Eamonn Coleman
Encyclopedia
Eamonn Coleman was an Irish
Gaelic football
er and later manager
.
He had two separate stints as manager the Derry senior football team
, and his chief success was guiding the county to the victory in the 1993 All-Ireland Championship
- Derry's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
title. He also had spells as manager of Armagh
, Cavan
, Longford
and various club sides.
Before moving into management he has an accomplished playing career with Derry and his club team Ballymaguigan
.
townland
of Ballymaguigan
on the western shores of Lough Neagh
in 1947 or 1948. His son Gary
, was also a talented footballer and was lef half back on the victorious 1993 Derry team; also winning an All Star
for his performances that year.
minor team that won the Ulster Minor
and All-Ireland Minor Championship
s in 1965, beating Cavan
and Kerry
in the respective finals.
He won an Ulster Under 21 Championship
medal with Derry under-21s in 1967. The following year the team defended their Ulster Championship and went on to win the All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
; beating Offaly
in the final.
Coleman soon progressed into the senior team and in 1970 helped Derry win the Dr. McKenna Cup and Ulster Senior Football Championship
. He won a second McKenna Cup medal in 1971. The same side won the Wembley Tournament in both these years.
senior side at just 14 years of age in 1962. That year as a 14/15 year old he won the Derry Senior Football Championship with the club, scoring 1-2 in the final replay against Castledawson
. Ballymaguigan also won that year's Derry League title. He later helped the club to win Derry Junior
and Derry Intermediate Championships
in 1969 and 1971.
Coleman played for Ballinderry in the early 1980s and won a second Derry Championship medal in 1981.
While working in County Westmeath
, Coleman lined out for Athlone
, with whom he won two Westmeath Senior Football Championships in 1979 and 1982.
and All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
s. Four of this team would be in his senior winning panel ten years later. They defended the Ulster title with Coleman at the helm in 1984.
He led Derry under 21s to victory in the 1985 Ulster Under-21 Football Championship
. In 1989 he became Armagh manager alongside Fr. Sean Hegarty.
He took over as Derry senior manager in November 1990. In November 1990 Derry were managerless and the Derry County Board rang Coleman and asked him to return home to manage Derry. When he took on the Derry job, the team was languishing in Division 3 of the National Football League
. After consecutive promotions, he achieved his first national trophy as Derry senior manager by winning the NFL in 1992. Anthony Tohill
scored a late winning goal for Derry in a two point victory over neighbours Tyrone
.
The following year Coleman later guided Derry to their best ever year, winning both Ulster and All-Ireland Championships. After beating Donegal
in the Ulster Senior Football Championship
final, he led Derry to success in the 1993 All-Ireland Championship
, beating Dublin
in the semi-final and Cork in the final 1-14 to 2-08. Fergal P. McCusker
who was on the All-Ireland winning side said "The Derry team would not have been brought together without his skills. He stitched a bunch of guys together and we would have gone through brick walls. We'd have done anything for him. He was the man that inspired you to go that extra yard".
Despite his success with Derry in 1993, he was removed as the manager in 1994 after a loss against Down
, a game in which was described by many as the greatest match of all time. GAA journalist John Haughey described the Derry Board's decision to sack Coleman as "both disgraceful and shortsighted". Many claim if he had been allowed to remain, Derry won have won at least one more All-Ireland in the mid-1990s. He was replaced by Mickey Moran
, who had been his assistant.
Following a brief flirtation with Longford
in the mid-1990s,Coleman drifted into club management in County Cavan
.
Alongside Adrian McGuckin, Coleman replaced former Dublin
footballer Brian Mullins
as Derry manager in 1999 and steered Derry to another National League title in 2000. In 2001 Derry reached the All-Ireland semi-final but were beaten by Galway
. Coleman won Personality of the Year at the 2001 Ulster GAA Writer's Association Awards, having previously won the award in 1993. He stood down as Derry manager in 2002.
In 2003 Coleman became manager of Cavan
, but was forced to stand down in 2005, after becoming ill. In 2005 he led Cavan under 21s to the Ulster Under 21 Championship final, but they were defeated by Down
.
Despite going through chemotherapy at the time, Coleman came into the Derry dressing room before Derry's opening game of the 2006 Championship
against reigning All-Ireland champions Tyrone. Joe Brolly
said "He delivered a thundering oration and with all the Derry boys, the hairs were standing up on the back of the necks. It was a genuinely motivational speech and to think that just a year on, he's gone. It's very distressing." Derry went on to beat Tyrone comfortably.
.
He emigrated to England
to look for work in the late 1980s. He managed the Round Tower's club that won the London Senior Football Championship
in 1987.
Coleman led Cavan
club side Gowna to five Cavan Senior Football Championship titles - 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002.
breakthrough team. Along with Belfast man Charlie Sweeney, "wee Eamonn" steered Jordanstown to inter-varsity wins in 1986 and 1987. The team featured Dermot McNicholl
and Enda Gormley
, who would both be part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland winning side.
, aged 59.
1958 Texaco Footballer of the Year
Jim McKeever described Coleman as a "very significant figure in football in Ireland".
Monaghan
manager Martin McElkennon, who was coach with Coleman with Cavan and in his second term at Derry said "Eamonn Coleman was a one-off. I would have trusted him with my life".
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er and later manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
.
He had two separate stints as manager the Derry senior football team
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
, and his chief success was guiding the county to the victory in the 1993 All-Ireland Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1993
-All-Ireland Football Final:-Top championship scorer:...
- Derry's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
title. He also had spells as manager of Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...
, Cavan
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Cavan...
, Longford
Longford GAA
The Longford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Longford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Longford...
and various club sides.
Before moving into management he has an accomplished playing career with Derry and his club team Ballymaguigan
Ballymaguigan GAC
St. Trea's Ballymaguigan GFC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballymaguigan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They play in the Derry league and championships. They currently cater for both Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football....
.
Personal life
He was born in the small County LondonderryCounty Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Ballymaguigan
Ballymaguigan
Ballymaguigan is a hamlet and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is near the northwest shore of Lough Neagh and close to Magherafelt. The hamlet forms one part of a parish named Ardtrea North. Ballymaguigan is part of the local Magherafelt District Council.-Lough Neagh:Lough...
on the western shores of Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh, sometimes Loch Neagh, is a large freshwater lake in Northern Ireland. Its name comes .-Geography:With an area of , it is the largest lake in the British Isles and ranks among the forty largest lakes of Europe. Located twenty miles to the west of Belfast, it is approximately twenty...
in 1947 or 1948. His son Gary
Gary Coleman (Gaelic footballer)
Gary Coleman is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played with Derry in the 1990s and early 2000s. He still plays club football with St. Trea's GFC Ballymaguigan....
, was also a talented footballer and was lef half back on the victorious 1993 Derry team; also winning an All Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
for his performances that year.
Inter-county
Coleman was part of the DerryDerry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
minor team that won the Ulster Minor
Ulster Minor Football Championship
The Ulster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ulster Council. The trophy for the winning side is The Liam Murray Cup. The competition began in 1930, with...
and All-Ireland Minor Championship
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
s in 1965, beating Cavan
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Cavan...
and Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
in the respective finals.
He won an Ulster Under 21 Championship
Ulster Under-21 Football Championship
For the Senior equivalent see: Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Under-21 Football Championship known for sponsorship reasons as the Cadbury Ulster Under-21 Football Championship is a Gaelic football tournament for players under the age of 21, contested by the nine counties of Ulster in...
medal with Derry under-21s in 1967. The following year the team defended their Ulster Championship and went on to win the All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
; beating Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in the final.
Coleman soon progressed into the senior team and in 1970 helped Derry win the Dr. McKenna Cup and Ulster Senior Football Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
. He won a second McKenna Cup medal in 1971. The same side won the Wembley Tournament in both these years.
Club
At underage level Coleman competed for Ballinderry as there was no underage teams in Ballymaguigan. He was first asked into the BallymaguiganBallymaguigan GAC
St. Trea's Ballymaguigan GFC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballymaguigan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They play in the Derry league and championships. They currently cater for both Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football....
senior side at just 14 years of age in 1962. That year as a 14/15 year old he won the Derry Senior Football Championship with the club, scoring 1-2 in the final replay against Castledawson
Castledawson GAC
St. Malachy's GAC Castledawson is a Gaelic Athletic Club from Castledawson, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for both Gaelic football and Camogie....
. Ballymaguigan also won that year's Derry League title. He later helped the club to win Derry Junior
Derry Junior Football Championship
The Derry Junior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition between the Junior Derry clubs...
and Derry Intermediate Championships
Derry Intermediate Football Championship
The Derry Intermediate Football Club Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the intermediate Derry clubs...
in 1969 and 1971.
Coleman played for Ballinderry in the early 1980s and won a second Derry Championship medal in 1981.
While working in County Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
, Coleman lined out for Athlone
Athlone GAA
Athlone GAA is the Gaelic football club in the town of Athlone in County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland. The local Hurling club is called .Athlone are the most successful club in Gaelic Football in Westmeath.-Club history:...
, with whom he won two Westmeath Senior Football Championships in 1979 and 1982.
Inter-county
In 1983 he led the Derry minor side to success in the Ulster MinorUlster Minor Football Championship
The Ulster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ulster Council. The trophy for the winning side is The Liam Murray Cup. The competition began in 1930, with...
and All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
s. Four of this team would be in his senior winning panel ten years later. They defended the Ulster title with Coleman at the helm in 1984.
He led Derry under 21s to victory in the 1985 Ulster Under-21 Football Championship
Ulster Under-21 Football Championship
For the Senior equivalent see: Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Under-21 Football Championship known for sponsorship reasons as the Cadbury Ulster Under-21 Football Championship is a Gaelic football tournament for players under the age of 21, contested by the nine counties of Ulster in...
. In 1989 he became Armagh manager alongside Fr. Sean Hegarty.
He took over as Derry senior manager in November 1990. In November 1990 Derry were managerless and the Derry County Board rang Coleman and asked him to return home to manage Derry. When he took on the Derry job, the team was languishing in Division 3 of the National Football League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
. After consecutive promotions, he achieved his first national trophy as Derry senior manager by winning the NFL in 1992. Anthony Tohill
Anthony Tohill
Anthony Tohill is an Irish retired Gaelic footballer who played for Derry in the 1990s and early 2000s. He was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning side, also winning two Ulster Championships and four National League titles with the county. Tohill won four All Star...
scored a late winning goal for Derry in a two point victory over neighbours Tyrone
Tyrone GAA
The Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....
.
The following year Coleman later guided Derry to their best ever year, winning both Ulster and All-Ireland Championships. After beating Donegal
Donegal GAA
The Donegal County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Donegal GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Donegal. The county board is also responsible for the Donegal inter-county teams.Gaelic football is strongest in the...
in the Ulster Senior Football Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
final, he led Derry to success in the 1993 All-Ireland Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1993
-All-Ireland Football Final:-Top championship scorer:...
, beating Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
in the semi-final and Cork in the final 1-14 to 2-08. Fergal P. McCusker
Fergal McCusker
Fergal P. McCusker is a Gaelic footballer who played with Derry in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He played club football with Watty Graham's GAC Glen until retiring in 2007....
who was on the All-Ireland winning side said "The Derry team would not have been brought together without his skills. He stitched a bunch of guys together and we would have gone through brick walls. We'd have done anything for him. He was the man that inspired you to go that extra yard".
Despite his success with Derry in 1993, he was removed as the manager in 1994 after a loss against Down
Down GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
, a game in which was described by many as the greatest match of all time. GAA journalist John Haughey described the Derry Board's decision to sack Coleman as "both disgraceful and shortsighted". Many claim if he had been allowed to remain, Derry won have won at least one more All-Ireland in the mid-1990s. He was replaced by Mickey Moran
Mickey Moran
Mickey Moran is a retired footballer and currently a manager. He played inter-county football for Derry in the 1970s and early 1980s. He played his club football for Watty Graham's Glen....
, who had been his assistant.
Following a brief flirtation with Longford
Longford GAA
The Longford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Longford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Longford...
in the mid-1990s,Coleman drifted into club management in County Cavan
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
Alongside Adrian McGuckin, Coleman replaced former Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
footballer Brian Mullins
Brian Mullins
Brian Mullins is a retired Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local club St. Vincent's and was a member of the Dublin senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1985. Mullins later served as manager of both Dublin and Derry...
as Derry manager in 1999 and steered Derry to another National League title in 2000. In 2001 Derry reached the All-Ireland semi-final but were beaten by Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
. Coleman won Personality of the Year at the 2001 Ulster GAA Writer's Association Awards, having previously won the award in 1993. He stood down as Derry manager in 2002.
In 2003 Coleman became manager of Cavan
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Cavan...
, but was forced to stand down in 2005, after becoming ill. In 2005 he led Cavan under 21s to the Ulster Under 21 Championship final, but they were defeated by Down
Down GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
.
Despite going through chemotherapy at the time, Coleman came into the Derry dressing room before Derry's opening game of the 2006 Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2006
The 2006 Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Senior Football Championship began on Sunday, May 7, 2006. The 2006 championship used the same "Qualifier" system that was used in 2005....
against reigning All-Ireland champions Tyrone. Joe Brolly
Joe Brolly
Joe Brolly is an Irish barrister, TV pundit, and ex Gaelic footballer who played for Derry in the 1990s and early 2000s. He was part of Derry's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning side in 1993 and also won two Ulster Senior Football Championships and four National League...
said "He delivered a thundering oration and with all the Derry boys, the hairs were standing up on the back of the necks. It was a genuinely motivational speech and to think that just a year on, he's gone. It's very distressing." Derry went on to beat Tyrone comfortably.
Club
Coleman was manager of the Kildress team that won the 1978 Tyrone Intermediate Football ChampionshipTyrone Intermediate Football Championship
The Tyrone Intermediate Football Club Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition between the 16 Tyrone clubs competing in Division 2 of the Tyrone All-County Football league.The winners of the Tyrone Championship qualify to represent their county in the Ulster...
.
He emigrated to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to look for work in the late 1980s. He managed the Round Tower's club that won the London Senior Football Championship
London Senior Football Championship
The London Senior Club Football Championship is a Gaelic Athletic Association cup competition between the top Gaelic football clubs in London, England. The London Football championship first began in 1897 with Ireland United claiming the inaugural title...
in 1987.
Coleman led Cavan
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Cavan...
club side Gowna to five Cavan Senior Football Championship titles - 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002.
College
In the late 1980s Coleman was a key figure in the University of Ulster, Jordanstown (UUJ) Sigerson CupSigerson Cup
The Sigerson Cup is the top division of Higher Education Gaelic football in Ireland, It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
breakthrough team. Along with Belfast man Charlie Sweeney, "wee Eamonn" steered Jordanstown to inter-varsity wins in 1986 and 1987. The team featured Dermot McNicholl
Dermot McNicholl
Dermot "Spoofer" McNicholl , from Glenullin, is an All Star winning former Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Derry in the 1980s and 1990s. He was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Championship winning side, also winning Ulster Senior Football Championships in 1987 and 1993. He usually played in...
and Enda Gormley
Enda Gormley
Enda Gormley is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played with Derry in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He played club football with Glen, and currently plays with Belfast club Bredagh....
, who would both be part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland winning side.
Death
Eamonn Coleman died on 11 June 2007 after a long battle with Non-Hodgkin lymphomaNon-Hodgkin lymphoma
The non-Hodgkin lymphomas are a diverse group of blood cancers that include any kind of lymphoma except Hodgkin's lymphomas. Types of NHL vary significantly in their severity, from indolent to very aggressive....
, aged 59.
1958 Texaco Footballer of the Year
Texaco Footballer of the Year
The Texaco Footballer of the Year is a Gaelic football award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a footballer of outstanding excellence...
Jim McKeever described Coleman as a "very significant figure in football in Ireland".
Monaghan
Monaghan GAA
The Monaghan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Monaghan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Monaghan and the Monaghan inter-county football and hurling teams. Separate county boards are responsible for the...
manager Martin McElkennon, who was coach with Coleman with Cavan and in his second term at Derry said "Eamonn Coleman was a one-off. I would have trusted him with my life".