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

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

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

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!

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.

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 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!

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

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 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 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.

Fr Tom Scully OMI managed Offlay in the 1969 All Ireland Senior Football Final against Kerry. He passed away this morning at a good old age.

Fr Michael Kennedy of Offaly played full back in 1980 breakthrough Leinster final. Has since been a priest in Co. Waterford and has been quite a controversial figure in his parish of Dungarvan when he stood on the pulpit and claimed there was a woman around the town spreading aids. This garnered national attention and he was barred from saying mass for a number of years. He is also a relation of American political family, the Kennedys.

Edgware wrote: »

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

My grandad from Tipp played with Dublin in 20s when a clerical student in Kimmage Manor with Holy Ghosts. Played under his real name too. Fortunately he left or was booted out or I would not be here!

There is story that the notorious Fr. Michael Cleary played junior football with Dublin in 1950s. I recall him saying this on TV but he said more than his prayers, the same fkr!

Stacksofwacks wrote: »

Fr Michael Kennedy of Offaly played full back in 1980 breakthrough Leinster final. Has since been a priest in Co. Waterford and has been quite a controversial figure in his parish of Dungarvan when he stood on the pulpit and claimed there was a woman around the town spreading aids. This garnered national attention and he was barred from saying mass for a number of years. He is also a relation of American political family, the Kennedys.

That controversy was in Dungarvan in 1995, the week before the hurling final, in which Clare beat his beloved Offaly. I happened to walk past him a few days later and as I did I said "Up the Banner." He put his hand on my shoulder and responded "Every time, boy." He seemed utterly relieved that someone had made a light-hearted remark to him, probably for the first time in a week.
What he said on the pulpit was utterly stupid, but the press crucified him and I felt sorry for him. He was unfortunate in that his congregation included a pressman whose paper never refused ink.
I never heard that his priestly faculties were withdrawn for it. I doubt that.

Bonniedog wrote: »

Thats where I heard it. His Da had a pub on docks which would have meant his local club was Joeys, who were still senior at time, but he didnt play with Joeys. He would presumably have been studying for priesthood in 1955.

Was his sister married to a Quinn of Kilbride that played with Meath ,there was a pub out there he used to be in it a lot. Stayed out there while we were doing a job in Fairyhouse.