Colm O'Rourke facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Gaelic football | ||
| Position | Full Forward Line Right | ||
| Born | 31 August 1957 Aughavas, County Leitrim, Ireland |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Occupation | Secondary school principal | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
|
1975–1995
|
Skryne | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Meath titles | 2 | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
|
1975–1995
|
Meath | 59 (16-105) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Leinster titles | 5 | ||
| All-Irelands | 2 | ||
| NFL | 3 | ||
| All Stars | 3 | ||
Colm O'Rourke (born 31 August 1957) is a well-known figure in Gaelic football. He has been a manager and a famous player. He also worked as a school principal and is a sports broadcaster and writer. His career playing for the Meath county team lasted twenty years, from 1975 to 1995.
Colm was born in Aughavas, County Leitrim, Ireland. His family later moved to Skryne in County Meath, where he grew up. He played Gaelic football while attending St Patrick's Classical School in Navan. He started playing for the Skryne club when he was young. He helped Skryne win two county senior championships in 1992 and 1993. Colm also studied at University College Dublin, earning a degree in 1978. He won a Sigerson Cup medal there in 1979.
Colm O'Rourke first played for Meath on the minor (underage) team. He later joined the under-21 team. He made his senior debut for Meath in the 1975–76 league. For the next twenty years, he was a key player. He won two All-Ireland medals in a row, in 1987 and 1988. He also won five Leinster medals and three National Football League medals. In 1991, he was named Footballer of the Year. Colm played his last game for Meath in July 1995.
After he stopped playing, Colm continued his teaching career. He also started working in sports media. He became a studio analyst for RTÉ's main sports show, The Sunday Game, for over twenty-five years. Colm also managed the Meath senior team from 2022 to 2024. He writes a weekly column for the Sunday Independent newspaper.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Even though Colm O'Rourke became a famous Meath footballer, he was not born in Meath. He was born in a small area called Aughavas in County Leitrim. When he was young, his family moved from County Leitrim to County Meath.
Colm's son, Shane, also played for the Meath senior football team. His nephew, Paddy, played as a goalkeeper for Meath.
Playing Career Highlights
As a Gaelic footballer, Colm O'Rourke achieved great success. He won two All-Ireland medals with Meath. These wins were in 1987 and 1988. He also won five Leinster Senior Football Championship medals. In addition, he won three National Football League titles. Many people believe his playing was very important for Meath's wins against Dublin during that time.
Colm received three All-Star awards for Meath. These awards were in 1983, 1988, and 1991. People still talk about his performance in the Dublin-Meath matches in 1991. He played with a bandaged knee, showing his dedication. When he played for Meath, he was part of a forward line with Brian Stafford and Bernard Flynn. This group is often thought of as one of the best forward lines ever in Gaelic football.
Management Roles
Colm O'Rourke has also had a successful career as a manager. He managed the Simonstown Gaels GFC club in Navan. He led them to two Meath Senior Football Finals in 2003 and 2004, though they did not win those. However, he guided the club to its first adult title in 2005. They won the Meath Football League Division 1 that year.
He then led Simonstown Gaels to their first-ever Senior Championship win in 2016. They won it again in 2017. Colm returned to manage Simonstown for a fourth time in November 2020. He suggested this would be his last club management job.
Colm also managed the Ireland team in the Compromise Rules competition. He led the team in 1998 and 1999. In July 2022, Colm O'Rourke was confirmed as the new manager of the Meath senior football team. He led Meath to win the 2023 Tailteann Cup. This is the second-tier Gaelic football competition. They defeated Down with a score of 2–13 to 0–14. Colm stopped being the manager of Meath in August 2024.
Teaching Career
Colm O'Rourke worked for 42 years at St Patrick's Classical School in Navan. He started as a teacher and later became the principal. He also coached the school's Gaelic football team. He led them to many wins at both provincial and national levels. In October 2022, Colm announced he would retire as principal. This allowed him to focus on his role as manager of the Meath senior inter-county men's team.
Media and Writing Career
Colm O'Rourke began working for RTÉ in 1991 on The Sunday Game. He has also written sports columns for the Sunday Independent newspaper.
He sometimes writes articles for the Sunday Independent about education. Colm was also set to make a small appearance in "The Rising," an Irish film about the Easter Rising.
Views and Opinions
Colm O'Rourke has shared his thoughts on various topics. He has written about his disapproval of Sinn Féin. He also wrote in support of Phil Hogan after a public event led to Hogan leaving his job. O'Rourke described Hogan as one of the "good people."
