Declan Lovett

Brian Declan Lovett (born 1944) is an Irish former hurler and Gaelic footballer. At club level he played with Kilmoyley and Ardfert and was also a member of the Kerry senior teams as a dual player.

Career

Born in Kilmoyley, County Kerry, Lovett first played Gaelic football as a boarder at St. Brendan's College in Killarney. As a member of Kilmoyley GAA club, he joined the senior team while still a minor and won three successive Kerry SHC titles from 1962 to 1964. Lovett claimed further county honours in 1970 and 1971.

Lovett first appeared on the inter-county scene as a member of the Kerry minor football team that beat Mayo in the 1962 All-Ireland minor final. He also made his first appearances with the Kerry junior hurling team that year. Lovett also spent four years in the under-21 grade as a Gaelic footballer and won an All-Ireland U21FC medal in 1964.

Lovett first played for the senior team during the 1964–65 NFL. He later won consecutive Division 2 titles as a hurler in 1967 and 1968. As a member of the Kerry junior football team, Lovett won an All-Ireland JFC medal after a defeat of London in 1967. This victory resulted in him once again joining the senior team and he was an unused substitute when Down beat Kerry in the 1968 All-Ireland final.

Personal life

Lovett spent 41 years as a teacher at Kilmoyley NS. He became principal of the school in 1971 and retired in 2004.

Honours

Kilmoyley Kerry Senior Hurling Championship: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1970, 1971

Kerry Munster Senior Football Championship: 1968 National Hurling League Division 2: 1966–67, 1967–68 All-Ireland Junior Football Championship: 1967 Munster Junior Football Championship: 1967 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship: 1964 Munster Under-21 Football Championship: 1962, 1964 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship: 1962 Munster Minor Football Championship: 1962