Carrigtwohill man, Séamus Collins recently took a trip home from Sydney, where he has been living for almost twenty years. We were delighted to see Séamus in West End a number of times during his sojourn.

The jovial Carrig native was a very able, wholehearted and versatile player in both codes for club, division and county; favouring the forwards more in the football and playing quite a bit in the backline in hurling.

Séamus won numerous underage hurling medals with Carrigtwohill, including an U16 ‘B’ county championship (1989), U21 ‘B’ East Cork championship (1991) and an U21 ‘A’ East Cork championship in 1993.  He won East Cork Junior ‘A’ football championships in 1993 and 1997.  Collins was on the Junior A hurling team that won East Cork and County championships in 1994.  That county triumph bridged a 28 year gap since the club’s previous county success; Carrig's longest county championship barren spell.  Séamus played against Delanys in the drawn 2002 intermediate hurling championship county final and replay, which Carrig lost.

Collins was on the Imokilly teams that made history by winning back-to-back senior hurling county championships in 1997 and 1998.  He also played senior football championship with the division.  Séamus travelled to Chicago in 1998 and won an All-American football championship with St. Brendan’s.

At county level, Séamus was right corner forward on the Cork minor team that won Munster and All-Ireland titles in 1993.  He was Cork’s top scorer from play in the championship with a tally of 4-8.  This included a decisive goal in the Munster semi-final against Kerry in Tralee and another one in the All-Ireland final against Meath, which Cork won on a scoreline of 2-07 to 0-09.  Séamus lined out at corner back for the Cork minor hurlers that year but they were knocked out in the Munster championship.  He was on the Cork U21 football and hurling panels in 1994, winning Munster and All-Ireland football championships, making him the only Carrigtwohill player to have won All-Ireland football medals in either grade.  Collins played senior football with Cork, lining out for the McGrath Cup (1996 and 1997) and in the National League against Kerry in Tralee in 1997.  Séamus credits his parents, Seán Power and Niall Barrett for helping him to succeed.

In 2004, Séamus emigrated to Australia and was involved in setting up a data centre in Sydney for EMC.  He currently works in the recruitment side of the rail construction and maintenance industry.  His brother, Donie, who also played with Carrigtwohill, lives in Australia as well.

Séamus has very kindly donated the No. 13 jersey he wore when he won his All-Ireland minor football medal to the club.  He presented the jersey to club chairperson, Caroline Dixey when he was in Carrigtwohill recently.  The club is most grateful to Séamus for his very kind gesture.  We wish Séamus the very best for the future and look forward to seeing him the next time he comes back home.