John Joe Cassidy

John Joe Cassidy was a Gaelic footballer who played for the Cavan county team. He was born and raised in Arva, and his playing career took in the 1947 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, when Cavan met Kerry at the Polo Grounds in New York. He lined out at wing half forward in the victorious All-Ireland finals of 1948 and 1952, and in the 1952 campaign he scored a goal in the drawn game against Meath, although he was replaced by a substitute in the replay that Cavan won by 0-9 to 0-5. Beyond his All-Ireland medals he won six Ulster titles and two Railway Cup medals, and he finished as top scorer in the 1952 Ulster Senior Football Championship with a total of 1-7. In the early 1950s he emigrated to New York with Owen Roe McGovern and stayed active in the Cavan GFC of New York as a player, president and honorary president until his death in 1995.