Dessie Cullinane Explained

Code:Football
Sport:Gaelic football
Dessie Cullinane
Irish:Deasún Ó Cuileannáin
Birth Date:2 August 1919
Death Date:21 March 1990 (aged 70)
County:Cork
Province:Munster
Club:Clonakilty
Clyears:1936-1954
Clcounty:7
Counties:Cork
Icposition:Left corner-back
Icyears:1938-1947
Icapps(Points):2 (0-03)
Icprovince:1
Icallireland:1
Nfl:0
Birth Place:Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland
Death Place:Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland

Desmond James Cullinane (2 August 1919[1] – 21 March 1990) was an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for club side Clonakilty and at inter-county level with the Cork senior football team.

Playing career

Cullinane was just 16-years-old when he made his debut with the Clonakilty senior team in 1936. It was the first of 18 successive years with the team, during which time he won seven County Championship titles during a golden age for the club. Cullinane made his first appearance for the Cork senior football team during the National League in 1938, before later captaining the county's junior team that won the Munster Championship in 1940. He returned to the senior team as captain during the opening round of the 1945 Munster Championship, however, he was later dropped from the starting fifteen and the captaincy was handed to Tadhgo Crowley. In spite of this, Cullinane won a Munster Championship title from the bench before ending the season by again lining out as a substitute when Cork claimed the All-Ireland title after a defeat of Cavan in the final.[2] [3] [4]

Death

Cullinane died after a long period of ill health on 21 March 1990.

Honours

Clonakilty

1939, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946 (c), 1947, 1952

Cork

1945

1940 (c)

Notes and References

  1. News: Desmond Cullinane. Irish Genealogy. 4 April 2021.
  2. News: Clon connections to Cork success in 1945. West Cork People. September 2020. 3 April 2021.
  3. News: A football life less ordinary. The Anglo-Celt. 3 February 2010. 3 April 2021.
  4. News: Bailieborough and the Cavan goalkeeping connection. Irish Independent. 31 July 2013. 3 April 2021. Colm. Keys.