Kerry GAA mourns Dr Jim Brosnan
December 05, 2011
The Kerry squad for the 1953 All Ireland Final.
Front l to r: Tom Ashe, Sean Kelly, Jim Brosnan, Sean Murphy, Jas Murphy, Johnny Foley, Colm Kennelly, Bobby Buckley, Paudie Sheehy, Gerald O'Sullivan.
Back l to r: Donie Murphy, Tadhgie Lyne, Jackie Lyne, Ned Roche, John Cronin, Jerome O'Shea, Diarmuid Hannafin, John Joe Sheehan, Micksie Palmer, Mick Brosnan, Mick Murphy, Brendan O'Shea.
Widely regarded as one of Kerry's finest footballers, Dr Brosnan won three All-Ireland SFC medals in 1953, 1955 and 1959 during his playing career with the Kingdom, while he also coached his native county's minor footballers to back-to-back All-Ireland titles in 1962 and 1963.
He was brought home from the US to play against Dublin in the 1955 All-Ireland final at Croke Park, where he lined-out at left corner-forward in a 0-12 to 1-6 win for the Kingdom. In 1959, he was unfortunate to miss out on the final win over Galway having suffered injury in the semi-final against Dublin.
The son of Moyvane legend Con, who won six Celtic Crosses during the 1920s and 1930s, Jim Brosnan was a powerful attacker who won as much acclaim off the pitch as he did on it, having held the position as Kerry county board chairman for several years. During that time he was central to putting the club structure in Kerry in place which is very often envied by other counties across the country.
His service to the GAA was honoured at special function in the Dingle Skellig Hotel in February 2010, shortly after his 80th birthday, when several Kerry greats paid touching tributes to him, including Tom Long, who described him as "a jewel in the crown of Kerry football."
He is survived by his loving wife Kitty, sons Dr Conor, Barry and Sean and his brother Jerry. Tweet
