John Dunne, born to Patrick & Margaret Dunne in 1952, he is the 6th born child of his 10 member family. (Maureen and Peggy (Twins), Seamus, Patsy, Padraic, John, Tommy, and Jarlaith).

John grew up in a village called Parke, just out Castlebar in Mayo where many of his family still reside. As a youth, John played football for the Parke Keelogues Crimlin GAA Club, where in 1971 he was awarded “Footballer of the year”.

In 1972, at the age of 20, he had made his move, ‘across the pond’, to New York city. In John’s first year abroad, he met and fell in love with Mary Ann Campbell, of Donegal heritage. The two married in July of 1975, starting out their new family in The Bronx, NY. John & Mary Ann raised 5 boys together (Patrick, Brian, Shaun, Kevin & Michael). Later, John moved his family to Pearl River NY. A town lovingly referred to as “Little-Ireland” by its residents.

Throughout the years, John stayed active in the Irish community. Often managing, coaching, refereeing, playing, and spectating games at the famed Gaelic Park for New York’s Mayo team. John’s 5 sons also stayed involved, all of them playing football as well. In 1993 John was elected to be the president of the Rockland Gaelic Athletic Association. John returns to Ireland every chance he gets, often for the Senior Footballers All-Ireland at Croke Park. When asked to comment on his hometown he loves so dear, he smiled and said, “As the song says, ‘Mayo will always be home, to me’… The Green & Red!”