Frank Heaney

Centre-half Frank Heaney was one of the five non-travelling Irish Free State (now the Republic of Ireland) reserves for the 1924 Paris Olympics. Heaney started his junior football career with Lansdowne United before moving up to senior football with Shelbourne. After starting work at the Guinness brewery he joined St. James’s Gate FC and in 1911 was one of seven players to move from Ireland to English club Leeds City (a forerunner of Leeds United). Heaney’s older brother John, who played with Shelbourne at the time, made the move with him. After one season, Heaney returned to Ireland and was to become captain of St. James’s Gate for 18 years, and led them to their finest moment in the 1921/22 season when they won the Leinster Cup, and the inaugural Irish Free State (now the Republic of Ireland) League and Cup double.

Heaney served in the Irish Guards in World War I and before the War he played for Ireland in the amateur international against England in 1913. After the hostilities he played against England and France in 1921. Also that year, he was offered a contract to play with English club Preston North End but decided to stay in Ireland. After more than 25 years at the top of the game Heaney retired and turned to coaching with St. James’s Gate.