Nace O'Dowd

Who is Nace O'Dowd?

Nace O'Dowd was a legendary Gelic footballer who played for the Sligo team in the 1950s and was a member of a number of successful Railway Cup teams.

He is regarded by many GAA experts, historians and former players as one of the outstanding players of his generation and one of the greatest in Sligo's GAA history.

O'Dowd was noted for his towering physique and high fielding ability as well as his gift at winning and retaining possession. He was also renowned for his leadership abilities on the field and performances which inspired his team-mates. During his Inter-county and Railway Cup career, he marked many of the prominent players of the era, and more than held his own against them.

Amongst his many achievements included playing on a number of Connacht Railway Cup teams who won the competition. Representing his province was a significant accomplishment given the quality of players available for selection in Connacht at the time and the fact that Galway and Mayo were leading inter-county teams. The fact that O’Dowd was able to command a regular place on the Connacht team was testament to his remarkable skills as a player.