Peter McDermott (Gaelic footballer)

Peter McDermott (27 July 1918 – 11 October 2011) was an Irish Gaelic football player, coach, administrator and referee. Throughout a club career that spanned over 20 years, he played for several clubs and enjoyed championship success in different grades with Rathfeigh, Donaghmore and Navan O'Mahony's. At inter-county level, he was left corner-forward on the Meath senior football team that won All-Ireland Championship titles in 1949 and 1954 as team captain; he was the first Meath player to win six Leinster Championship medals and also claimed two National League titles. His 51 championship appearances stood as a Meath record for nearly 40 years. As well as club and county successes, McDermott was a regular for Leinster and won three Railway Cup medals.

McDermott's inter-county career was congruous with a career as a top-ranking referee and he took charge of All-Ireland finals in 1953 and 1956. As an administrator, he served as secretary, vice-chairman and president of the Meath County Board and was instrumental in organising a prototype International Compromise Rules Series in 1968. McDermott's coaching career stretched back to the 1940s before enjoying All-Ireland success with Down in 1960 and Meath in 1967. Regarded as one of Meath's greatest-ever servants, he received the All-Time All-Star Award in 1989 and was inducted into the GAA Hall of Fame in 2002.