Gavin developed at Home Farm before playing for UCD and was signed by Drogheda United in 2004.
It would be a further thirty-four years before Drogheda captured the blue riband event of Irish football, but Gavin Whelan's opening goal against Cork City in the 2005 decider brought his family's footballing narrative full-circle; the midfielder is Ronnie Snr.'s grandson.
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(a 53-cap Republic of Ireland international and the winner of countless trophies and plaudits with Liverpool F.C.) and Paul Whelan (at Shamrock Rovers) were both enjoying professional careers, and his grandson Gavin Whelan has also gone on to be a professional footballer.
Gavin Friday | Gavin Bryars | Gavin Newsom | Gavin DeGraw | Gavin Shuker | Gavin Hamilton | Bill Whelan | Michael Whelan | Gavin Dunbar | Dance Gavin Dance | M. Edward Whelan III | James M. Gavin | Gavin Rossdale | Gavin Harrison | Dave Whelan | Peter Gavin Hall | Gavin Turk | Gavin MacLeod | Gavin Hastings | Gavin Hamilton (artist) | John Gavin | Jim Whelan | Gavin O'Reilly | Gavin Menzies | Gavin Maxwell | Gavin Jantjes | Gavin Hoyte | Gavin Esler | Gavin Brown's Enterprise | Gavin Brown |
Goals from Gavin Whelan (whose father, Paul, captained Bohemians to the 1992 cup and whose grandfather, Ronnie, won 2 cups with St. Patrick's Athletic) and captain Declan O'Brien helped "the Drogs" to a 2-0 win over Cork City.