Declan Meehan (Gaelic footballer)

Declan Meehan (born 16 January 1976) is an Irish Gaelic footballer from County Galway, Ireland. He plays his club football with Caltra and played inter-county football for the Galway from 1996 to 2011.^[1] He was regarded as one of the most talented and skillful wing half-backs in the country.

Playing career

Club

In 2004, Meehan was part of the Caltra team that enjoyed a memorable run to All-Ireland Club Championship glory. After coming through the Galway and Connacht club finals, which first time triumphs for the club, Caltra met An Ghaeltacht of Munster. In a close exciting encounter, Caltra prevailed by one point, 0–13 to 0–12. His brothers, Michael, Tomás, Enda and Noel, who captained the team, were all starting players on the team.

Inter-county

He won All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals with Galway in 1998 and 2001,^[2] he also won 6 Connacht Senior Football Championship medals. As well as an All Ireland medal in 2001 he also won a second All Star in a row and was named Player of the Year. He was part of the Ireland international rules team in 2002.

In January 2011, Meehan announced his retirement from inter-county football.^[3][4]

Biography

He attended the famous St. Jarlath's College and won a Hogan Cup medal with them in 1994.

He comes from a famous footballing family in Galway. His brother Tomás also played in the All Ireland win's in 1998 and 2001, and his youngest brother Michael is a current member of the Galway team. The passion of football in the Meehan family was clearly evident when 5 brothers started on the successful All-Ireland Club Championship Caltra side while eldest brother Seamus was a sub on that day. Declan's sister, Mairead, was a sporting star in her own right. She was a very useful camogie player. A teacher who graduated from DCU, she gained an All-Ireland junior camogie medal with Holy Rosary College. Mairead died in 2007 from osteosarcoma.

References