Shared from Fitzgerald Stadium page:

National Schools Blitz resumes after three years absence. New cup for winners.

The late Tadhg O’Sullivan’s family is delighted to present Corn na nÓg to honour Tadhg’s commitment to the promotion of Gaelic football in primary schools. This perpetual trophy will go to the winners of the Killarney Garda National Schools Blitz. In 1954, Tadhg founded the first national schools’ competition in East Kerry. The Killarney Garda National Schools Blitz carries on that tradition.

Tadhg, from Knockeragh, always felt indebted to Gaelic football. As a young lad he was extremely shy, but found he was good at football. This gave him the confidence to take on life’s many challenges.

In 1935, at the age of 20, he was selected to play for Dublin in the Leinster Championship while a student in St Patrick’s Teacher Training College, Dublin.

The following year he played at right half-back on the Kerry team that played Mayo for the prestigious opening of the Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, lining out alongside such Kerry greats as Danno Keeffe, Murt Kelly and JJ Landers.

1936 also saw him winning a Senior Munster Championship medal. Kerry lost the All-Ireland semi-final to the Mayo team that went on to claim Mayo's first All-Ireland.

His first permanent teaching post brought him to Rathnew, Co Wicklow in October of 1936. He trained, captained and played midfield for the local club, Rathnew. During his tenure, the club had unprecedented success, winning the senior county championship three years in a row, 1941, ‘42 and ’43.

Because travel difficulties at that time limited his opportunities to play for his native Kerry, he played senior inter-county football with Wicklow.

Tadhg returned to Kerry in 1953, as Principal of Lissivigeen National School. In 1954 he established the first national schools’ competition for young footballers in East Kerry.

The rural schools in Killarney Parish (Lissivigeen, Tiernaboul, Loughguitane and Loreto National Schools), combined successfully as Naomh Muire with Tadhg as trainer.

The East Kerry teams that won the first All-Ireland club championship in 1971, as well as four Kerry County Championships, all had players that started out in that schools’ competition. In 1963, Tadhg, together with founding members of the Club, revitalised the Spa GAA Club, which had become dormant a few short years after its founding in 1948. The initial focus was on juvenile and minor teams.

Tadhg trained the Spa team that won the O’Donoghue Cup in 1966, their first year as a senior side.

As well as training the team to further O’Donoghue Cup successes, Tadhg was Club Chairman from 1966 to 1982. He was instrumental in the Club acquiring its own grounds in Tullig in 1974.

Today, Spa is thriving, catering for players of all ages. It is one of only eight senior clubs in Kerry.

Presenting the trophy, the O'Sullivan family said,

"We are very grateful to the Killarney Gardaí who initiated and organise the Garda National Schools Blitz and who have welcomed this trophy to honour Tadhg’s work with schools' football. We are delighted to see the national schools’ competition thriving. We know that Tadhg would be immensely proud to be associated with this competition.”

Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann.