View source for Seán Purcell

{{Short description|Galway Gaelic footballer}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox Gaelic games player
| code= Football
| sport = Gaelic football
| image =
| name = Seán Purcell
| nickname = ''The Master''<ref name="125 tribune">{{cite news |first=Enda |last=McEvoy |author2=Kieran Shannon |author3=Dave Hannigan |author4=PJ Cunningham |author5=Malachy Clerkin |author6=Pat Nugent |title=125 Most Influential People in GAA History |work=[[Sunday Tribune]] |date=4 January 2009 |accessdate=28 January 2009 |url=http://www.tribune.ie/article/2009/jan/04/125-most-influential-people-in-gaa-history-100-76/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090809020609/http://www.tribune.ie/article/2009/jan/04/125-most-influential-people-in-gaa-history-100-76/ |archivedate=9 August 2009 }}</ref>
| irish = Seán Puircell
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1928|12|17}}
| birth_place=[[Tuam]], [[Galway]], Ireland
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2005|8|27|1928|12|17}}
| county = Galway
| province = Connacht
| club = [[Tuam Stars]]
| clposition = Centre forward
| clubs = Tuam Stars
| clyears = 1947–1962
| clapps(points) = 
| clcounty = 10
| counties = [[Galway county football team|Galway]]
| icposition = Centre forward
| icyears = 1947–1961
| icapps(points) = 
| icprovince = 7
| icallireland = 1
}}
'''Seán Purcell''' (17 December 1928&ndash; 27 August 2005),<ref name="gifted">{{cite web|title=Gifted footballer and very modest gentleman|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/gifted-footballer-and-very-modest-gentleman-1.488213|website=The Irish Times|accessdate=19 February 2018|date=3 September 2005}}</ref> was a [[Gaelic football]]er who played at senior level for the [[Galway county football team|Galway county team]].

Best known as a centre half-forward, he played in most outfield positions during his career.<ref name="125 tribune"/> In 2009 he was named in the ''[[Sunday Tribune]]''{{'}}s list of the "125 Most Influential People In [[Gaelic Athletic Association|GAA]] History".<ref name="125 tribune"/>

Born in [[Tuam]], [[County Galway]], Purcell was educated at [[St Patrick's College, Tuam|Tuam Christian Brothers School]] and [[St Jarlath's College]]. He played in the St Jarlath's College side that won the [[Hogan Cup]] in 1947,<ref>{{cite web|last1=McDonagh|first1=Michelle|title=Final goodbye to the revered Sean Purcell|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/final-goodbye-to-the-revered-sean-purcell-1.486775|website=The Irish Times|accessdate=14 February 2018|date=1 September 2005}}</ref> beating [[St Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh]] in the final at [[Croke Park]] in [[Dublin]]. His nickname "The Master" originated when he taught at [[Garrafrauns#Garrafrauns National School|Strawberry Hill National School]] in Dunmore.

His footballing career spanned three decades, from the 1940s to the 1960s. Purcell formed a successful on-field partnership with [[Frank Stockwell]] at Galway, culminating in the team winning their fourth All-Ireland championship in 1956 and leading to their nickname as the "Terrible Twins".<ref>{{cite web|title=Tributes paid to Sean Purcell|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0828/66932-purcells/|website=Raidió Teilifís Éireann|accessdate=19 February 2018|date=28 August 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Legendary Frank donned the red and white of Louth for a year|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/argus/news/legendary-frank-donned-the-red-and-white-of-louth-for-a-year-26931727.html|website=Irish Independent|accessdate=19 February 2018|date=18 March 2009}}</ref>

Further successes in which Purcell was involved include winning the [[National Football League (Ireland)|League]] title in 1957, three [[Interprovincial Championship|Railway Cups]], one of which he captained, the 1950 [[Sigerson Cup]], appearances with the Combined Universities side and ten county titles with the [[Tuam Stars]], including seven in a row from 1954 to 1960.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

His involvement in the GAA continued long after his playing days as he served in a number of positions as team mentor and administrator in Galway.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

In 1984, the GAA's centenary year, he was named on the GAA's [[GAA Football Team of the Century|Football Team of the Century]] and the organisation's [[Gaelic football#Team of the Millennium|Football Team of the Millennium]] in 1999. In 1984 the ''Sunday Independent'' invited readers to vote for their Team of the Century. Purcell won more votes than any other player. In 1991 he was inducted into the [[All-Time All Star Award (football)|All-Stars All-Time Hall of Fame]]. In 2003, he was named on the St Jarlath's All Stars team.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

Seán Purcell died on 27 August 2005, aged 76.<ref name="gifted"/> His son, Robert Purcell, married Tessa Robinson daughter of former Irish President [[Mary Robinson]], in 2005.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shiel |first=Tom |date=5 September 2005 |title=Happy couple make it all legal on the day |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/happy-couple-make-it-all-legal-on-the-day/25964753.html |access-date=23 June 2023 |website=Irish Independent}}</ref>

His grandson [[Simon Carr (tennis)|Simon Carr]] is a professional [[tennis]] player.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/arid-20440208.html|title=Simon Carr Q&A: 'I know I can compete with all the guys here, I've beaten most of them'|work=[[Irish Examiner]]|date=22 January 2017}}</ref> Another grandson, [[Sam McCartan]], has played Gaelic football at senior level for [[Westmeath county football team|Westmeath]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/purcell-to-kilkenny-and-mccartan-the-generation-game-of-the-gaa-41765437.html|title=Purcell to Kilkenny and McCartan: the generation game of the GAA|work=Irish Independent|first=Frank|last=Roche|date=18 June 2022|quote=Given that he’s only 22 and his maternal grandfather died in 2005, it's hardly a surprise that Sam McCartan's memories of Seán Purcell are 'quite vague and scratchy'.}}</ref> In 2022, his teenage grandson, Rory Purcell, died.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fanneran |first=Vinny |date=6 September 2023 |title=Galway GAA legend's grandson tragically dies as tributes flow for 'beautiful' young man |url=https://www.galwaybeo.ie/news/galway-news/galwaygaanews-deathnotices-howth-football-news-6604576 |website=Galway Beo}}</ref>

==See also ==
* [[List of people on the postage stamps of Ireland]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Galway Football Team 1956}}
{{Galway Football Team 1959}}
{{Gaelic football Team of the Century}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Purcell, Sean}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:Gaelic football forwards]]
[[Category:Gaelic games administrators]]
[[Category:Galway inter-county Gaelic footballers]]
[[Category:Irish schoolteachers]]
[[Category:People educated at St Jarlath's College]]
[[Category:Tuam Stars Gaelic footballers]]