The death of John Joe (Purty) Landers on August 27th aged 94, removes another link with the first golden age of Kerry football in the late 1920s. One of three brothers, with Tim (Roundy) and Bill, who between them won 12 All-Ireland medals, he played in every one of the four-in-a-row successes between 1929-'32 and was regarded as a legendary figure in Kerry football history.
Born to Garret Landers from Tralee and Catherine (nΘe Roche) from Listowel on April 23rd, 1907, in Rock Street - Tralee's famous Street of Champions - John Joe Landers was educated locally and became a member of the Rock Street club.
At that time the club, together with the two others in Tralee, Boherbue and Strand Street, combined for the purposes of the county championship until their domination of the club scene prompted the county board to insist on the three clubs competing separately, which they do to this day as Austin Stacks, John Mitchels and Kerins O'Rahillys.
It was a remarkable period for Kerry football and John Joe Landers was a key figure. He played in various forward positions, both wings and both corners, for the county in those All-Ireland finals.
He had a major impact on these triumphs and in an era when old playing equipment placed scores at a premium, his scoring record in big matches was notable. In the replayed 1937 final against Cavan he scored three goals over the two matches. Against Monaghan in 1930, he scored 1-2. A year previously he kicked the point that clinched the final against Kildare.
Both John Joe Landers and his brother Tim had a distinctive style, dribbling the ball soccer-style. In addition, he was an influential member of the team. "When a game got tough, he would always rally players," recalls one acquaintance. "He was a real leadership figure."
An accomplished dual player, he also won county hurling medals with his club. He also toured the US on four occasions with Kerry teams. Their exhibition matches were hugely popular and the money generated allowed the Kerry county board develop Austin Stack Park in Tralee.
A republican activist, John Joe Landers was interned by Eamon de Valera's Fianna Fβil government in the 1940s. During his playing career, politics was a constant presence in the Kerry GAA. After the Civil War, Gaelic games played an important role in healing those divisions within the county.
The four-in-a-row team was the most famous example of this reconciliation. Joe Barrett, an anti-Treaty republican, captained two of those sides and was due to captain a third in 1931. Instead of exercising the right he invited Con Brosnan, a Free State army officer, to lead Kerry to victory that year.
Republican sensibilities continued to be prevalent in the county during the 1930s. In 1934, a vote of the Kerry county convention prompted the withdrawal of the county football team from the following year's championship as a protest against the treatment of prisoners on the Curragh.
John Joe Landers served as joint county secretary, with Micheβl O'Rourke, for two years in the mid-1930s.
After his playing career concluded at the end of the decade, he also served as a selector of the county team.
In later years he turned his attention to raising his family with his wife Margaret (nΘe Broome), also of Tralee and working with the CWS bacon company in the town.
In 1985, he and his brother Tim were presented with All-Time All Star awards at the annual presentation banquet in Dublin. Two years ago he received the Kerry Hall of Fame award but was unable to attend the presentation and his grandson John Landers-Byrne accepted on his behalf.
John Joe Landers is survived by his wife Margaret and daughters, Veronica, Patricia, Marietta and Treasa.
John Joe (Purty) Landers: born 1907; died, August 2001