Val Kane
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Val Mac Catháin | ||
| Sport | Gaelic football | ||
| Position | Midfield | ||
| Born | Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Occupation | Teacher | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
| Newry Mitchells | |||
| Club titles | |||
| Down titles | 2 | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | ||
| Down | |||
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Ulster titles | 1 | ||
| All-Irelands | 1 | ||
Val Kane is a former Irish sportsperson who played Gaelic football for Down and soccer for Dundalk.
He is the brother of former Down captain D. J. Kane and father of actress Valene Kane.[1]
Gaelic football
As a schoolboy, Kane captained Abbey Christian Brothers' Grammar School to a MacRory Cup title.[2]
Kane made his debut for the Down senior team in the Wembley Tournament in 1963.[3] He was an unused sub when Down won the 1968 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.
At club level, he was part of the Newry Mitchell's team which won the Down Senior Championship in 1967 and 1968.[4]
In 1984, he was selected as one of the coaches for the GAA's Centenary School of Coaching.[5] alongside Jim McKeever, Niall Moyna, Brendan Colleran, Mickey Whelan and Pat Spillane.
A schoolteacher by profession, Kane's first managerial victory came leading Abbey CBS to the 1970 Corn na nÓg.[6]
He also served as the secretary of the Ulster Colleges GAA Council for 23 years.[2][7]
Soccer
Kane signed for Dundalk in November 1971[8] though later returned to playing amateur league football in Newry.[9]
References
- ^ "The Fall's Valene Kane and her GAA dad Val talk pursuing their goals". The Irish News. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ a b McGeary, Michael (6 December 2006). "Then and now: Class act Val". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
- ^ "No Wembley Trip for Down". Newry Reporter. 30 May 1963.
- ^ "Mitchell's retain senior championship in poor final". Newry Reporter. 5 December 1968.
- ^ "Val Kane". Newry Reporter. 29 March 1984. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "1970 Junior Winners". Newry Reporter. 9 March 1972.
- ^ "Ulster All-Star Awards for Abbey Footballers". Newry Reporter. 2 February 1995.
- ^ "Val Kane Plays for Dundalk tonight". Newry Reporter. 25 November 1971. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "Gaelic is Val's First Choice". Newry Reporter. 14 March 1974.