Joe Stynes

Joseph Andrew Stynes (born Newbridge, County Kildare 15 January 1903; died New York City, 29 January 1991)] was an Irish Republican and a sportsman, excelling in particular at Gaelic football and soccer.

In Dublin

Stynes played Gaelic football for the McCracken's club on Dublin's Northside, then transferred to the elite O'Tooles club in February 1922. [] He was an 'outstanding' forwardNolan, pg.190] with 'rare qualities'. [Nolan, pg.254] He took the anti-Treaty side during the Irish Civil War, but managed to play several games for the Dublin senior football team while "on the run" from the Irish Free State authorities. However, he missed Dublin's win in the 1922 All-Ireland final (played 7 October 1923) as by then he was interned in the Curragh Camp.] Major General Tom Ennis of the Irish Army, a former teammate of Stynes who took the pro-Treaty side, secured Stynes' availability for subsequent Dublin matches, and he got a winner's medal for the 1923 final (played 28 September 1924), in which he scored the final two points. [Nolan, pg.203] He missed the 1924 final (played 26 April 1925) after being suspended by the GAA for breaching its ban on playing "foreign" games by playing soccer, a game he had learnt while in the Curragh. []

While suspended from the GAA, he played League of Ireland soccer for Shelbourne and Bohemians where he scored 13 times in 28 appearances during 1925-26.Fact|date=June 2007 In the Leinster Senior Cup final of 1926, he played well, but retired injured, as Bohs beat Shelbourne 2-1. []

In New York

Around 1927, Stynes emigrated to the United States, settling in New York City. He remained active in both North American GAA and emigrant Irish Republican groups.

He regularly returned to visit Ireland, and represented America in football internationals against Ireland at the Tailteann Games in Dublin in both 1928 [] and 1932.Nolan, p.263] During his 1928 trip, he turned out once more for Dublin in their Leinster Final defeat to Kildare. [Nolan, p.997] He also represented New York in challenge tour matches against Mayo in 1932 and Kerry in 1933. [] In December 1932, he won a Dublin junior club title with Sean McDermotts. [Nolan, p.252] He won New York state championships with Kildare in 1938 [] and with Kilkenny as late as 1947.

Stynes was politically active in Clan na Gael, and after 1948 was leader of the few branches that had remained loyal to the rump of the IRA. [] In 1938, he signed on behalf of the American GAA an Irish-American petition for the release of Frank Ryan, the IRA leader imprisoned by Franco's Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War for fighting in the International Brigades. [] After the decline of Clan na Gael, and the outbreak of the Northern Troubles, he was sympathetic to NORAID. He sided with Republican Sinn Féin after its 1986 split from Provisional Sinn Féin, and in 1987 he co-founded the National Irish Freedom Committee (NIFC; Irish: "Cumann Na Saoirse Náisiúnta") for its American supporters. [cite web |url=http://irishfreedom.net/NIFC/NIFC%20Background%20folder/Founding%20members.htm |title=FOUNDING MEMBERS |publisher=National Irish Freedom Committee |accessdate=2007-06-25] []

Relatives

Stynes had nine children. His grandson Chris Stynes played Major League Baseball. [cite web |title=Spotlight: Getting His Irish Up: Leftfielder Chris Stynes has become the Reds' red-hot spark plug |url=http://robots.cnnsi.com/features/1998/weekly/980504/bb0504/g.html |publisher=CNN/SI |date=April 29 1998 |first=Mark |last=Bechtel |accessdate=2007-06-25 |quote=his grandfather, Joe Stynes, played Irish Rules football]

Joe Stynes' brother Peter played Gaelic football for Dublin in the 1925 and 1926 Leinster championships, [Nolan, pp.257-8] and got a 1926 League runners-up medal. Peter won Dublin club titles with O'Toole's in 1925, 1926, and 1928. [Nolan, pp.1163-4] He was the grandfather of Jim Stynes, Australian rules footballer, and his brother Brian, who won an All-Ireland with Dublin in 1995.

References