried outside Ireland.

Like wise when Eamonntrained the Kery team to win their seventh All Ireland title in 1924 defeating Kildare following a historic draw and re-play Jack Murphy a brilliant footballer from Balycarbery, Caherceiveen died tragically between the draw and re-play. His death at such a young age, he was only twenty-two, stunned the country. Eamonnof course attended Jack's funeral and I am particularly happy to remember him in this publication. Other legendary Kerry names will surface, however I have tried as far as possible to write about people and events which have been lost and forgotten to an extent in the mists of time.

I am very grateful to those people who took time out to talk to me of their memories of Eamonnand their interviews included in full I hope give an overall view of the man. However three interviews I am especially grateful for and extremely fortunate to have obtained are those with three of Eamonnfour sons. Two years before He died at the age of seventy I did a lengthy interview with Tony o Sullivan by phone from his home in Oxfordshire. He gave me open, honest and detailed account of his memories growing up in Killarney and his father's great love for his wife and children. Two years late James o Sullivan visited Killarney on holidays from his home in England and we sat down together and he too recalled his father and his great love for all things Kerry. Edward was much nearer home; he lives in Killarney so he too gave of his time. Their interviews are vital I believe as they give a previously unknown insight into Eamonnprivate life.

Among the other people I spoke to in my research were ninety year old Jack o Keeffe from Killarney. Jack is at the time of writing president of the famed Killarney Dr. Croke GAA club of which Eamonnwas a staunch member. Jack had been a member of the committee formed by the Crokes to build the Fitzgerald Stadium and he too has vivid memories of Eamon. Once again I consider myself very fortunate to have spoken before his death to another college of Eamon. Dr. Desmond Hayes was a working college at Saint Finan's Psychiatric Hospital for many years. I visited him in May 2001 at his home in Aghadoe, Killarney where he lived out his retirement with his daughter Catherine and son-in-law Denis Coffey. He gave a wonderful insight into the man away from football and his contribution to psychiatry. His interview is also included in full. There are numerous others as you will discover.



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