Tommy Langan

Infobox GAA player
code= Football
sport = Gaelic football


name = Tom Langan
irish =
fullname = Thomas Langan
placeofbirth = Ballymachugh, Ballycastle
countryofbirth = County Mayo
dob= 1921
height =
county = Mayo
province = Connacht
club = Ballycastle
clposition = Full-forward
clubs = Ballycastle
clyears =
clapps(points) =
clcounty = 1
clprovince= 0
clallireland = 0
counties = Mayo
icposition = Full-forward
icyears = 1943-1956
icapps(points) =
icprovince = 5
icallireland = 2
clupdate = March 2008
icupdate = March 2008

Tommy Langan (1924–1974) was an Irish Gaelic footballer from County Mayo. He played for the Ballycastle club and the Mayo GAA county team.

Playing career

Langan was born in Ballymachugh, Ballycastle, County Mayo. Despite his youth, Langan helped Ballycastle to win the Mayo senior championship of 1937. In 1938, he made his first appearance for Mayo's minor team in the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship. Five years later, he made his senior debut, playing at centre-half-forward.

Langan was at his best during Mayo's golden period from 1948 to 1955, as they won five Connacht Senior Football Championships and two All-Irelands. Langan's first All-Ireland Final] was in 1948, but a strong Cavan team beat Mayo by one point. In 1950, Langan was selected at full-forward for the first time in the All-Ireland semi-final against Armagh. He scored two goals in a Mayo win. Mayo also won the final against Louth, and Langan had his first All-Ireland medal. From then on, he won fame as one of the greatest full-forwards in football history.

Langan's fielding and goals were again crucial in 1951. Mayo won the Connacht championship for the fourth successive time and advanced to the All-Ireland seni-final against Kerry. With Mayo behind in injury-time, Langan was switched to full-forward against the great Kerry full-back Paddy Bawn Brosnan. He scored a vital goal and Mayo went on to force a replay, which they won. They completed their second consecutive All-Ireland title by beating Meath by five points in the final, with Langan netting another fine goal.

Langan also represented Connacht in the Railway Cup, earning a winner's medals against Munster in the 1951 Final.

Langan's last appearance in county football was against Galway in the Connacht Championship of 1956. He retired following Galway's victory in that game.

Post-Retirement

Tom Langan was a Garda detective in Dublin at the time of his death in 1974, on the eve of his 53rd birthday. He was named on the Football Team of the Century in 1984 and on the Football Team of the Millennium. On 16 September 1984, the Tom Langan Park was officially opened by Dr. M. Loftus, then President-elect of the G.A.A. It remains the home ground of the local Ballycastle club.

External links

*http://www.hoganstand.com/general/champs/millennium.aspx
*http://archives.tcm.ie/westernpeople/2002/04/17/story9298.asp
*http://www.goldenlangan.info/tomlangan.html
*http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/0913/kerryvmayo.html