Former Ireland international Tommy Dunne passes away

Former Republic of Ireland international Tommy Dunne, who won back to back league titles after signing with St Patrick's Athletic from Shamrock Rovers and later captained the side to two FAI cups, passed away over the weekend, the Inchicore club has announced.

Born in Dublin in 1932, Dunne, whose father Jimmy had played for Arsenal, started his career with Johnville and had a brief spell at Rovers before moving to St Patrick’s where he became a key figure in the club’s defence and an enduring favourite amongst its supporters.

He spent a decade there and was probably best remembered as the man who captained the winning team in the 1961 cup final, the club’s last success in the competition until last season’s victory over Derry City.

In the mid-60s he moved to Sligo Rovers then Dundalk and he finished up his senior career with a third league title in 1966/67 while playing for the Oriel Park outfit.

Dunne represented Ireland at senior level just three times in games, all won, against the Netherlands, Denmark and West Germany. However he won a number of further inter-League and Ireland B honours.

His brother, also Jimmy, won schoolboy caps but was ineligible at the time to play senior international football for Ireland as he had been born in Liverpool.

Tommy is survived by his wife, Maura, sons Gerard and Larry as well as his daughter Rachel. His funeral will take place on Wednesday morning after 10.0am mass at St Agnes’s church, Crumlin.