Joe Cassells

{{short description|Irish Gaelic footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}

{{Use Irish English|date=July 2015}}

{{Infobox GAA player

| code = Football

| sport = Gaelic football

| image =

| name = Joe Cassells

| irish =

| feet = 6

| inches = 1

| occupation = Retired electrical contractor

| county = Meath

| province = Leinster

| club = Navan O'Mahony's

| cposition =

| clubs =

| clyears = 1972-1992

| clapps(points) =

| clcountyf = 8

| clcountyh = 2

| clprovince =

| clallireland =

| counties = Meath

| icposition = Midfield

| icyears = 1974-1990

| icapps(points) = 43 (1-10)

| icprovince = 4

| icallireland = 2

| nfl = 2

| allstars = 0

| clupdate =

| icupdate =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|10|10|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Navan, County Meath, Ireland

}}

Joe Cassells (born 10 October 1954) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer. His league and championship career with the senior Meath county team spanned sixteen seasons from 1974 to 1990.{{cite web|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/Meath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=88760|title=Joe Cassels|publisher=Hogan Stand|date=1 October 1993|accessdate=4 October 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/leftfield/inside-back-where-are-they-now-30766603.html|title=Inside Back: Where are they now?|publisher=Irish Independent|date=23 November 2014|accessdate=26 December 2016|first=Ailbhe|last=Smyth}}

Born in Navan, County Meath, Cassells first excelled as a Gaelic footballer at club level with Navan O'Mahony's. In a club career that spanned three decades he won a record eight county senior championship medals. Cassells also won two county senior championship medals as a hurler.

Cassells made his debut on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he was selected for the Meath minor team. He enjoyed one championship season with the minor team, ending the year as a Leinster medal winner. Cassells subsequently joined the Meath under-21 team, however, he enjoyed little success in this grade. He made his debut with the Meath senior team during the 1974 championship. Over the course of the next sixteen years, Cassells won back-to-back All-Ireland medals, beginning in 1987 before collecting a second as captain of the team in 1988. He also won four Leinster medals and two National Football League medals. Cassells played his last game for Meath in September 1990.

As a regular member of the Leinster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions, Cassells won back-to-back Railway Cup medals in 1985 and 1986.

In retirement from playing, Cassells became involved in team management and coaching.

Cassells is the younger brother of trade union leader Peter Cassells.{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/a-lifelong-labour-of-love-26220910.html|title=A lifelong labour of love|publisher=Irish Independent|date=23 May 2004|accessdate=26 December 2016|first=Joe|last=Jackson}}

Their nephew Shane is a politician.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/how-the-lessons-of-his-footballing-days-followed-brendan-gleeson-in-his-acting-career/a2036993989.html|title=How the lessons of his footballing days followed Brendan Gleeson in his acting career|newspaper=Irish Independent|first=Niall|last=Scully|date=31 July 2024}}