Robbie McCallion

{{short description|Irish Gaelic footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}

{{Use Irish English|date=April 2021}}

{{Infobox Gaelic Athletic Association player

| name = Robert McCallion

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| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1979|8|9}}

| birth_place = Swinford, County Mayo, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2009|4|7|1979|8|9}}

| death_place = Beaumont Hospital, Dublin

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| nickname = Robbie

| occupation = Garda

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| clubs = Swinford

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| counties = Mayo

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Robert McCallion (9 August 1979 – 7 April 2009) was an Irish Gaelic footballer. He played for Swinford and the senior and under-21 Mayo county teams.

McCallion played for his local club Swinford and was part of their teams from the under-10 grade and upwards. He was part of the Swinford minor team which won every match it played in 1997. He won the Mayo Intermediate Football Championship with Swinford in 1999.

McCallion's family included numerous members of the Garda Síochána, including a parent, brother, uncles and a cousin. He initially worked with Corrib Oil but joined the Gardaí on 7 February 2005.{{cite web|url=https://www.garda.ie/en/About-Us/Our-History/Roll-of-Honour/Roll-of-Honour-description/McCallion-Robert.html|title=McCallion, Robert|work=Garda Síochána|accessdate=5 October 2018}} He was killed while serving as a member of the Garda Síochána; initially injured in Letterkenny on 26 March 2009, he was brought to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, where he died less than two weeks later. He was afforded a state funeral.{{cite news|first=Brian|last=McDonald|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/heartbroken-town-salutes-as-robbie-gets-transfer-home-26528515.html|title=Heartbroken town salutes as Robbie 'gets transfer home'|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=14 April 2009|accessdate=14 April 2009}}{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0413/116220-mccallionr/|title=Thousands attend McCallion funeral|work=RTÉ News|date=13 April 2009|accessdate=13 April 2009}} A memorial stone in his honour is located in Bernard McGlinchey Town Park in Letterkenny. Robert McCallion Memorial Park in Swinford, County Mayo, is named after him.{{cite news|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/county/mayo/article/index/167488|title=Swinford pitch to be named after Garda|work=Hogan Stand|date=26 April 2012|accessdate=26 April 2012}}{{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=http://donegalnews.com/2012/05/hero-garda-mccallion-remembered/|title='Hero' Garda McCallion remembered|work=Donegal News|date=6 May 2012|accessdate=6 May 2012}} A number of Gaelic football matches have been played in his honour,{{cite news|first=Conor|last=Heneghan|url=https://www.joe.ie/uncategorized/mayo-gaa-club-to-pay-special-tribute-to-late-garda-35558|title=Mayo GAA club to pay special tribute to late Garda|work=JOE.ie|date=1 May 2012|accessdate=19 April 2021}}{{cite news|url=http://www.midwestradio.ie/index.php/sport/6161-garda-robert-mccallion-to-be-remembered-in-swinford-this-weekend|title=Garda Robert McCallion to be remembered in Swinford this weekend|work=MidWest Radio|date=2 May 2012|accessdate=2 May 2012}}{{cite news|url=https://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/news/donegal-news/37279/Donegal-to-play-Mayo-in-honour.html|title=Donegal to play Mayo in honour of Garda Robbie McCallion|work=Donegal Democrat|date=14 April 2012|accessdate=14 April 2012}}{{cite news|first=Trevor|last=Quinn|url=http://www.mayonews.ie/sports/15232-mayo-and-donegal-up-for-the-challenge|title=Mayo and Donegal up for the challenge|work=The Mayo News|date=8 May 2012|accessdate=8 May 2012}} including one in 2016.{{cite news|url=http://www.donegaldaily.com/2016/02/27/memorial-match-for-late-garda-robbie-mccallion/|title=Memorial match for late Garda Robbie McCallion|work=Donegal Daily|date=27 February 2016|accessdate=27 February 2016|quote=The Garda Robert McCallion Memorial match will take place today (Sat) on the eve of the Donegal versus Mayo Allianz National League third round game. The Donegal Garda Divisional team will play the late Garda McCallion's home club Swinford. This east Mayo side will travel to Letterkenny to take on the local Gardai today (Sat) at 2.30pm at O'Donnell Park in Letterkenny.}}