Last clergyman to play inter-county hurling/f'ball

cms88 · 31-12-2015 12:59pm #1

Taught this might be interesting. Who was the last priest to play Intercounty or Club that you know of?

davegrohl48 · 31-12-2015 1:06pm

cms88 wrote: »

Taught this might be interesting. Who was the last priest to play Intercounty or Club that you know of?

Plenty current at club level. Inter county difficult one. 1970's I'd say. Played in a club game once where a priest and his marker came to blows. Was gas craic telling our defender afterwards "yknow he's a local priest?".

Cornerback1 · 31-12-2015 1:06pm

cms88 wrote: »

Taught this might be interesting. Who was the last priest to play Intercounty or Club that you know of?

Iggy was a priest with Galway at the time...80's I think but probably others after that???

ollaetta · 31-12-2015 2:03pm

They certainly wouldn't have been playing later than Iggy Clarke but Limerick had the Fitzmaurice brothers in the 70s and I'm fairly sure both were priests at the time.

Realt Dearg Sec · 31-12-2015 2:16pm

davegrohl48 wrote: »

Plenty current at club level. Inter county difficult one. 1970's I'd say. Played in a club game once where a priest and his marker came to blows. Was gas craic telling our defender afterwards "yknow he's a local priest?".

I remember hearing a story about a priest playing in Kilkenny once and he got in a row, took a clatter, and an old woman in the crowd roared "that's typical of ye shower, you'd hit the holy priest!"

Stoner · 31-12-2015 3:31pm

Ger Brennan for Dublin was close to being a priest I think. Still has a touch of it.

Boom__Boom · 31-12-2015 4:39pm

davegrohl48 wrote: »

Plenty current at club level. Inter county difficult one. 1970's I'd say. Played in a club game once where a priest and his marker came to blows. Was gas craic telling our defender afterwards "yknow he's a local priest?".

I'd be shocked if there is given the age profile of priests nowadays (average age of a Roman Catholic Priest in Ireland is 64) plus the decline in ordinations in Ireland currently.

I'd say a priest/clergyman even at club level would be a rarity these days.

willietherock · 31-12-2015 6:00pm

Would it be by anychance ....
Fr. Chewey Lewey ?
Fr Hairy Cake Lynam?
Fr Hiroshima Twinkie?
Fr Robula Conundrum ?

davegrohl48 · 31-12-2015 6:50pm

Boom__Boom wrote: »

I'd be shocked if there is given the age profile of priests nowadays (average age of a Roman Catholic Priest in Ireland is 64) plus the decline in ordinations in Ireland currently.

I'd say a priest/clergyman even at club level would be a rarity these days.

Plenty as in a few per province and I only mean representing junior a/b. Doubt any at Senior/Intermediate. But you're right the Gaa playing numbers in decline.

Boom__Boom · 31-12-2015 7:08pm

davegrohl48 wrote: »

Plenty as in a few per province and I only mean representing junior a/b. Doubt any at Senior/Intermediate. But you're right the Gaa playing numbers in decline.

I wouldn't be that surprised if even that might be an over-estimate nowadays - I'd say the number of priests under 40 is fairly tiny currently. Another factor is the age at which priests are ordained has shot up to (I'd say most priests are now well into their 30s being ordained) which is a big difference from the times when you had lads of 23/24/25 being churned out as priests.

Fr Tod Umptious · 31-12-2015 7:48pm

willietherock wrote: »

Would it be by anychance ....
Fr. Chewey Lewey ?
Fr Hairy Cake Lynam?
Fr Hiroshima Twinkie?
Fr Robula Conundrum ?

Never played much beyond U12 myself

MfMan · 31-12-2015 9:42pm

There was a brother or noviate who played for Meath sometime during the 90s I think.

Bonniedog · 31-12-2015 9:56pm

Jimmy "The Pope" Keaveney was certainly the highest ranking cleric to play :-)

Exiled1 · 31-12-2015 10:54pm

A Kilkenny priest took a wicked whack from a defender. As the clergyman lay moaning the defender comforted him with "get up father and turn the other cheek to provocation as you so often tell us!"

commonsense. · 01-01-2016 12:43am

Fr Peter Brennan won a Tipperary senior hurling county championship with Clonoulty/Rossmore in 1998 when he was 'cc' in the parish.
As Peter Brennan, he was full back on the Tipperary senior hurling team beaten by Cork in the 1985 Munster final.

byhookorbycrook · 01-01-2016 12:52am

Br Séan Kelly, Meath Footballer in the 90s

feargale · 01-01-2016 1:26am

Stoner wrote: »

Ger Brennan for Dublin was close to being a priest I think. Still has a touch of it.

Football or sanctity?

Xenophile · 03-01-2016 2:59am

Fr Ray Reidy was born in 1937 in Thurles and played centre back on Tipperary Minor hurling teams for three years being captain the third year in 1955 when they won the all Ireland title. He played on Tipperary Senior Hurling teams from 1956 to 1960 and won an all Ireland Senior medal with the team of ’58.

In 1963, Fr. Ray Reidy S.P.S. Kiltegan and Mill Road, Thurles, was ordained to the priesthood and went on the missions to Nigeria that year. Despite his commitment to his priestly studies, which curtailed his availability, Ray’s contribution to that golden era for Thurles Sarsfields club was immense in the late ’50’s and early ’60’s. Simply, but aptly described by a contemporary as “a class player” and a stylish wing-back, Ray’s reading of the game, and the quality of his striking, were of the highest order. He played with an elegance that was a delight to watch and was widely admired, but when the going got tough he was never found wanting. Had he not answered a higher calling, Ray would undoubtedly have amassed much more honours at both club and county level.

Upon his return to Ireland he served in many parishes in the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore including Kilsheelan, Cahir and Passage East before he came to Clonmel.

Fr. Reidy died on 10 June 2015 after a short illness.

A really lovely man who was fully involved in his priestly duties in Clonmel right up to the time of his death.

Apart from being a wonderful Hurler, in his final days as a Priest he Brought so much care and compassion and comfort into lives of so many through his pastoral work in the Clonmel area!

FatherTed · 06-01-2016 7:00pm

Cornerback1 wrote: »

Iggy was a priest with Galway at the time...80's I think but probably others after that???

Iggy Clarke left the priesthood a while ago, now happily married:)

castletownman · 07-01-2016 2:27pm

From a Wexford perspective, Fr.Martin Casey holds the honour for most senior county hurling medals, with twelve won for Buffers
Alley between 1968- 1992, and an All Ireland club title in 1989. Fr. Dermot Clancy is also regarded as one of Wexford's finest ever footballers from the 40s-50s vintage.

Of course, the current under-21 supremo and former camogie manager, JJ Doyle, is a former priest.

cms88 · 07-01-2016 7:57pm

castletownman wrote: »

From a Wexford perspective, Fr.Martin Casey holds the honour for most senior county hurling medals, with twelve won for Buffers
Alley between 1968- 1992, and an All Ireland club title in 1989. Fr. Dermot Clancy is also regarded as one of Wexford's finest ever footballers from the 40s-50s vintage.

Of course, the current under-21 supremo and former camogie manager, JJ Doyle, is a former priest.

I did not know that

feargale · 07-01-2016 8:11pm

Ah, I'm not going to get excited about this thread until someone can cite a bishop wielding a caman. Mitre than Cuchulainn like.

Xenophile · 07-01-2016 8:27pm

I would get more excited to hear about a Minister from the Free Presbyterian Church winning an Antrim County Medal, Hurling or Football in any grade with Ballymena.

Realt Dearg Sec · 07-01-2016 8:49pm

Xenophile wrote: »

I would get more excited to hear about a Minister from the Free Presbyterian Church winning an Antrim County Medal, Hurling or Football in any grade with Ballymena.

If only they were more transparent.

cms88 · 28-03-2020 1:47pm

After seeing Iggy Clarke on TG4 during the week was intereting to see how many intercounty players were preists, or at least training to be, duing the 70's. Won the Fitzgibbon and Sigerson at that time

28-03-2020 8:41pm

cms88 wrote: »

After seeing Iggy Clarke on TG4 during the week was intereting to see how many intercounty players were preists, or at least training to be, duing the 70's. Won the Fitzgibbon and Sigerson at that time

Had he a brother Joe Clarke that played with Galway at full back in the late 1970s, correct me if I am wrong was he also a priest.

padd b1975 · 28-03-2020 9:14pm

Honourable mention to Fr. Michael O' Brien who managed the Cork hurlers to All Ireland victory in 1990.

feargale · 28-03-2020 9:58pm

Redmond ("Mundy") Prendiville (1900-1968) won an All-Ireland senior football medal with Kerry in 1924 while a final year clerical student at St. Peter's College, Wexford. He subsequently became Archbishop of Perth, Australia. Now beat that with an All-Ireland winning pope if you can.

funnyname · 28-03-2020 11:48pm

We were short numbers for an intermediate league game about 30 years ago, our pp was at it and even though he was mid to late 50s he togged out and filled in at corner forward so the game could go ahead.

willietherock · 29-03-2020 12:47pm

Fr Vinny Stepleton is a sub with the Borrisoleigh senior hurlers.
Fr Pat Barry won an All Ire senior hurling medal in 1976 with Cork.
Fr Seanie Barry won an All Ire with Cork in 1966 and was one of the best hurlers in the country at that stage before immigrating. Con Cottrell and Joe Kelly were the same in the 40s. Kelly was regarded as one the all time great schoolboy athletes. Bishops Michael Murphy and John Buckley were star Harty players with Farna in their day."Tarzan" Murphy has been name checked as one of Cork greatest ever minor hurlers

cms88 · 29-03-2020 1:26pm

willietherock wrote: »

Fr Vinny Stepleton is a sub with the Borrisoleigh senior hurlers.
Fr Pat Barry won an All Ire senior hurling medal in 1976 with Cork.
Fr Seanie Barry won an All Ire with Cork in 1966 and was one of the best hurlers in the country at that stage before immigrating. Con Cottrell and Joe Kelly were the same in the 40s. Kelly was regarded as one the all time great schoolboy athletes. Bishops Michael Murphy and John Buckley were star Harty players with Farna in their day."Tarzan" Murphy has been name checked as one of Cork greatest ever minor hurlers

Lot of priests have been invloved with Cork hurling over the years. Bertie Troy trained them to three in a row 1976-78.

Interestingly from 1974 to 1978 the All-Ireland winner trainer was a priest, with Tommy Mahertraining Kilkenny in 1974 and 75.

Subacio · 29-03-2020 2:50pm

If memory serves me correctly the Galway vs Offaly hurling semi final in 1980 featured a priest on each team. Iggy Clarke for Galway and Mick Kennedy for Offaly..

29-03-2020 5:49pm

Father Tommy Maher coached Kilkenny from 1957 to 1978, Father Tommy Murphy Rower Inistoge kilkenny won two senior medals 1967, 1969.

Strumms · 29-03-2020 6:58pm

Br Sean Kelly here too. Had him for history for a year at the very beginning of his teaching career, despite being inexperienced he was a brilliant teacher and a really sound guy. He’d have a job on a Monday though after a match trying to teach with all of us trying to get the inside track on the weekends game and his performance.

Edgware · 29-03-2020 7:57pm

Sometimes if their bishop wasnt a sports fan they would play under a false name

29-03-2020 8:16pm

Brother Dennis rip a great Laois did tremendous work with a lot of the kilkenny players of the not to distant past was also manager of kilkenny minors in the early 2000nds. RIP

castletownman · 29-03-2020 8:28pm

Subacio wrote: »

If memory serves me correctly the Galway vs Offaly hurling semi final in 1980 featured a priest on each team. Iggy Clarke for Galway and Mick Kennedy for Offaly..

Just watched Iggy's Laochra Gael. What a hurler. It mentioned that when he was in Maynooth studying to be a priest, Sean Silke and Sean Stack were both there too at the time. Were they in the priesthood at some stage as well?

Fr.Paddy Gantly is midfield on the Galway Team of the Millenium- as is Clarke- and if Sikle was in the priesthood too, that would mean that 20% of that team were men of the cloth!

MfMan · 29-03-2020 10:31pm

Silke wasn't in the priesthood anyway, worked in HR for many years I believe.
Players in the priesthood, being forced to miss games thereof, is a recurring theme in the quite recent book 'Will Galway beat Mayo' - many's the promising player had been lost to county colours for taking the cloth.

feargale · 29-03-2020 10:40pm

I believe one Michael Cleary played football for Dublin. He told a story on the Late Late of being forbidden to play in an All-Ireland final while he was in Clonliffe, 1955 I think. He could hear the shouting in Croke Park and was sorely tempted to jump the wall and tog out, but didn't do so. The rest is history.

Duke O Smiley · 29-03-2020 10:50pm

Strumms wrote: »

Br Sean Kelly here too. Had him for history for a year at the very beginning of his teaching career, despite being inexperienced he was a brilliant teacher and a really sound guy. He’d have a job on a Monday though after a match trying to teach with all of us trying to get the inside track on the weekends game and his performance.

Do you mind me asking what order he is/was? It’s not Sean Kelly the current provincial of the Capuchin Franciscans is it?

Duke O Smiley · 29-03-2020 11:14pm

Fr Patsy Carolan played for Cavan in the 1960 Ulster Final against Down. Story goes he snuck out of the seminary to go and play the match and he was only caught when his name was said on the radio that the superiors were listening to at the time. He got into trouble but wasn't expelled because he "played good"

He's still alive today and is still mad about gaa whenever I see him. A very sound man.

Strumms · 29-03-2020 11:20pm

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

Do you mind me asking what order he is/was? It’s not Sean Kelly the current provincial of the Capuchin Franciscans is it?

No, he was a Christian Brother... I understand he left them but is still teaching

Duke O Smiley · 29-03-2020 11:29pm

Strumms wrote: »

No, he was a Christian Brother... I understand he left them but is still teaching

Hah, no problem. I’ve met the capuchin Brother Sean Kelly loads of times and was thinking surely it wasn’t him, I’d have to know!

cms88 · 30-03-2020 7:15pm

I would assume most collages All-Irelands in both codes would have been traied by priests or Christian Brothers?

Lot of underage All-Irelands as well minor U21 etc

It's also intereresting how there seems to be a lot more All-Ireland winning priests in hurling than football

PTH2009 · 01-04-2020 6:16pm

I doubt there holy men in the dressing room/sideline in terms of the language they be using

I went to a Christian brothers school in Waterford in the 2000s which still had a few active brothers with one usually coaching Basketball in which the school was successful a few years prior. There was calls for a rugby team but the rumour was the brothers didn't want it

01-04-2020 6:54pm

Mat Ruth that hurled with limerick in the 1974 all Ireland was a Christian brother, he went back to his own county kilkenny one a few all Ireland medals with them when he left the brothers.

FatherTed · 02-04-2020 3:56pm

Fred Daly wrote: »

Mat Ruth that hurled with limerick in the 1974 all Ireland was a Christian brother, he went back to his own county kilkenny one a few all Ireland medals with them when he left the brothers.

That would be a good trivia question. Player who played in an All-Ireland one year and was in the panel for the opposition the next(I don't think he played in the 1975 final but was part of the panel).

Also Willie Fitzmaurice a priest played for Limerick in the 1980 final.

Realt Dearg Sec · 02-04-2020 6:14pm

Fred Daly wrote: »

Mat Ruth that hurled with limerick in the 1974 all Ireland was a Christian brother, he went back to his own county kilkenny one a few all Ireland medals with them when he left the brothers.

I assume he left the Christian brothers at some stage, his son is the other Matt Ruth who played for KK!

02-04-2020 10:13pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

I assume he left the Christian brothers at some stage, his son is the other Matt Ruth who played for KK!

He was left when he came to hurl with kilkenny1975, his son is Matt Ruth that did play with kilkenny.

BloodyBill · 05-04-2020 10:09am

Any Church of Ireland clergy play hurling in Cork or wherever? I mention Cork because of it sometimes throwing up a Protestant hurler like Darren Sweetnam, Joe Deane (could be wrong there,).. Tipp too occasionally but not recently..George Frend that great wing back from the 90s..

feargale · 05-04-2020 11:54am

BloodyBill wrote: »

Any Church of Ireland clergy play hurling in Cork or wherever? I mention Cork because of it sometimes throwing up a Protestant hurler like Darren Sweetnam, Joe Deane (could be wrong there,).. Tipp too occasionally but not recently..George Frend that great wing back from the 90s..

A few Monaghan footballers from time to time including currently.
A letter in a newspaper years ago cited four Counties, Cork, Dublin, Cavan and Louth.
The last to win a senior All-Ireland medal was a Cavan footballer in 1933. I think his name was George Stephenson.
The only CofI clergyman I know of who played hurling was Robert Hilliard of Killarney. He didn't play inter-county but he was involved in the revival of the Trinity College hurling club in the 1920s. He boxed for Ireland in the 1924 Olympics, the only non-army man on the boxing team and was beaten by a boxer from Argentina in the first round. He was killed fighting for the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War. It is said that he was the inspiration for the boxing clergyman in The Quiet Man. A fascinating character.

Last clergyman to play inter-county hurling/f'ball

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