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Founder Member
of Dr Crokes Club & Kerry County Board
JOHN LANGFORD (?-1930)
At the Dr. Croke Club Meeting of April 06, 1888 four new
members were
co-opted to the committee - Murrogh Bernard, Captain:
John Langford, Vice
Captain: J. Fleming & D. Guerin. John Langford was to
become a great
stalwart of the club, as a player, coach, and
administrator.
In November of that year as a Croke representative, he
was a founder member
of the Kerry County Board. Two weeks after the board
was formed he
captained Dr. Crokes in a replay against Tralee Mitchels
at Curtin’s field,
about a mile from town.
He captained the Club in the first ever County Final of
1889 when beaten by
Laune Rangers 0-6 to 0-3. He refereed the County Finals
in 1890 when Laune
Rangers beat Tralee, and in 1892 when Rangers beat
Ballymacelligott.
John Langford, William O'Sullivan, Bill Fleming and Mick
Hayes played in the
Munster Championship with Laune Rangers when they
represented Kerry.
Although not selected in the All-Ireland Final team, he
played an important
role as the Kerry Club's field umpire.
It is interesting to note that Dr. Crokes and
Ballymacelligott were asked to
form one selection to take on Laune Rangers in order to
select the County
team of 1893.
This County selection was in the hands of John Langford,
who was assisted
by P.Teahan, and D.J. Murphy of Laune Rangers,
J.Clifford of
Ballymacelligott.
Their charter was quite clear. “Let there me no favour
or interest shown to
any man. Select the best team by all means and above all
let the matches be
fought manfully and in good spirit.
John Langford was born in Firies.
Education: Firies National School, St Brendan's College
Killarney, Munster
Institute, Cork and the Agricultural School in Glasnevin.
He won a gold medal and many distinctions in
Agricultural Science.
He was a friend and advisor to William O'Brien, Pat
O'Brien and Dr. Tanner
and other Land League leaders. He was the most
influential leader locally
in the Land League campaign. He could have enjoyed a
very high post in the
Land Commission, but was looked on by Dublin Castle as
one of the most
dangerous of the Land League Group.
He managed his uncle's farm in Killeen, and created a
model farm. His uncle
was Michael O'Sullivan, Main Street, who's sons were
Professor O'Sullivan,
Minister of Education; Bishop O'Sullivan, Bishop of
Kerry; Timothy
O'Sullivan, M.P., and his first cousins were Eugene
O'Sullivan, Killarney
U.D.C, and Dr. William O'Sullivan.
In 1899 he was appointed Master of Killarney Union. He
held the post until
1922, and then became Town Clerk of Killarney Urban
District Council, and
later clerk in the office of the Secretary of the Board
of Health.
A
great Dr. Crokes and Kerry man in the early years of the
GAA.
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