Seán O'Duffy
Encyclopedia
Sean O’Duffy (1885–1981) was a sports administrator, largely responsible for running the Irish women’s field sport of camogie
over a period of four decades.. The trophy for the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship is named in his honour.
, County Mayo
, Ireland
and a GAA referee, handling up to five matches on Sundays and refereeing as far away as Innisfail Park in New York in 1930. He was one of the group of people who sponsored the movement to have the Jones’s Road Sportsground
dedicated to Archbishop Thomas Croke
. He was present at the reorganisation convention of the Camogie Association
under the auspices of the Crokes cub in 1910 which resulted in the spread of camogie to 11 counties.
under Commandant Ned Daly during the 1916 Rising
and imprisoned in Staffordshire Prison. After his release he returned to refereeing, and played with St Finbarr’s Hurling Club and Geraldines Football Club.
and served as unpaid administrator of the game in Dublin, which had over a quarter of the clubs in the country in 1930s, and nationally. As “national organiser” he was in charge of the 1924 international between Dublin and London that served as an anti-treaty alternative to the Tailteann Games. He was elected Honorary Director of Organisation at the Camogie Congress in Conachy’s Hotel , Parnell Street, the following April and served in that role until 1980.
Identified with the anti-treaty position of the camogie association in the early 1920s, he was their representative on the Tailteann Committee
in 1928 and 1932, refereeing the inter-provincial final, and an advocate of the new All Ireland competitions in 1931.
He was a moderate during the various controversies over the ban and organisation of dances that caused fissures in the Camogie Association
between 1933 and 1951. He donated the O'Duffy Cup
cup and other trophies for club competitions in various counties and college competitions.
, a prominent camogie referee. He died on October 20, 1981 and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery
.
Camogie
Camogie is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women; it is almost identical to the game of hurling played by men. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and world wide, largely among Irish communities....
over a period of four decades.. The trophy for the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship is named in his honour.
Birth and childhood
He was born in Killawalla, outside WestportWestport
-Canada:*Westport, Nova Scotia*Westport, Ontario**Westport Rideaus, local junior "B" ice hockey team**Westport/Rideau Lakes Airport*Westport, Newfoundland and Labrador-Republic of Ireland:*Westport, County Mayo**Westport House**Westport railway station...
, 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...
, Ireland
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...
Career
A soccer player and referee in the early 1910s, he became a founder member of Crokes GAA ClubKilmacud Crokes GAA
Kilmacud Crokes are a large Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Stillorgan, Dublin, Ireland.-Background:Kilmacud football club was formed in 1959 following a historic public meeting in Saint Laurence's Hall, where Stillorgan shopping centre now stands. The first meeting of the club took...
and a GAA referee, handling up to five matches on Sundays and refereeing as far away as Innisfail Park in New York in 1930. He was one of the group of people who sponsored the movement to have the Jones’s Road Sportsground
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
dedicated to Archbishop Thomas Croke
Thomas Croke
Thomas William Croke D.D. was the second Catholic Bishop of Auckland, New Zealand and later Archbishop of Cashel and Emly in Ireland...
. He was present at the reorganisation convention of the Camogie Association
Camogie Association
The Camogie Association organises and promotes the sport of camogie in Ireland and across the world. The Association has close ties with the Gaelic Athletic Association.-History:...
under the auspices of the Crokes cub in 1910 which resulted in the spread of camogie to 11 counties.
1916 Rebellion
A member of the A Company of the 1st battalion (Four Courts Garrison)Four Courts
The Four Courts in Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's main courts building. The Four Courts are the location of the Supreme Court, the High Court and the Dublin Circuit Court. The building until 2010 also formerly was the location for the Central Criminal Court.-Gandon's Building:Work based on...
under Commandant Ned Daly during the 1916 Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
and imprisoned in Staffordshire Prison. After his release he returned to refereeing, and played with St Finbarr’s Hurling Club and Geraldines Football Club.
Camogie Administrator
In 1922 he helped re-establish the Camogie AssociationCamogie Association
The Camogie Association organises and promotes the sport of camogie in Ireland and across the world. The Association has close ties with the Gaelic Athletic Association.-History:...
and served as unpaid administrator of the game in Dublin, which had over a quarter of the clubs in the country in 1930s, and nationally. As “national organiser” he was in charge of the 1924 international between Dublin and London that served as an anti-treaty alternative to the Tailteann Games. He was elected Honorary Director of Organisation at the Camogie Congress in Conachy’s Hotel , Parnell Street, the following April and served in that role until 1980.
Identified with the anti-treaty position of the camogie association in the early 1920s, he was their representative on the Tailteann Committee
Tailteann Games
The Tailteann Games were an ancient sporting event held in Ireland in honour of the goddess Tailtiu. They ran from 632 BC to 1169-1171 AD when they died out after the Norman invasion....
in 1928 and 1932, refereeing the inter-provincial final, and an advocate of the new All Ireland competitions in 1931.
He was a moderate during the various controversies over the ban and organisation of dances that caused fissures in the Camogie Association
Camogie Association
The Camogie Association organises and promotes the sport of camogie in Ireland and across the world. The Association has close ties with the Gaelic Athletic Association.-History:...
between 1933 and 1951. He donated the O'Duffy Cup
O'Duffy Cup
The All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship is the premier round-robin and knock-out competition in the game of camogie played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Camogie Association and are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland Camogie Final being played on the...
cup and other trophies for club competitions in various counties and college competitions.
Personal Life
He joined the Irish Civil Service in 1925 and worked there until his retirement, living in 50 Cashmir Road in Harold’s Cross, Dublin. In 1940 he married Kathleen McKeown from OmeathOmeath
Omeath is a village on the R173 regional road in County Louth, Ireland, close to the border with Northern Ireland. It is roughly mid way between Dublin and Belfast, very near the County Louth and County Armagh / County Down border. Omeath has a population of 439, and is approximately from...
, a prominent camogie referee. He died on October 20, 1981 and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery
Glasnevin Cemetery
Glasnevin Cemetery , officially known as Prospect Cemetery, is the largest non-denominational cemetery in Ireland with an estimated 1.5 million burials...
.
External links
- Camogie.ie Official Camogie Association Website