The Shannon name has been around Notre Dame football for a very long time.
Most recently it was long snapper John who finished up his collegiate career by winning the inaugural Patrick Mannelly Award, given out to the nation’s best senior long snapper.
Before that it was his father, Gerard, who played for the Fighting Irish in the 1980’s.
And before both of them was Gerard’s father, Dan, who has passed away at the age of 86.
Dan Shannon played for Notre Dame from 1951-54 as the Irish accumulated a 32-5-3 record in that time.
Shannon tied for eighth in program history in recovered fumbles (season), with four in 1951, and he served as a team captain in 1954, the season in which he was named a Sporting News All-American linebacker.
Shannon played under both Frank Leahy and Terry Brennan.
Shannon graduated from Notre Dame in 1955 with a degree in accounting and went on to serve in the Air Force before being elected to president of the Chicago Park District, a post he held from 1969-73.
Shannon also served as president of Notre Dame’s Monogram Club from 1995-97.
Shannon was living in Lake Barrington, Illinois when he died this week at 86 years of age.
Our condolences to the Shannon family.