The death has been announced of one of the Galway All-Ireland winning heroes from the 1956 team, Frank Evers, who passed away at the age of 91 in Graz, Austria, where he had been living for several years. Frank played midfield alongside Mattie McDonagh in the '56 final win over Cork, having featured for Galway at senior level from 1953 to 1962. Born in 1934 in Westmeath, for whom he played Minor football in the 1952 Leinster Championship, Frank later moved to Menlough, where his father was stationed as a Garda, and transferred to Galway in 1953. After winning his All-Ireland medal in 1956, Frank won a National League title with Galway in 1957 and a County Championship with Tuam Stars in 1962
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. His last game for Galway, and that of his best man Sean Purcell, was the 1962 Connacht Final in Castlebar, when Galway lost by a point to Roscommon. Frank had been home on holiday from the Middle East at the time.
In a letter to noted historian from the Skehana and District Heritage Society, Jimmy Laffey, 10 years ago, Frank gave 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 the United Nations Truce and Supervisory Organisation, at their Headquarters in Jerusalem. I was an International Civil Servant, reporting to the UN Headquarters in New York, USA. Between September 1960 and August 1994, I was posted to Jerusalem, Damascus, Beirut, Yemen, Cyprus, Vienna, Egypt, Jordan and Israel. I had a total of 25 years of service with the 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 the United Nations.
During these years, I holidayed in Ireland every two years and also worked for SPS Galway in the early 1970s and Digital Equipment International, Dublin, in the 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 teammate 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 the 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, playing 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. My wife Brigitte is a Canadian citizen, born in Austria, and we have been married for 29 years, having lived in Austria before settling in Vancouver, Canada. Recently, we increased the number of great-grandchildren to three.
The 1956 Galway All-Ireland winning team. Frank Evers is in the back row (3rd from the right), beside Sean Purcell. The death of Frank Evers means there are now two surviving members of the team, Sean Keeley and Gerry Kirwan from Ballinasloe.
