Pat Spillane - Biography

Biography

Born in Templenoe, County Kerry, Spillane arrived into a family steeped in Gaelic football history. His father, Tom (1923–1964), played Gaelic football with Kerry and won a Munster title in 1948. A number of maternal uncles (his mother was bred by the Lyne Family of Killarney's Legion) also had the distinction of representing their county in football.

When Spillane was an eight-year-old, his father died, leaving his mother to take over the running of the family pub while simultaneously raising a family of four children. Spillane was educated at the local national school and later attended St. Brendan's College in Killarney, where one of his best friends was future Kerry teammate Páidí Ó Sé. At St. Brendan's his football skills were developed. He played senior football with 'Brendan’s' but lost both an All-Ireland Colleges' semi-final and a final.

Spillane subsequently attended Thomond College in Limerick where he studied to be a P.E. teacher. He was later joined by his brother Mick at Thomond and they both played on the college football team. In the late 1980s Spillane took over the running of the family pub in Templenoe. He worked as a P.E. and geography teacher at St. Gobán's College in Bantry, County Cork, where he became vice-principal and, subsequently, principal of the school in 2011. He also led the schools under-16 boys team to two 'Munsters' in a row in 05-06 and 06-07; both finals were played on Kerry soil against Limerick opposition.

Spillane lives in Templenoe with his wife Rosarii, and three children Cara (1990), Shóna (1992), and Pat Jr. (1997). He still helps to train his local teams.