on the college football team. In the late 1980s Spillane took over the running of the family pub in Templenoe. He worked as a P.E. and geography teacher at St. Gobán's College in Bantry, County Cork, where he became vice-principal and, subsequently, principal of the school in 2011. He also led the schools under-16 boys team to two 'Munsters' in a row in 2005–2006 and 2006–2007; both finals were played on Kerry soil against Limerick opposition. As a result of the Croke Park Agreement, he retired as principal in 2012 to secure his right to a pension, but expressed regret at feeling forced to do so. He subsequently chaired CEDRA, the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas, an organisation tasked with creating jobs in rural parts of the country until 2025. Spillane lives in Templenoe with his wife Rosarii, and three children Cara (1990), Shóna (1992), and Pat Jnr (1997). He still helps to train his local teams. Pat Jnr has played for the Sligo county team since 2022. Spillane took over his mother's bar, renaming it Pat Spillane's Bar, and he ran it before leasing it. Spillane's footballer brother Tom bought the pub from Pat in the late 2010s, with the intention of running it alongside his sons Killian and Adrian (also Kerry footballers). Playing career Club Spillane played his club football with the local club in Templenoe. He won a county novice championship with the club in 1973 before collecting a county junior championship winners' medal in 1975. Spillane also played club football with Thomond College during his time there in the late 1970s. In 1977 he was captain of the side that defeated Croom to take the Limerick senior championship title. Thomond later represented the county in the provincial club series and even reached the final. A 0–12 to 1–3 defeat of the famous Nemo Rangers club gave Spillane a Munster club winners' medal. He later led his team out in Croke Park for the All-Ireland final against St. John's of Antrim. The Limerick club had no Limerick native on the team, however, victory was secured thanks to goals by Spillane and Sligo's Mick Kilcoyne. The 2–14 to 1–3 victory gave Spillane an All-Ireland club winners' medal. Minor & under-21 By the early 1970s Spillane had joined the Kerry minor football team, however, he had no success in this grade as Cork dominated the provincial