Playing Career
Colleran joined the senior team in the mid 1960s and was a key player on the teams three-in-a-row in 1964, 1965 and 1966. Colleran was part of an elite group of seven players to captain his county to double All-Ireland successes and, in 1967, became only the fourth Galway player to captain a Railway Cup winning side with Connacht.
Following the end of his playing career Colleran worked as a selector and later a manager of Galway. He managed the side to victory in the Connacht Championship in 1976. He also had a career as an analyst on RTÉs The Sunday Game and as a teacher in Colaiste Einde in Salthill, Galway.
He was honoured by the GAA by being named on the Football Team of the Century and the "Team of the Millennium". He was also given the same honour on the Galway Team Of The Millennium as well.
Enda Colleran died suddenly at his home in Barna on April 8, 2004 aged 61. GAA President Sean Kelly led the tributes, saying that "All in the GAA are saddened at the untimely and early death of a great GAA man and the massive grievous loss to a great sporting family" He expressed his condolences on behalf of everybody in the GAA to the family, friends and team-mates of the Galway footballing legend. The Taoiseach at the time, Bertie Ahern said he was "deeply saddened and shocked on learning of the sudden death of such an outstanding player." Hundreds of mourners gathered in Barna on Sunday 11 April to pay their respects to Colleran who was buried in Rahoon cemetery.
In April 2006, Former team-mates, opponents and friends of Colleran celebrated his life with a special tribute weekend in his native Moylough.
The highpoint of the Enda Colleran Weekend, which took place on the weekend April 28–30, was the unveiling by current GAA president Nickey Brennan of a life-size bronze statue of Mr Colleran in Moylough. The statue was sculpted by Mr Colleran’s former pupil John Coll.
Read more about this topic: Enda Colleran
Famous quotes containing the words playing and/or career:
“Is not the tremendous strength in men of the impulse to creative work in every field precisely due to their feeling of playing a relatively small part in the creation of living beings, which constantly impels them to an overcompensation in achievement?”
—Karen Horney (1885–1952)
“I began my editorial career with the presidency of Mr. Adams, and my principal object was to render his administration all the assistance in my power. I flattered myself with the hope of accompanying him through [his] voyage, and of partaking in a trifling degree, of the glory of the enterprise; but he suddenly tacked about, and I could follow him no longer. I therefore waited for the first opportunity to haul down my sails.”
—William Cobbett (1762–1835)