Seán Purcell
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Seán Puircell | ||
| Sport | Gaelic football | ||
| Position | Centre Forward | ||
| Born | 1929 Tuam, Galway, Ireland |
||
| Nickname | The Master | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
| 1947–1962 | Tuam Stars | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Galway titles | 10 | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | ||
| 1947–1961 | Galway | ||
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Connacht titles | 7 | ||
| All-Irelands | 1 | ||
Seán Purcell (1929 – August 27, 2005), nicknamed "The Master", was a famous Gaelic footballer for County Galway.
Best known as a centre half forward, his versatility saw him used in virtually all outfield positions throughout an illustrious career. He was recognised by many football enthusiasts as one of the greatest players of all time. In 2009 he was named in the Sunday Tribune's list of the 125 Most Influential People In GAA History.
Born in Tuam, County Galway, Purcell is widely regarded as Gaelic football's greatest centre-half forward. His affinity with the game began at an early age. In 1934, Galway played Cavan in Tuam. It was the first big occasion Purcell remembered "The crowd was exceptional for the time because it was at that time that the papers began to write it up and they brought a great crowd" Galway won their second All-Ireland that year. He was five going on six and was already "Mad About It".
He attended the local CBS (now St. Patrick's P.S.) and went on to play colleges football with St. Jarlath's College of Tuam. The teenage star of 1947 was destined to become a star at ever level as he made his prodigious talent available to club, county, province, university and country over fifteen years. ’The Master,’ as he was known far and wide from his days as a teacher at Strawberry Hill National School in the parish of Dunmore, had earlier been labelled ’The Boy Wonder’ when he gave a stirring midfield performance to inspire St. Jarlath's College to their first Hogan Stand success in 1947 beating St. Patrick's, Armagh, in the All-Ireland at Croke Park.
His footballing career spanned three decades - the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s - but he was surely in his peak in the summer of 1956 when he inspired Galway to their fourth ever All-Ireland success with a powerful display of footballing power in the final remembered for scoring exploits of . His on-field partnership with fellow Galway & Tuam Stars great Stockwell saw the pair earn the sobriquet of the "The Terrible Twins" - a name borne of their almost telepathic understanding when playing together, the two men tore many defences to shreds.
As well as the All-Ireland triumph in '56, there was a League title in 1957, three Railway Cups, one of which he captained, the Hogan Cup success of ’47, a Sigerson Cup success in 1950, a string of appearances with the Combined Universities side and a quite incredible ten county titles with his native Tuam Stars, including a seven-in-a-row from 1954 to 1960. There are ’Old timers’ to this day in Tuam who bemoan the fact that there wasn’t an All-Ireland club championship at the time, for the Stars had a side of truly exceptional ability, hubbed around the talent and versatility of Purcell.
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