| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Gaelic football | ||
| Position | Full Forward Line Right | ||
| Born |
31 August 1957 Aughavas, County Leitrim, Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 5[1] in (1.96 m) | ||
| Occupation | Secondary school principal | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
1975–1995 | Skryne | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Meath titles | 2 | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
1975–1995 | Meath | 59 (16-105) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Leinster titles | 5 | ||
| All-Irelands | 2 | ||
| NFL | 3 | ||
| All Stars | 3 | ||
Colm O'Rourke (born 31 August 1957) is a Gaelic football manager, former player, retired secondary school principal, sports broadcaster and columnist. He has been manager of the Meath county team since 2022.
O'Rourke's league and championship career at senior level with the Meath county team spanned twenty years from 1975 to 1995.
Born in Aughavas, County Leitrim,[2] his family moved to Skryne in County Meath, where O'Rourke spent his youth. He played competitive Gaelic football during his schooling at St Patrick's Classical School in Navan. O'Rourke first appeared for the Skryne club at underage levels, before winning two county senior championship medals in 1992 and 1993. He gained his Bachelor of Arts degree (1978) and Higher Diploma in Education (1979) from University College Dublin. While studying at University College Dublin he won a Sigerson Cup medal in 1979.[3] He was awarded UCD Alumnus of the Year in Sport in 2016.
O'Rourke made his debut on the inter-county scene when he was picked for the Meath minor team. He later joined the under-21 side but enjoyed little success in these grades. O'Rourke made his senior debut during the 1975-76 league. Over the course of the next twenty years he was a regular member of the starting fifteen and won back-to-back All-Ireland medals in 1987 and 1988. He also won five Leinster medals, three National Football League medals and was named Footballer of the Year in 1991. O'Rourke played his last game for Meath in July 1995.
In retirement from playing O'Rourke combined his teaching career with a new position as a sports broadcaster. His media career began with RTÉ where he has worked as a studio analyst with the flagship programme The Sunday Game for over twenty-five years. O'Rourke also writes a weekly column for the Sunday Independent.
Finals in empty grounds, no parties afterwards for winners or losers, no homecomings with a junior, intermediate or senior cup. The sort of stuff we peasants live for… In the midst of this absolute confusion, it is just as well there is no election or the Government would surely be replaced. Then we could have Sinn Féin. In the new Utopia, nobody would have to work, the dole would be extra generous and everyone, whether you wanted to work or not, would get a free house… A land of milk and honey, except there would be no cows.