John Joe O'Reilly facts for kids

John Joe O'Reilly was a famous Irish sports hero from Killeshandra, County Cavan. He is best known for being a fantastic Gaelic footballer who led his team, Cavan, to win some of the biggest championships in Ireland. He was also a brave soldier, serving as a Commandant in the army.

Who Was John Joe O'Reilly?

John Joe O'Reilly was born in a place called the Derries, near Killeshandra in County Cavan. From a young age, he showed great talent for Gaelic football. He played for his school, St Patrick’s College, and his local club, Cornafean. His skills quickly made him a star player.

Leading Cavan to Victory

John Joe O'Reilly became the captain of the Cavan senior football team. This was a very important role, as he was responsible for leading his teammates. Under his leadership, Cavan achieved incredible success.

All-Ireland Champions!

The biggest prize in Gaelic football is the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. John Joe O'Reilly captained the Cavan team to win this championship twice!

• In 1947, Cavan won the All-Ireland final in a very special way. The game was played far away in New York, at a famous stadium called the Polo Grounds. This was a huge moment for Irish sport!
• The very next year, in 1948, John Joe led Cavan to win the All-Ireland Championship again.

He had also played in three other All-Ireland finals before, but his team didn't win those. This shows how determined he was to keep trying!

More Amazing Achievements

John Joe O'Reilly won many other important medals during his career:

• Ulster Medals: He won an incredible 11 Ulster senior football medals. The Ulster Championship is a big competition for teams in the northern part of Ireland. Cavan was almost unbeatable during his time, winning nearly every year from 1937 to 1949.
• National Football League: He also won a medal in the National Football League, another major competition in Ireland.
• Railway Cup: John Joe won four Railway Cup medals. This competition brought together the best players from different parts of Ireland. He was even the first-ever Cavan player to captain the Ulster team in the Railway Cup in 1942 and 1943, and he captained them again in 1950.

The Sam Maguire Trophy

The trophy given to the winners of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship is called the Sam Maguire Cup. John Joe O'Reilly had the special honour of being presented with the Sam Maguire trophy twice as captain. Only a few players in history have achieved this!

A Family of Footballers

Football talent ran in the O'Reilly family! John Joe's father also played Gaelic football for Cavan, as a goalkeeper. His brother, Tom O’Reilly, was also a talented player. Tom played alongside John Joe on the 1947 All-Ireland winning team and also won Railway Cup medals.

John Joe O'Reilly's Legacy

Besides being a football star, John Joe O'Reilly was also a Commandant in the Irish army. Sadly, he passed away on November 22, 1952, at the Curragh Military Hospital.

His impact on Gaelic football was so great that in 1999, he was chosen for the Gaelic Athletic Association's "Team of the Millennium". This special team recognized the very best Gaelic football players from the last 1000 years, and John Joe O'Reilly was named as the centre half-back. He is remembered as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.