Ivan Heffernan is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Ballina Stephenites, [1] as well as the Mayo county team, which he captained. He is originally from Ballina, County Mayo. [2]
Heffernan was goalkeeper on the Mayo team that won the 1974 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship. [1] [2] He was Mayo captain for the Connacht Senior Football Championship. [3]
Heffernan also played for UCD during the 1970s. [2] He was goalkeeper on the UCD team that won the 1974 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship title. [4] He also won two Sigerson Cup titles. [3]
Heffernan's family have made several contributions to sport. A son, Dave, plays rugby union for Connacht. [2] Ballina R.F.C.'s pitch is named after his father. [2] A brother Niall also played for Mayo, managed Ballina Stephenites to several Mayo Senior Football Championship titles and managed the Mayo under-20 football team. [2] [5] [6]
Heffernan also played rugby union, and captained Ballina R.F.C. to the 1985 Connacht Junior Cup and Connacht Junior League. [3] He was later appointed as Ballina's Director of Rugby for the 1st and 2nd XVs. [3] In 2017, the club appointed him to its management team. [3]