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Tribute To Brendan Dolan, A Tyrone Legend.
Friday 25.01.2013
Today, January 25th is the fortieth anniversary of the untimely death of Brendan Dolan Aghyaran, Tyrone and Ulster star. Local Gael and journalist Aodhan Harkin penned this tribute to the man, his memory and his legacy in his weekly newspaper article. Aodhan very kindly offered it to Teamtalkmag.com for inclusion and we are extremely grateful to him for that. To all those fortunate enough to have known big Brendan or to have seen him play this will surely resurrect fond memories of the gentleman he was. For those who were not fortunate enough to have been around at that time this piece will give you an insight into the characteristics of what makes a Tyrone GAA Legend.
A Tribute to Brendan Dolan
By Aodhán Harkin – Strabane Chronicle Sideline View
Tyrone G.A.A. has suffered many great tragedies down through the years with the deaths of Jim & Gertrude Devlin, Aiden McAnespie, Paul McGirr, Cormac McAnallen and Michaela McAreavey nee Harte to name but a few. Tomorrow (Friday 25th January) marks the 40th anniversary of the untimely and tragic death of another outstanding Tyrone Gael, the late Brendan Dolan who sadly lost his life following a road traffic accident just outside Victoria Bridge as he made his way to his place of employment at St Colman’s High School, Strabane where he was a valued member of the P.E. teaching staff alongside Jim Harron and Declan Forbes. His sister Margaret who was a member of the teaching staff at St Mary’s Girls Primary School at the time usually travelled in the car with Brendan but was off sick with the flu on this particular day.
I had just started my secondary school education at St Colman’s in September 1972 and I can recall this giant of a man who was one of our P.E. teachers, he was affably known as “Big Ben” and my short memories of the man are of him coaching us how to play Gaelic football and for me it was the first time ever in the house teams that were in place at that time and I proudly played with St Ciarán’s even though I hadn’t a clue about how to play the game! I had heard the bigger boys talking about Brendan Dolan being a Tyrone footballer and I can still recall the morning that the news broke in the school about his tragic death, it’s so hard to believe that it was forty years ago!
Well then who was Brendan Dolan? Over the past few weeks I’ve carried out a fair bit of research on this Tyrone G.A.A. legend via reviewing the Strabane Chronicle archives at Strabane Library, reading Joe Martin’s “The G.A.A. in Tyrone” publication and talking to a few members of his family and to be honest I could’ve written a book about him such was the amount of stuff that he packed into his short life.
Brendan Dolan hailed from Aghyaran and alongside his brothers Tom, Fr Andy, Fr Eugene and the late Michael they all played together on the same St Davog’s team or assisted in the running of the club. Even whilst playing with the club, Brendan also held the position of club secretary. The club grounds in Aghyaran were named in honour of the late Michael Dolan in 1990 just two years following his sudden death in January 1988.
Apart from being a brilliant Gaelic footballer noted for his high fielding, Brendan was an excellent basketball player and also played a bit of soccer for Strabane United. On the morning of his death he was named on the Ulster side to play against the Combined Universities in the preliminary round of Railway Cup on the following Sunday at Breffni Park, Cavan.
Brendan came to prominence in 1965 when he was a member of the St Columb’s College, Derry side managed by former Fermanagh player Fr Ignatius McQuillan that won the McCrory and Hogan Cups. He played at full back on that team alongside the likes of Colm P Mullan, Chris Brown, Tom Quinn, Malachy McAfee, Seamus Lagan, Barney Mullan, Peter Stevenson and fellow North Tyrone man Liam Nelis (Urney). He had been playing with Aghyaran since 1963 whilst still at school and went on to represent Tyrone at Minor level. In 1968 he was a member of the Tyrone Junior team that won the All Ireland title against London at Croke Park. Famous players amongst that successful side included Art McRory who was a great friend of Brendan’s, Donal O’Neill, Mickey Jordan, Declan O’Neill, the legendary Frankie Donnelly and local man Mickey McGonagle (Owen Roes) and were managed by Tyrone great Jody O’Neill. They had defeated Derry and Armagh to win the Ulster title and then defeated Kerry in the All Ireland semi-final at Dungannon scoring 2-2 before defeating Mayo in the Home Final at Carrick on Shannon. On Sunday 29th September 1968 he helped Tyrone to clinch their first ever All Ireland Junior title when they defeated London at Croke Park and weighed in that day with a goal. The same season he helped his club side Aghyaran to win the Castlefin Tournament winning the Sean O’Flaherty Cup at the expense of the home club alongside his brothers Tom and Michael, Patsy Connolly, Charlie Gallen, Mick McHugh and Gerard Devine to name a few.
When the Ulster panel was named in December 1968, Brendan Dolan and fellow Tyrone player Anthony Gallagher were named on a star studded panel alongside the likes of household names such as Sean O’Neill, Paddy Doherty, Colm McAlarney, Seamus Lagan, Malachy McAfee, Mickey Niblock, Ray Carolan and Tom McCreesh.
In 1969 he was a member of the Tyrone side that toured America playing games in Philadelphia and New York, the same season he helped Aghyaran to win the West Tyrone Intermediate League title and scored 1-1 in the McElduff Cup final as the St Davog’s went down to Ballygawley. In 1970 Brendan assisted his good friend Art McRory in a coaching role to win the All Ireland Vocational Schools title with Tyrone defeating Clare.
In February 1972, the Strabane Lámh Dhearg club organised an Inter County challenge game at the old UDC pitch at Melvin Park in aid of the Derry Dependants Fund with Tyrone taking on Derry and Brendan played in that game which Derry won 2-13 to 0-12 lining out alongside the likes of Liam Turbett and Pat King and the Owen Roes pairing of Gerard Christy and Brian Ward.
Later in 1972, Brendan was a key figure on the Tyrone Senior team alongside the likes of Gerry Taggart, Patsy Hetherington, Paddy McMahon, John Early, Mickey John Forbes and Frank McGuigan. They had defeated Antrim and Derry on their way to an Ulster final date with Donegal at Clones. Brendan was named at midfield for that game alongside Frank McGuigan but the latter was replaced by Seamus Donaghy as McGuigan was also playing in the preceding Minor final and had a star role as the Red Hands defeated Cavan to lift the title, McGuigan did come on in the Senior final as a substitute. Tyrone lost out to Donegal in the Anglo Celt Cup showdown 2-13 to 1-11 with Brendan scoring 1-2 against a Tír Chonaill side backboned by the likes of Brian McEniff, Seamus Bonner, Donal Monaghan, Martin Carney, Pauric McShea, Joe Winston and Andy Curran who were claiming their first ever Ulster Senior title.
1972 also saw Brendan play with Tyrone in the National League scoring 1-0 against Armagh in March of that year at Dungannon; he also scored 0-5 as they drew with Donegal in November and 1-1 against Louth as they defeated the Wee County at Pomeroy in December just a month prior to his death.
The Sunday following Brendan’s death saw Tyrone G.A.A. host their annual County Convention in Newtownstewart and the Tyrone Chairman at that time was Paddy Corey, he paid tribute to Brendan stating that he was an excellent personality on and off the field and an example to the young people of Ireland. Aghyaran club delegates that day were Jim Macken and Charlie Gallen and they were excused from the Convention after paying tribute to their fellow clubman.
The week following Brendan’s death, the funeral report headline in the Strabane Chronicle was “Great Loss to Tyrone Gaeldom” whilst the Aghyaran club paid their own tribute to him entitled “An Inspiration to us all” highlighting his illustrious career at club, college, county and provincial level and stating that the Aghyaran club always came first for Brendan despite his many other commitments.
When the G.A.A. was celebrating its 125th Anniversary back in 2009, Brendan Dolan was named as one of the stand out stars of Tyrone named alongside the likes of Frank McGuigan, Peter Canavan, Iggy Jones, Frankie Donnelly and fellow clubman Ciarán McGarvey. Even today after forty years, Brendan Dolan is still fondly remembered with the Tyrone Senior Football League trophy donated by the Aghyaran St Davog’s club proudly presented to the Division 1 winners.
In many ways the life of Brendan Dolan reminds me so much of that of the late Cormac McAnallen, both fine athletes, great leaders, passionate Gaels, Tyrone legends and sadly both were cut down in the prime of their lives.
Brendan Dolan a proud son of Aghyaran, Tyrone, Ulster and Ireland – Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
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