Jimmy Kennedy (hurler, born 1926)

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Jimmy Kennedy (1926–2007) was an

Kennedy subsequently studied agricultural science at University College Dublin. He achieved his degree in the late 1940s and took up employment with Minch Norton Maltings in Nenagh in 1950. He moved to the firm's Goresbridge depot as manager in 1961 before transferring to the Guinness Maltings in Midleton in 1964 where he stayed for seven years.

In 1954 Kennedy married Rita McCormack. Together they had four daughters and one son. In 1971 the Kennedys took over the J.K. Moloney drapery business in Liberty Square, Thurles. Kennedy’s wife died in 1983 and on his retirement from his drapery business he came back go his native Puckane.

Jimmy Kennedy died in 2007.

Playing career

Club

Kennedy played his club hurling with his local club in Kiladanagn. He won a North Tipperary junior championship medal with the club in 1944. Kennedy later played with the University College Dublin hurling club and enjoyed further successes. He won a Fitzgibbon Cup medal with the college club in the 1947-48 running of the intervarsity’s championship. He later added two Dublin county titles to his collection in 1947 and 1948. Kennedy later returned to his native Kiladangan club and continued playing until the mid-1950s.

Inter-county

It was during his time playing for UCD that Kennedy came to the attention of the Dublin senior inter-county selectors. He made his debut for ‘the Metropolitans’ in 1946 and played in his first Leinster final in 1947. Kilkenny were victorious on that occasion.

1948 saw Kennedy line out in his second provincial final. Laois provided the opposition on that occasion, however, ‘the Dubs’ trounced Laois by 5-9 to 3-3 giving Kennedy a Leinster title. Antrim fell heavily in the penultimate game of the championship, allowing Dublin to advance to an All-Ireland final meeting with Waterford. Dublin were far off the pace on that occasion and Waterford claimed the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the first time ever.

Kennedy’s performances with Dublin brought him to the attention of the selectors of his own native-county who attempted to poach him back to Tipperary. Former GAA President Seamus Gardiner, Fr. Johnnie Minehan and county secretary Phil Purcell traveled to Dublin and met Kennedy. He wasn’t intending to move as liked the Dublin hurling scene. In the end, however, he agreed and declared for Tipperary in 1949. It proved to be a shrewd decision. A short time after making his debut for Tipp Kennedy captured a National Hurling League medal. He later added a Munster title to his collection as Tipp defeated Limerick in the provincial decider. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Tipp play Laois, the surprise winners of the Leinster final. The game turned into a rout as the Munster men completely overpowered the Leinster men. Kennedy collected his first All-Ireland medal following a 3-11 to 0-3 victory.

In 1950 Kennedy began the year by winning a second National League title with Tipp. Tipperary later took on

• Munster final winning teams
• Tipperary GAA honours Archived 21 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine