Frank Evers (Gaelic footballer)

Francis Anthony ‘Frank’ Evers (born August 27, 1934) was a Gaelic footballer who played for the Galway county senior football team in the 1950s and early 1960s. He played his last game for Galway in 1962. Frank Evers was a native of Westmeath but later resided in Menlough where his father was stationed for a lengthy period. He started at the senior national level in 1952, when he was only 18 years old. Labelled a “towering figure of a man” and a “marvellous Croke Park man” by his colleague Jack Mahon, he also formed a famous centre field partnership with Mattie McDonagh. He played for Westmeath senioe footballers in the League of 1952-53 and transferred to County Galway in 1953. He won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with Galway in 1956, when Galway defeated Cork, and a runners-up shield in 1959, when Galway were defeated by Kerry in the 1959 Final. He won six Connacht Senior medals 1954 and 1956 – 1960, when he played in all five consecutive Connacht Finals. He was a member of Westmeath Minor team who won the 1952 Leinster Minor Championship, beaten in the All-Ireland Minor Football semi-final by Cavan. Frank’s adopted County – Galway won the All Ireland Minor football final in 1952.

Senior Football:

Frank was a member of Franciscan College, Multyfarnham’s Senior football team that won the Leinster senior football Colleges Championship in 1952, defeating St. Mels of Longford in the Leinster Final. He was selected for the Leinster Senior Colleges on two occasions 1951/52 and also selected on three occasions for the Ireland Selections to play the Irish Universities. In 1960 Frank joined the United Nations Peacekeeping Organisation and left for the Middle East on the 1st of September, having played for Galway Seniors in the All Ireland semi-final of 1960 versus Kerry – one of his best displays in the maroon of Galway. Frank was picked for the Ireland Selection of 1960, however he was out of the country by that time and did not participate in the annual game. Frank’s last game for Galway was in 1962, when he was home on holidays from the Middle East, this was also the last game for his teammate (and best man) Seán Purcell. Frank was also selected for Connacht Senior Football teams, in the Railway Cup Competition and won Railway Cup Medals on two occasions. He won a Football National League medal in 1957, qualifying for a trip to New York and played in the St. Brendan’s Cup Final that year in the old Polo Grounds (in New York, USA). Frank won a Galway Senior Championship Medal with Tuam Stars in 1962 and played with Galway in 1958 in London’s Wembley Stadium, in the inaugural Whit Weekend Games. After retiring from Gaelic football, he worked for the United Nations.

Family:

Frank was married to Irish actress Teresa Evers (née. Doyle) and they had 7 children. Deirdre, Mary, Deborah, Caroline, Frank, Sean and Rachel. He now lives in Vancouver, Canada, with his partner Brigitte. He has 19 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren at the time of writing.

In a letter to Jimmy Laffey, Frank has very kindly given us an insight into some other, perhaps lesser known but hugely significant, aspects of life in family, sport, business and service to his club, county, country and the wider world.

“After the All-Ireland football semi-final in 1960 (September)  I went on assignment to the Middle East with United Nations Truce and Supervisory Organisation, at their Headquarters in Jerusalem. I was an International Civil Servant, reporting to UN Headquarters in New York USA.  Between September 1960 and August 1994 I was posted to Jerusalem; Damascus Syria; Beirut Lebanon;Sana’a Yemen;Nicosia Cyprus;Vienna Austria;Ismailia Egypt;Cairo Egypt; Rabbah Sinai Egypt;Amman Jordan;Tiberias Israel; I had a total of 25 years service with UN.  After retirement in 1994 I had short term contracts with OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) in KOSOVO –twice, also in Sierra Leone with United Nations.

During these years I holidayed in Ireland every two years and also worked for SPS Galway in early 1970s and Digital Equipment International, Dublin, in early 1980s as Personnel Manager. In 1962 – while on leave in Ireland I lived in Tuam, Co. Galway and played for Tuam Stars – winning a Senior County Medal. I also played with Galway Seniors in the Connacht Championship, losing to Roscommon,  in what was a special occasion – as it was Seán Purcell’s  last game and, as it turned out, my last game with Galway senior footballers.

I continue my connection with the GAA in Vancouver, where there are a number of teams female/male in football and hurling. As for connections in Galway, I am in touch on a regular basis with team mate Seán Keeley.  Seán keeps me up to date with the Galway scene, and the health of teammates – Jack Kissane, Joe Young, Gerry Kirwan and Tom Dillon from 1956 All Ireland Champions.

I was a member of the Corinthians Rugby Club during my stay in Galway in the early 1970s and played on their senior team – winning two Clare Cups, played in one Connacht Cup final and once playing in Lansdowne Road against the Lansdowne Rugby Club team. If my memory is correct I also played against Galwegians a couple of times as well as Athlone, Ballina and an annual Munster Club fixture.

I also played Rugby abroad with the Irish Rovers, playing friendlies in such places as Beirut, Cyprus and Jerusalem. I was Club Member of The University of Jerusalem and won an Israeli Championship with them – no medal or replica but a parchment attesting to our success as a team representing the university.

Our children were born three in Ireland, three in Jerusalem and one in Cyprus. Our connection to Jerusalem still continues as our youngest daughter – Rachel is the Director of Legal Affairs for UNRWA based there.