Ger Brennan

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Hiberno-English Ger Brennan is an Irish Gaelic football manager and former player for St Vincents and the Dublin county team. He has been manager of the Louth county team since 2023.

Early life

From a family of nine, he attended Belvedere College.

Graduating from Maynooth College with undergraduate and master's degrees, he qualified as a school teacher and taught Irish and religion at St Kevin's College, Ballygall Road, in Dublin 11. In November 2015 he was appointed Gaelic Games Executive at University College Dublin.

Playing career

Club

Brennan won his first Dublin Senior Football Championship medal with St Vincents in 2007 in the final against St Brigid's at Parnell Park. The team then went on to win the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship final against Tyrrellspass of Westmeath. Brennan was chosen as the Leinster club player of the year for his performances with St Vincents.

Brennan won the 2008 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship with St Vincents in a hard-fought game. He won the Dublin Senior Football Championship with St Vincents, as captain, in 2013.

Inter-county

Brennan made his national league debut for Dublin against Tyrone on 3 February 2007. He was a member of the Dublin team that won the 2007 O'Byrne Cup, playing against Laois at O'Connor Park in Offaly. The game finished on a scoreline of 1-18 to 2-13. He finished the tournament with a total of 0-04.

In 2008, he retired from Dublin's football panel, citing burnout and fatigue as his reasons. However, on 30 July 2008, he was named in Dublin's panel for the quarter-final and accepted a return. He was part of the victorious Dublin squad that won the 2011 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. He won an All-Ireland with Dublin for a second time in 2013, scoring two points in the final against Mayo.

In October 2015, Brennan announced his retirement from Inter-county football but will continue to play club football.

On 2 October 2023, he was appointed manager of the Louth county team.

Personal life

Brennan is a Catholic who has spoken about his faith in God. He has stated that while non-denominational schools may teach subjects such as science, Catholic schools "enable young students to have the skills to pray".

Brennan was praised for his "nonchalant delivery" of thanks to the "girlfriends and boyfriends of the players" after St Vincent's defeated Castlebar Mitchels in the 2014 All-Ireland Club Championship Final at Croke Park (a speech delivered in front of a live television audience). However just over a year later, Brennan wrote an op-ed for the Irish Independent arguing against the legalisation of same-sex marriage in that year's Marriage Equality referendum, which was ultimately carried in a 62% to 38% popular vote. His stance was criticised by others, including fellow GAA star Conor Cusack.

His uncle is former Ireland international Fran Brennan