Cathal Flynn
{{Short description|Irish Gaelic footballer (1934–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{infobox Gaelic Athletic Association player
|image =
|name = Cathal Flynn
|irish = Cathal Ó Floinn
|nickname =
|feet =
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|occupation = Accountant
|sport = Gaelic Football
|code = Football
|county = Leitrim
|province = Connacht
|club = Gorvagh
Seán McDermotts
|clyears =
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|clcounty = 0
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|counties = Leitrim
|icyears = 1952-1966
|icposition = Full-forward
|icapps(points) =
|icprovince = 0
|icallireland = 0
|nfl = 0
|allstars = 0
|birth_date = 1934
|birth_place = Gorvagh, County Leitrim, Ireland
|death_date = 3 June 2021 (aged 87)
|death_place = Blanchardstown, Dublin, Ireland
|clupdate =
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Cathal Flynn (1934 – 3 June 2021) was an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for club sides Gorvagh and Seán McDermotts and at inter-county level with the Leitrim senior football team. He usually lined out as a forward.
Career
Born in Gorvagh, County Leitrim, Flynn first came to Gaelic football prominence when he won a Leinster Colleges Championship title with the Franciscan College in Multyfarnham. His two seasons with the Leitrim minor team culminated with him being appointed team captain in 1952. Flynn also joined the Leitrim senior football team that year and began a 14-year senior career that saw him line out in five successive Connacht finals without winning. He was top scorer for the team for 10 years between 1956 and 1966, scoring 40 goals and 356 points. With the Seán McDermotts club in Dublin he won three successive league titles, while he was also selected for Connacht in the Railway Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/gaelic-games/295048/leitrim-great-cathal-flynn-reflects-on-glittering-career.html|title=Leitrim great Cathal Flynn reflects on glittering career|publisher=Leitrim Observer|date=2 February 2018|accessdate=21 November 2020|first=Philip|last=Rooney}}
Personal life and death
Flynn was the only son of Charley Flynn, a national school teacher who had played with the Dublin senior football team for three years.{{cite web|url=https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/gaelic-games/640345/his-heart-was-always-in-leitrim-as-county-says-final-goodbye-to-the-late-great-cathal-flynn.html|title=His heart was always in Leitrim as county says final goodbye to the late great Cathal Flynn|publisher=Leitrim Observer|date=10 June 2021|accessdate=21 November 2020|first=|last=}} After leaving Gorvagh he worked as an accountant in Dublin before settling in Clonee, County Meath.{{cite web|url=https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/leitrim-sports/640623/cathals-dedication-to-leitrim-knew-no-bounds.html|title=Cathal's dedication to Leitrim knew no bounds|publisher=Leitrim Observer|date=11 June 2021|accessdate=21 November 2020|first=John|last=Connolly}} Flynn died in Connolly Hospital on 3 June 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/leitrim-gaa-mourns-anotherlegend-as-second-of-famed-leitrim-twins-cathal-flynn-passes-on-40503638.html|title=Leitrim GAA mourns another legend as second of famed 'Leitrim twins' Cathal Flynn passes on|publisher=Irish Independent|date=4 June 2021|accessdate=21 November 2020|first=Colm|last=Keys}}
Honours
;Franciscan College
;Seán McDermotts
- Dublin Senior Football League: 1957, 1958, 1959