Tipperary GAA Scene

By Jonathan Cullen PRO

FBD Insurance County Championships

Last weekend was another busy one on the playing fields of the county with a total of three finals, six semi-finals and a quarter final taking place.

See reports for senior, premier intermediate, intermediate and junior ‘A’ & ‘B’ hurling, and under 19 ‘A’ football elsewhere.

In the under 19 ‘B’ football championship, Galtee Rovers defeated Boherlahan-Dualla 0-10 to 0-7 and they will now play Fethard in the final, who received a walkover from Nenagh Eire Óg.

There was also a game played in the Junior ‘B’ Football Championship, as Shannon Rovers had a point to spare over Grangemockler/Ballyneale in their quarter final which was played under the lights in Templetuohy.

There are seven games down for decision this bank holiday weekend with the highlight being an Intermediate (1.00pm) and Senior (3.00pm) hurling final double header in FBD Semple Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Tipp GAA TV will be streaming both games from FBD Semple Stadium on Sunday, so if you can’t make it along, you will be able to watch all the action online.

There are also finals in Junior ‘A’ football and under 19 ‘B’ football as well as semi-finals in under 19 ‘A’ football, under 19 ‘A’ & ‘B’ hurling.

Nenagh Eire Óg 1995 Team Honoured

The Nenagh Eire Óg team of 1995 were guests of honour at last Sundays county finals in FBD Semple Stadium as they were being acknowledged for their great achievement of 27 years ago.

The players and team management were introduced to the crowd between the Premier Intermediate and Senior hurling finals last Sunday and later that evening they were entertained in the Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh.

Tipperary New York Hurling Club

The Tipperary New York Hurling Club’s annual dinner dance will take place on Sunday, December 3rd in the Lake Isle Country Club, Eastchester. On the night they will celebrate the 2022 guest of honour Roger Slattery. Presentations will also be made to Tipperary man of the year - Toby Kavanagh, Senior hurler of the year – Darragh Peters and Junior hurler of the year – Eoghan Hurley. Special guests will be Tipperary Minor hurling manager James Woodlock and team captain Sam O’Farrell. For more details on how to purchase tickets for this event or advertise in the event catalogue, email: tippnyc@outlook.com

London Brian Boru hurlers reunion

A unique ‘get-together’ of former London-based hurlers from the 1960/70s is being planned for Friday, 18th November at the Horse & Jockey Hotel.

Holycross man Johnny Barrett is the ‘brainchild’ behind the occasion intended to be a night of reminiscing and the sharing of memories of their playing days with the now defunct Brian Boru hurling club in London. It is will also be an opportunity to present previously unclaimed London Sean Gael awards to some of these former players.

Johnny Barrett himself will certainly need no introduction to anyone involved in London GAA for well over fifty years. He was a stalwart of the Brian Boru club from the 1960s until its sudden and unexpected demise in 2000 - over one hundred years after it was first established. He is also the uncle of current Tipperary star Cathal Barrett and was also the only Tipperary representative on the London Hurling Legends team of 2010. Johnny will be also be remembered for his outstanding London county championship displays against Galway and Limerick in 1973.

But the Brian Boru club had several other members from Tipperary during its distinguished history from the early days just after the establishment of the London GAA County Board in 1896. Limerick man Sean Og Hanly, a native of Kilfinane, is credited with being one of the founder members of the Brian Boru club and when London won their only All-Ireland senior hurling title against Cork in 1901 it comprised of entirely Brian Boru club members including Thurles man Michael McMahon….the sole Tipperary representative on that famous historic team.

Other significant Brian Boru figures from the Premier County in the last half century have included Drom & Inch native and former London GAA Chairman Paddy Ryan who was hailed as being one of the club’s greatest influencers in promoting the game in that same era before his untimely passing in 1978.

Among the pick of other Tipperary men in recent times to don the famous black and amber hooped jersey were Cappawhite men Patsy O’Neill (RIP) and the McDermott brothers Pat & Martin, Lattin native Fonsie Condon, the Johnny Hickey from New Inn, Roscrea’s Michael Loughnane, and famed goalkeeper and Gortnahoe native Willie Barnaville.

This event will therefore be concentrating on two of the more successful decades in Brian Boru club history in the 1960/70s – coinciding also with the ‘golden-era’ of London county hurling achievements. It is hoped therefore that as many of the survivors from that era will be present in the Horse & Jockey. A number of these former players have been contacted and the reaction has been very encouraging. Many other players outside Tipperary including Waterford’s Martin Kirwan and Roger Cashin, Kilkenny’s Liam Walsh and Clare’s Mick Hassett have also expecting to be in attendance.

But any player who has ever had any affinity and association with the Brian Boru club from Tipperary and beyond will be most welcome on what promises to be a very special and nostalgic evening on 18th November.

For further information, contact Johnny Barrett 0863349341 or 00 44 7785 278916.

Tipperary GAA Yearbook

The 2023 Tipperary GAA Yearbook is being compiled and the committee is seeking articles and information for inclusion. If you have something you would like included you need to have it submitted by Friday, November 11th.

Clubs that have accomplished any unique achievement in 2022 are requested to send through an appropriate article for inclusion. Similarly, it is most important that clubs record and document any charity or fundraising events they undertook. These events epitomize the heart and soul of the GAA in every parish and their community across the Premier County.

The Yearbook committee are looking to all clubs to submit any obituaries of their deceased members in the last twelve months. The maximum number of words for an obituary is 150 and please include the club’s name and the years also, e.g. 1939-2021, as well as his/her G.A.A. achievements and a photograph of the deceased person.

E-mail information and photographs which must be named to Tipperary Yearbook Committee at yearbook.tipperary@gaa.ie

Tipperary GAA Scene

If there is anything you feel should feature in this column going forward, feel free to forward it to pro.tipperary@gaa.ie