Quick Facts
Biography
Seán Boylan is an Irish former Gaelic football manager from Dunboyne, County Meath. He retired from his position as manager of the Meath GAA Senior Football team on the evening of 31 August 2005 after twenty-three years in charge. During his time with Meath, he managed the team to four All-Ireland Senior Football Championships (1987, 1988, 1996, 1999), three National Football League titles, and eight Leinster Senior Football Championships.
In recognition of his services to Meath GAA and his services to Meath as a county, Boylan was conferred as Freeman of the County of Meath - the first (and only) person ever to be bestowed with the title - on 23 April 2006. He was entered into the GAA Hall of Fame for his services to Meath football at a ceremony after Meath's Leinster Minor Football Championship victory over Offaly in Croke Park on 16 July 2006.
Family and background
Boylan's late father, also called Seán, was a leader of the Irish independence movement in the early twentieth century, being a prominent member of the IRA in Co. Meath during the Irish War of Independence.
Like another Meath football icon, Colm O'Rourke, Boylan has strong Leitrim connections as his late mother hailed from near the small village of Cloone near Mohill.
Business
Boylan is a traditional medical herbalist practicing out of his home at Edenmore, Dunboyne.
Managerial Roll of Honour with Meath
- 1983 - O'Byrne Cup
- 1984 - Centenary Cup
- 1986 - Leinster SFC
- 1987 - Leinster SFC, All-Ireland SFC
- 1988 - Leinster SFC, All-Ireland SFC, NFL
- 1990 - Leinster SFC, NFL
- 1991 - Leinster SFC
- 1992 - O'Byrne Cup
- 1994 - NFL
- 1996 - Leinster SFC, All-Ireland SFC
- 1999 - Leinster SFC, All-Ireland SFC
- 2001 - Leinster SFC, O'Byrne Cup
- 2004 - O'Byrne Cup
Managerial Statistics
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship record as Meath manager.
| Year | Played | Won | Draw | Lost | Honours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1984 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1985 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1986 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | Leinster Champions |
| 1987 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Leinster and All-Ireland Champions |
| 1988 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | Leinster and All-Ireland Champions |
| 1989 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1990 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | Leinster Champions and All-Ireland Runner up |
| 1991 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | Leinster Champions and All-Ireland Runner up |
| 1992 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1994 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1995 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | Leinster and All-Ireland Champions |
| 1997 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Leinster and All-Ireland Champions |
| 2000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | Leinster Champions and All-Ireland Runner up |
| 2002 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2003 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2004 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2005 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| Total | 95 | 61 | 11 | 23 | |
| Percentages | 64% | 12% | 24% | ||
International rules football
Boylan coached the Ireland team against Australia in the 2006 International Rules Series in two games in Pearse Stadium, Salthill, Galway and Croke Park, Dublin in October 2006. Australia won the series by 30 points but the game was overshadowed by violent incidents in the first quarter of the second test match, including a serious injury sustained by Graham Geraghty. He also admitted that he brought his players off at the end of the first quarter in protest and did not want them to return, later saying "I said I'd do it. Only the players themselves changed my mind. They said they wanted to go out and give it a go, they wanted to play football."
Boylan coached the international side again in 2008. Ireland won on an aggregate score of 102-97.