The Cork connection - a family affair for Na Fianna's Burkes 

FAMILY TIES: Donal and Kevin Burke with family members after the Leinster final win over Kicormac-Killoughey. Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor

Excitement is sure to be building in the Burke house ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland club final when brothers Seán, Dónal and Kevin will line out with Na Fianna.

They’ll make the short trip over the road to Croke Park for a meeting with Sarsfields of Cork.

The Burke brothers are no strangers to visiting the Rebel County. Their grandfather, the late John Sheehan, was one of the founding members of Whitechurch GAA club when it was revamped in the latter end of the fifties. John also made an enormous gesture by donating land free of charge to make sure they had a pitch.

“Quite possibly he was the pivotal founder when the club was resurrected back in 1958,” Whitechurch club stalwart Tim Mulcahy says.

“He played in goal for a number of years.

“I think then it was in 1973 we didn’t have a pitch as such and John said he would donate a field to the community. Not only was it a magnificent gesture back then, it was a field behind the school and that was strategically important as well as the school had full use of it.

“He knew his community well and he wanted to better it. He went on to be one of the club’s great supporters.” 

John would have been well pleased to see them lift silverware last year.

“We’re having our dinner dance shortly in Vienna Woods to celebrate Whitechurch winning the city division junior A hurling championship for the first time. That was a big milestone.” 

John was well-informed too when it came to understanding all the different aspects of the game and his family has followed in his footsteps.

“A great person to dissect a game, irrespective of it being a county or a club championship or a league match,” says Tim. “He would assimilate all the statistics ever before there were statisticians involved in the game. He had all that knowledge.

“The family are all following in that tradition, it fell on their shoulders so they would have it in their genes.

“Ita is the eldest and she lives in Dublin and her three boys will be playing against Sars on Sunday. Next you have Denis, Pat and John, who are very active in Whitechurch - Pat is currently a county board delegate and he is always there to do any jobs, big or small. They all would have thrown in their lot with the club and held positions in the club over the years. Joanne lives in the community as well.

“The three boys in Dublin are often down in Whitechurch for occasions and they would have gone down to the pitch pucking around.

“It’s a fabulous connection for the family.

“There is no doubt about it, if John (senior) was still with us, he would be a very proud man. Even though he was a true Red, he would definitely have a pull at the heartstrings on Sunday.

“There will be an interesting spectator looking down from on high.”