John began his playing career in 1966 playing for his club Mullinabreena and his school Tubbercurry Vocational School.

Two years later John began a long and distinguished playing career with Sligo going on to represent the county at Minor, Under-21, Junior and Senior levels.

In 1968 he won a Connacht Minor Championship medal with Sligo and later played in the All-Ireland final, a game which Sligo lost to Cork by a single point. That same year he won a county Junior Football Championship medal with Mullinabreena.

John played his first senior game for Sligo in 1969 against Donegal at Markievicz Park. He went on to be a member of the 1975 Sligo team which won the Connacht Senior Football Championship in memorable fashion beating Mayo in a replayed final at McHale Park, Castlebar. He continued to play for Sligo until his retirement from inter-county football in 1979. John also played regularly for Connacht in the Railway Cup series all through the 1970’s. An outstanding and dominant full back he was a favourite with Sligo supporters who admired his great physical strength, his high fielding-sometimes with one hand- and his never say die attitude which often saw him emerge with the ball from a crowded goal mouth and begin a counter attack.  Any opposing forward who managed to get a score with John in the vicinity had done a good days work.

John was selected on the All-Stars team which played Kerry at Wembley Stadium in 1973. After his retirement from the inter-county scene, John continued to play for his club Mullinabreena and won two further County Junior Championship medals in 1984 and 1988.

He went on to serve as Manager and Selector with Mullinabreena teams at all levels for many years.

His magnificent service to his club was recognised at the Sligo GAA Millennium Awards in the year 2000 when John was honoured as the Mullinabreena GAA Club Person of the Century. He was also named at full-back on the greatest Sligo team of all time in a Sligo Champion promotion some years ago.

His service to his club continues and this year he was one of six ‘Club Hero’ candidates who raised over €90,000 for club development in a fund raising campaign.