Seamus Aldridge

Seamus Aldridge
Personal information
Born1935 (age 89–90)
Years active1952–present
EmployerGAA
Sport
SportGaelic football
PositionReferee
ClubRound Towers

Seamus Aldrdge (born 1935)[1] is a Gaelic games administrator, Gaelic football referee and former player. He is a member of the Round Towers club in County Kildare.

Career

Aldridge played for the Kildare minor football team.[1] He played until the age of 29.[1] He refereed his first match in 1958.[1]

He began refereeing in 1963 after his playing career had concluded. He allowed Dublin player Éamonn Breslin's header into the goal at the Canal End of Croke Park twenty minutes into a National League game against Laois in 1964; this was the first header scored at Croker.[2]

He referred the famous 1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final when Mikey Sheehy lobbed the goalie.[3] Death threats followed.[1] He has also refereed in hurling.[1]

Aldridge first became involved in administration in 1952.[1] He served in various roles: secretary and chairman of Kildare's Referees Committee; secretary (1975–2000) and treasurer (1976–2000) of the Kildare County Board.[1] Aldridge spent 20 years as a delegate to the Leinster Council.[1] He became vice chairman (1996–1999) and chairman (1999–2001) of the Leinster Council.[1][4] He oversaw the managerial appointments of Mick O'Dwyer and Dermot Earley Snr, and then the reappointment of O'Dwyer in advance of the county's appearance in the 1998 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final.[1] Central Council: GAA Management vice-president (1999–2001).[1]

He ran for the position of President of the Gaelic Athletic Association, finishing as runner-up to Seán Kelly.[1] He was later appointed President of Kildare County Board.[1] Aldrigde was President of Kildare GAA during the 2018 over the Mayo fixture in Newbridge.[5] the Newbridge or Nowhere".[6][7]

Personal life

Aldridge attended De La Salle and St Joseph's Academy (both in the town of Kildare) for his primary and secondary education respectively.[1] Tom Keogh, an uncle of his, played for the Kildare county team that won the 1927 and 1928 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship titles, before he played for Laois.[1]

Aldridge is Secretary of Athy Golf Club and Athy Rugby Club and a member of the Fine Gael political party.[1]

Honours

Round Towers
Kildare
  • Leinster Championship (1) : 1956[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Crampsie, Arlene (10 March 2011). "Seamus Aldridge". Oral History.
  2. ^ Creedon, Seán (21 February 2021). "Obituary: Eamonn Breslin". Sunday Independent.
  3. ^ "Mikey Sheehy-Lob Vs Dublin 1978 All Ireland Final". RTE. 7 September 2008.
  4. ^ "Leinster Council Chairmen" (PDF). Leinster GAA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016.
  5. ^ Fogarty, John (27 June 2018). "Kildare GAA president: 'We're penalised because Croke Park couldn't do their business properly". Irish Examiner.
  6. ^ "Newbridge or Nowhere saga represented 'a feeling within the grassroots of the GAA' says former Kildare manager Cian O'Neill". RTÉ. 1 June 2020.
  7. ^ Verney, Michael (11 June 2022). "'Newbridge or Nowhere' revisited as Kildare dare to shock Mayo once more". Irish Independent.