Seán Boylan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Seán Boylan is a retired Gaelic football manager from Dunboyne, Co Meath, Ireland. He retired from his position as manager of the Meath Senior Football team on the evening of 31st of August, 2005 after an amazing twenty three years in charge. During his time with Meath, he managed the team to four All-Ireland Football Championships (1987, 1988, 1996, 1999), three National Football League titles, and eight Leinster Football Championships.

In recognition of his services to Meath GAA and his services to Meath as a country, Boylan was conferred as Freeman of the County of Meath - the first person ever to be bestowed with the title - on 23 April 2006. He was entered into the GAA Hall of Fame for his services to Meath football at a ceremony after Meath's Leinster Minor Football Championship victory over Offaly victory in Croke Park on July 16th, 2006.

Boylan's late father, also called Seán, was involved in the Irish independance movement in the early twentieth century, being a prominent member of the IRA in Co. Meath during the War of Independence.

Like another loyal servant of the Royals, Colm O'Rourke, Boylan has strong Leitrim connections as his late mother hailed from near the small village of Cloone near Mohill.

Boylan coached the Ireland team in the 2006 International Rules Series against Australia in two games in Pearse Stadium, Salthill, Galway and Dublin's Croke Park in October. Australia win the series by 30 points but the game was overshadowed by violent incidents in the first quarter, including a serious injury sustained by Graham Geraghty. He also admitted that he brought his players off at the end of the first quarter in protest and did not want them to return.

"I said I'd do it. Only the players themselves changed my mind. They said they wanted to go out and give it a go, they wanted to play football."

He is also a 6th Generation Herbalist. His family have been "brewing the brew" for many years. He is one of Europe's finest and most successful herbalists and without doubt a complete gentleman.