Joe Brolly facts for kids
Joe Brolly, taken at a 2011 event to promote the Irish language
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Gaelic football | ||
| Position | Corner forward | ||
| Born | 25 June 1969 Dungiven, Northern Ireland |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Occupation | Barrister, columnist, television pundit | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
|
?–?
|
Dungiven St Brigid's |
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| Club titles | |||
| Derry titles | 2 | ||
| Ulster titles | 1 | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | ||
|
1990–2001
|
Derry | ||
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Ulster titles | 2 | ||
| All-Irelands | 1 | ||
| NFL | 4 | ||
| All Stars | 2 | ||
Joe Brolly, whose full name is Padraig Joseph Brolly, was born on June 25, 1969. He is a well-known Irish expert in Gaelic football. He has worked as a coach and a selector, and he used to play at a high level for the Derry county team. Joe is also a lawyer. He comes from Dungiven, a town in Northern Ireland.
Joe played Gaelic football for Derry during the 1990s and early 2000s. He was a key player when Derry won their only All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 1993. He also helped his team win two Ulster Senior Football Championships and four National League titles.
For most of his club career, Joe played for St Canice's Dungiven. Later, he moved to play for St Brigid's GAC in Belfast. He usually played as a 'right corner forward.' He was known for being very good at scoring points and goals. He was also fast and skilled at getting past opponents. Joe was famous for blowing kisses to the crowd after scoring a goal.
After he stopped playing, Joe Brolly became a popular television expert. He was a regular on the RTÉ show The Sunday Game until 2019.
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Joe Brolly's Early Life and Family
Joe Brolly's mother, Anne Brolly, is a famous traditional singer. She was also a local council member for Sinn Féin in Limavady. His father, Francie Brolly, was also a traditional musician. Francie played Gaelic football for Derry in the 1960s. He later became a Sinn Féin council member and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA).
Joe went to boarding school at Saint Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh. While there, he played basketball for Ireland as a schoolboy. After school, he went to Trinity College Dublin to study law. He finished his law degree in 1991. Then, he did another course at Queen's University Belfast. He was an active member of the Dublin University Central Athletic Club (DUCAC) during his time at Trinity.
Joe's first wife was Emma-Rose McCann. She is from Ballymena and is the daughter of a well-known lawyer. Joe and Emma-Rose met at Trinity College. Emma-Rose is also a first cousin of the famous actor Liam Neeson. Joe and Emma-Rose have five children together. Joe is now married to Laurita Blewitt, who is a podcaster and radio presenter. They got married in County Mayo in August 2022.
Joe Brolly is a first cousin to Derry player Liam Hinphey and Monaghan player Vincent Corey. He is also a second cousin to Tyrone footballers Colm and Plunkett Donaghy.
Joe Brolly's Playing Career
Playing for Derry County
Joe Brolly first played for the Derry Senior team against Cavan in the National League in 1990. In 1993, he was part of the Derry team that won the Ulster Senior Football Championship and the county's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. He received All Stars Awards in 1996 and 1997. These awards recognize the best players in Gaelic football. In 1997, he was the top scorer in the Ulster Championship.
Joe won a second Ulster Senior Football Championship with Derry in 1998. In that final game, he scored the winning goal in the last minute. Derry also won the National Football League four times between 1992 and 2000. Joe was part of the team for all four of those wins. In 1998, Joe and the Derry team finished second in the National League to Offaly.
Playing for Clubs
When he was 21, Joe Brolly helped Dungiven win the Derry Senior Football Championship in 1991. He won another Derry Championship medal in 1997. That year, he also won the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship. He was the top scorer in the Derry Championship that year. He was also named 'man of the match' in the final game at Celtic Park.
Joe later played for St Brigid's GAC in Belfast. This club won the Antrim Intermediate Football Championship. In 2006, St Brigid's became the first GAA club to play against the Police Service of Northern Ireland Gaelic football team. In 2009, Joe broke his leg while playing in a practice match. St Brigid's reached the semi-final of the Antrim Senior Football Championship that year.
Playing for College Teams
Joe Brolly first became known on the national stage while playing in the Sigerson Cup. He won his only inter-varsity medal in 1992. This was as a member of Queen's victorious Ryan Cup team.
Playing Hurling
Joe also played hurling for his local club, Kevin Lynch's. In 1982, they won Division 2 of the All-Ireland Féile na nGael competition.
Joe Brolly's Coaching Career
Joe Brolly helped coach the Antrim team. They finished second in the 2007 Tommy Murphy Cup. The next year, in 2008, they won the competition.
In 2025, Joe Brolly joined the Mayo club Knockmore GAA. He became a selector and head coach, working with Dessie Sloyan and manager Ray Dempsey.
Other Work and Public Role
Joe Brolly writes articles for Gaelic Life and the Sunday Independent newspapers. He is also a well-known football expert on radio and television. He used to be a regular on the long-running RTÉ show The Sunday Game. A writer for The Irish Times newspaper, Keith Duggan, once called Joe Brolly "the most outspoken and clear-speaking expert on Irish television."
As a barrister (a type of lawyer), Joe has worked on criminal cases. He has defended people in court who are linked to Irish republicanism. In 2011, he was involved in a case at the UK Supreme Court. This case helped establish that people who were wrongly convicted could receive money as compensation. This was even if they couldn't prove they were completely innocent.
Honours and Awards
County Achievements
- All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (1): 1993
- National Football League (4): 1992, 1995, 1996, 2000
- Ulster Senior Football Championship (2): 1993, 1998
- Dr McKenna Cup (2): 1993, 1999
Club Achievements
- Ulster Senior Club Football Championship (1): 1997
- Derry Senior Football Championship (2): 1991, 1997
- Derry Senior Football League (2): 1990, 1991
College Achievements
- Ryan Cup (1): 1992
Individual Awards
- All Stars Award (2): 1996, 1997
