[2] He was educated locally, then later at St Jarlath's College in Tuam, County Galway, where he showed enthusiasm for sport.

He captained the All-Ireland final-winning sides of 1950 and 1951 and won five Connacht senior championship medals in all.

In 1984, the Gaelic Athletic Association centenary year he was honoured by being named on their Football Team of the Century.

[3] Flanagan rose rapidly through the party ranks and was appointed a Parliamentary Secretary under Taoiseach Seán Lemass in 1959.

Alongside Charles Haughey and Brian Lenihan, he was part of the "mohair suite" brigade of young moderniser TDs.