John McAndrew
Encyclopedia
Sean Victor "John" McAndrew (born July 9, 1927) was a Gaelic football
er. He was born in the County Mayo
town of Bangor Erris
.
McAndrew is one of the few Mayo Gaelic footballers still alive to hold All-Ireland Senior Football winners medals. He was part of the 1950 and 1951 team, captained by Seán Flanagan
, that won titles back-to-back those years at Croke Park
, Dublin.
In the mid-1950s, John studied and graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin.
After emigrating to England in the early 1960s, McAndrew led John Mitchel's Gaelic football
team in Birmingham to numerous Warwickshire Senior Championships.
McAndrew's first medical practice in England was in the rural Staffordshire town of Madeley. After a short period there, John saw an opportunity to take over a practice in the Sandwell
town of Old Hill
, near Cradley Heath
. It was here, and for over 40 years, that McAndrew ran a single-handed practice deep in the Black Country
, serving the local community.
Always interested in sport of any kind, John successfully took up the hobby of greyhound racing
, both at NGRC and independent tracks - although not both at the same time. Dr McAndrew gained a reputation for his astuteness in selecting young dogs from Ireland, and developing them through intensive training and superior nutrition. Amongst accolades collected were the Birmingham Cup, ran at the old Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium, and the Welsh and Bolton St Legers.
McAndrew married Bridget Catherine Corr in the early 1970s and had a son, also named Sean, in December 1973. 'Bridie' died on 23 May 2006.
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er. He was born in the County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
town of Bangor Erris
Bangor Erris
Bangor Erris is a town in Kiltane parish in Erris, County Mayo, Ireland with a population of 500. It is on the banks of the Owenmore River and is the gateway to the Erris Peninsula linking Belmullet with Ballina and Westport, nestled at the foot of the "Bangor Trail" a 22-mile mountain pass across...
.
McAndrew is one of the few Mayo Gaelic footballers still alive to hold All-Ireland Senior Football winners medals. He was part of the 1950 and 1951 team, captained by Seán Flanagan
Seán Flanagan
Seán Flanagan was an Fianna Fáil politician and Gaelic footballer in Ireland. He served under Taoiseach Jack Lynch as Minister for Health and Minister for Lands .-Early life and education:...
, that won titles back-to-back those years at Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
, Dublin.
In the mid-1950s, John studied and graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin.
After emigrating to England in the early 1960s, McAndrew led John Mitchel's Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
team in Birmingham to numerous Warwickshire Senior Championships.
McAndrew's first medical practice in England was in the rural Staffordshire town of Madeley. After a short period there, John saw an opportunity to take over a practice in the Sandwell
Sandwell
Sandwell is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands with a population of around 289,100, and an area of . The borough is named after Sandwell Priory, and spans a densely populated part of both the Black Country, and the West Midlands conurbation, encompassing the urban towns of Blackheath,...
town of Old Hill
Old Hill
Old Hill is a locality in the metropolitan borough of Sandwell in West Midlands, England. It is a district of Cradley Heath.-General description:...
, near Cradley Heath
Cradley Heath
Cradley Heath is a town in the Black Country, located in Sandwell metropolitan borough, England. The name is usually pronounced "Craid-ley", not "Crad-ley", but in the Black Country accent, it may even sound like "Craig-ley Aith"...
. It was here, and for over 40 years, that McAndrew ran a single-handed practice deep in the Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
, serving the local community.
Always interested in sport of any kind, John successfully took up the hobby of greyhound racing
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
, both at NGRC and independent tracks - although not both at the same time. Dr McAndrew gained a reputation for his astuteness in selecting young dogs from Ireland, and developing them through intensive training and superior nutrition. Amongst accolades collected were the Birmingham Cup, ran at the old Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium, and the Welsh and Bolton St Legers.
McAndrew married Bridget Catherine Corr in the early 1970s and had a son, also named Sean, in December 1973. 'Bridie' died on 23 May 2006.