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We are fundraising to help our former team mate and club member, Seamus O’Brien, who played with the Kingdom Kerry Gaels from 1991 – 2000.
Seamus suffered a life changing accident on February 27th 2018. After multiple operations Seamus unfortunately had his leg amputated above the knee on Tuesday November 5th, 2019.
Seamus went to London in January 1991 and played with The Kingdom GAA club until they joined forces with Kerry Gaels. Seamus played for the Kingdom Kerry Gaels (KKG) until 2000 and played in the team which were beaten in the 2000 London Senior championship final. In the final year, he played for the team whilst living in Ireland.
Seamus won Conway Cups and Tipperary Cups while in London but was unlucky not to claim a Senior championship medal.
Like most KKG players, Seamus was met and looked after in London by the late great Christy Kissane (Killorglin) and Tom Roche (Listowel). He has fond memories playing with Brendan Stack, Tom Finnerty, Sean Spillane, ‘big’ Tom McDonald, Karl Scanlon, Kevin Waldron and Mick Galvin – whom he recalls as “serious footballers”.
Seamus played with the London senior football team for a number of years and also played with the London Junior and U21 teams. He even played London Senior, Junior and U21 in the one year! Not to mention his part in 2 All-Ireland Junior finals versus Cork and his home county, Kerry.
Before moving to London Seamus played all his football until 1989 with his home club Firies, located about 10 miles outside Killarney in Co. Kerry.
He then spent 2 years in Chicago where he played with the local club St. Brendans with whom he won a North American championship.
He also played in the New York Junior Championship with the Westmeath club.
While in both London and America Seamus worked in construction – in America with Shannon construction and in London with TC Costelloe, Byrne Brothers and PC Harrington.
Seamus moved back to Ireland in March 2000 with his then girlfriend and now his wife, Ruth Flanagan. They setup home in Navan, Co. Meath where Seamus worked in construction in Dublin whilst also playing football with Seneschalstown in Navan.
Seamus was still playing football up to recently and was part of the KKG Over 35s team that took part in the annual Tommy Griffin tournament in Dingle in September 2016 and 2017.
He has passed on his love for the GAA to his kids who are currently playing underage with Milltown/Listry and Seamus is helping train the Keel/Listry U14s.
Seamus and Ruth have 4 kids, Ciaran, Oisin, Cara and Aideen. They moved to Firies, Co. Kerry in 2008 when the recession hit. Seamus continued working in construction as a sub contractor/self employed and has been self-employed since up to the time of his accident.
The accident happened on February 27th, 2018 and Seamus hasn’t been able to work since.
Ruth has been a nurse carer for 6 to 9 months however this has been their only source of income since Seamus had his accident and with 4 kids the last 18 months have taken a severe toll on their savings and finances.
Seamus’ recovery is going to be a long expensive process. Seamus is now waiting for a prosthetic leg to be fitted. He will be fitted for 3 prosthetic legs within the next 2 years with the costs of that alone exceeding €200k. And this is before physiotherapy, occupational therapy, adjustments to be made to the house and any additional costs.
This is why we are asking and urgently need YOUR help.
We are calling out to all those in the wider GAA community. Think of all the great GAA men and women who have supported you down through the years. As you can read above, Seamus dedicated himself to the game and we would like to call on your generosity to help our teammate in his time of need. We have no doubt, if the shoe was on the other foot, he would be the first man to offer help.