Joseph Ledwidge

Who was Joseph Ledwidge?

Joseph James Ledwidge was a Gaelic footballer, an Irish international soccer player and a cricketer. He won two All-Ireland medals playing with the Dublin Geraldines and later played with Shelbourne in the Irish League.

Ledwidge was born on Arran Quay, Dublin, Ireland to Joseph Ledwidge, a butcher, and Elizabeth Ledwidge. He had his first successes playing with the Geraldines' selection that won two All-Ireland titles for Dublin in 1898 and 1899.

Ledwidge joined Shels in 1901 when they played in the Leinster Senior League and played 51 times for them in the Irish League after they joined in 1904 until he left the Reds in 1909.

He played for Shels in their historic Irish Cup final win over Belfast Celtic in 1906 as well the cup final defeat to Distillery in 1905 and the cup final replay defeats to Cliftonville and Bohemians in 1907 and 1908. He became the first man to win both a GAA All-Ireland and an IFA cup-winner's medal.

Ledwidge also won an inter-league cap for the Irish League against the Football League in Manchester during the 1905-06 season. He got his first international caps playing for Ireland against Scotland and Wales in 1906.