St. Patricks GAA Club

We extend sympathy to the Britton Families of Cloneen and Naas on the death of John Britton who passed away on Friday 2nd August 2024 following a long illness.

John first came to notice with a St. Patricks under 15 Football team in 1955, when he was a member of the team which defeated Ferryhouse after a replay in the first round, defeated Cahir Slashers in the semi-final and neighbours Killusty in the South Final. Unfortunately New Inn proved too strong in the Co. Semi-final. Also in 1955 John and his older brother Alan helped Patrician Brothers School Fethard to victory in the Munster under 18 Colleges Football Final. In 1956 John, his brother Alan and 6 other St. Patricks players helped Mullinahone to victory over Kilsheelan, Moyle Rovers and Fethard to reach the final of the South Tipperary minor football championship where Cahir Slashers awaited them. Mullinahone were victorious by 0-7 to 1-1 and the Nationalist reported that “The Britton brothers sparkled in some excellent attacking movements”. In the Co. Final Loughmore-Castleiney defeated Mullinahone by 0-6 to 0-3. Also in 1956 Mullinahone organised a seven a side minor football competition in which Fethard won the final defeating a Cloneen side which again included John and Alan Britton.                          In 1957 John was one of the St. Patricks players who again assisted Mullinahone to defeat Ardfinnan and Commercials (after a replay) and reach the South Final where Fethard proved superior. In 1958 St. Patricks joined forces with Ballingarry in minor football with John playing against his old Mullinahone colleagues who joined with Grangemockler to defeat the St. Patricks –Ballingarry combination.                            Also in 1958 John was a member of the Co. Tipperary minor football team defeated by Waterford by 1-5 to 1-4 in the Munster Semi Final.  In 1959 John and Alan helped St. Patricks Junior Footballers to victories over Kilsheelan, Ballingarry and Mullinahone before Moyle Rovers defeated St. Patricks and went on to win South and County honours. In 1959, 60, 61 and 62 St. Patricks with both John and Alan in action, joined forces with Grangemockler to form a senior football team named Finn McCuils which was quiet successful but did not manage to win South or Co. Championships. Locally the St. Patricks Junior football team had a good run in those years but did not collect the Silverware. In 1961 John was a member of the St. Patricks-Grangemockler combination which won the first ever South Tipperary under 21 football championship by defeating Commercials in the final by 6-2 to 1-2.                          The Co. Championship at under 21 level did not commence until the following year. In 1963 Frank Britton joined his older brothers Alan and John on the St. Patricks Junior Football team which had victories over Carrick Swans and Clonmel Commercials to reach the South Final in which St. Patricks defeated Kilsheelan. The Nationalist reported that with 3 minutes to go and Kilsheelan leading by two points John Britton from a pass by Pat O’Connor rattled the net to put St. Patricks one point ahead which they held to the end. In the Co. Semi-Final Moneygall defeated St. Patricks by 2-4 to 1-3. Following the South Junior victory of 1963 St. Patricks again with John in action, played senior football in 1964 and 1965 but without success. In 1966 St. Patricks played Intermediate Football but without success. However with John Britton as captain things would change in 1967 when St. Patricks defeated St. Lukes of Clonmel in the South Intermediate final and then defeated South Junior champions Carrick Davins for the right to represent South Tipperary in the Co. Junior championship as there was no Co. Intermediate championship at that time. In a closely contested game St. Patricks defeated Rockwell Rovers in the Co. Semi-Final. Due to an outbreak of Foot & Mouth disease the 1967 Co. Final was not played until 7th April 1968, when St. Patricks managed a one point victory over Thurles Sarsfields and John Britton collected the cup. Following his performances in 1967 John was selected for the Co. Junior Footballers in 1968 where Tipp defeated Limerick by 0-14 to 1-7, but lost to Kerry in the Munster semi-final by 1-12 to 0-7. In 1968 St. Patricks had to enter in the senior championship but with many of the 1967 heroes retired it was too high a hill to climb. John soldiered on with St. Patricks for a few more years but further success eluded him and his colleagues.

In the years that followed John remained a loyal supporter of St. Patricks and Tipperary and often travelled long distances from his new home in Wicklow to lend his support. At his funeral in Naas a guard of honour made up of his colleagues from the 1960s and representing every decade since, including his grand-nephew and grand-niece who currently line out for St. Patricks under 15 and under 14 teams, was formed outside the church. May the soul of John Britton rest in peace.