Cork football manager has strong family ties to Mayo
Cork football manager John Cleary during the 2026 Munster GAA Football Senior Championship Final against Kerry in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney earlier this year. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
John Cleary, the manager of the Cork senior football team, which plays Mayo on Saturday in Croke Park, has family connections to the Tulrahan area in South Mayo.
Eugene Delaney in Brickens explained that the Cleary family originated in Redhill near Tulrahan. One of them, Henry, moved to Claremorris where he managed the An Post sorting office for some years. His other brother, John Cleary's father, moved to Cork.
Eugene Delaney recalls being on a trip to Cork with the An Post Claremorris football team some years ago. Henry Cleary took some time out to go see his nephew John, the now Cork manager, playing.
Henry Cleary's own son, Sean worked at Avonmore, now Dawn Meats, in Ballyhaunis for some years.
John Cleary was on the Cork team that defeated Mayo in the All-Ireland Senior Football Final in 1989.
