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Tag Archives: Munster Senior Hurling Championship


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Death of Mick Mackey, Limerick County Team Hurler

Michael John Mackey, Irish hurler who plays as a centre-forward at senior level for the Limerick county hurling team, dies on September 13, 1982, at Dooradoyle, County Limerick.

Mackey is born in Castleconnell, County Limerick, on July 12, 1912. Educated at Castleconnell National School, he receives no secondary schooling and subsequently joins the Electricity Supply Board where he spends forty-seven years as a van driver with the company at Ardnacrusha, County Clare. He also spends five years as a member of the Irish Army.

Mackey first arrives on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first links up with the Limerick minor team, before later lining out with the junior side. He makes his senior debut in the 1930–31 National Hurling League. He goes on to play a key part for Limerick during a golden age for the team, and wins three All-Ireland medals, five Munster medals and five National Hurling League medals. An All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions, he also captains the team to two All-Ireland victories.

Mackey’s brother, John, also shares in these victories while his father, John “Tyler” Mackey, is a one-time All-Ireland runner-up with Limerick.

Mackey represents the Munster GAA inter-provincial team for twelve years, winning eight Railway Cup medals during the period. At club level, he wins fifteen championship medals with Ahane.

Throughout his inter-county career, Mackey makes 42 championship appearances for Limerick. His retirement comes following the conclusion of the 1947 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.

In retirement from playing, Mackey becomes involved in team management and coaching. As trainer of the Limerick senior team, he guides them to the 1955 Railway Cup Hurling Championship. He also serves as a selector on various occasions with both Limerick and Munster. He also serves as a referee.

Mackey is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in the history of the game. He is the inaugural recipient of the All-Time All Star Award. He is repeatedly voted onto teams made up of the sport’s greats, including at centre-forward on the Hurling Team of the Century in 1984 and the Hurling Team of the Millennium in 2000. In 2021, the trophy given to the winning Munster Senior Hurling Championship team is named in Mackey’s honour.

Mackey is married to Kathleen “Kitty” Kennedy (1914–2003) and the couple has five children: Paddy, Michael, Greg, Audrey and Ruth.

In declining health for some years, Mackey suffers a series of strokes toward the end of his life. He dies in Dooradoyle, County Limerick, on September 13, 1982. All his medals and trophies are on display in the GAA Museum in Croke Park. A stand in the Limerick Gaelic Grounds is named after him.


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Birth of Irish Hurler Brendan Maher

Brendan Maher, an Irish hurler who plays for club side Borris–Ileigh and previously at inter-county level with the Tipperary senior hurling team, is born on January 5, 1989, at Borrisoleigh, County Tipperary. Regarded as one of the great talents of his generation, Maher enjoys a 13-season career with the Tipperary senior hurling team, wins three All-Stars and is a Hurler of the Year nominee in 2010. He wins eight major trophies in his inter-county career, comprising three All-Ireland Championships, captaining the team in 2016, and five Munster Championships. A versatile player who switches between attacking and defensive positions, he makes a combined 124 league and championship appearances.

Maher first comes to prominence as a hurler with St. Joseph’s College in Borrisoleigh. He plays in every grade before eventually joining the senior hurling team and lines out in several Harty Cup campaigns.

Maher studies at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick between 2006 and 2009 and joins the senior hurling team in his second year. On March 7, 2009, he is named man of the match when Mary Immaculate College defeats the University of Ulster by 1–12 to 1–05 to win the Ryan Cup.

Maher joins the Borris–Ileigh club at a young age and plays at all grades in juvenile and underage levels. He joins the club’s senior team as a 16-year-old during the 2005 North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship. During his time with Borris-Ileigh, the team wins the North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship in 2005, 2007 and 2017, the All-Ireland Mini 7s Championship in 2015, and the Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship and Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship in 2019.

Maher first plays for Tipperary as a member of the minor team during the 2005 Munster Minor Hurling Championship. He and the team go on to win the Munster Minor Hurling Championship in 2007, the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship in 2006 and 2007, the Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship in 2008 and 2010, and the All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship in 2010.

Maher joins the Tipperary senior team in advance of the 2009 National Hurling League. During his ten years with the senior team, they win the Munster Senior Hurling Championship in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016, and the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in 2010, 2016 and 2019. On August 21, 2021, he announces his retirement from inter-county hurling after 13 years with the team.

Maher is added to the Munster team in advance of the 2012 Inter-Provincial Hurling Championship. He makes his first appearance for the team on February 19, 2012, when he lines out at left wing-forward in a 3–14 to 1–16 defeat by Leinster. On March 3, 2013, he lines out at midfield when Munster qualifies to play Connacht in the 2013 Inter-Provincial Hurling Championship final. He ends the game with a Railway Cup medal following the 1–22 to 0–15 victory. On December 15, 2016, he wins a second Railway Cup medal after captaining the team from midfield in a 2–20 to 2–16 defeat of Leinster in the final.

On October 19, 2011, Maher is named on the Ireland squad for the Shinty-Hurling International Series. On October 29, 2011, he lines out at centre-forward when Ireland defeats Scotland on an aggregate scoreline of 3–25 to 3–19 following a two-game series. He is selected for the Ireland team for the second time in his career on October 22, 2013. He claims a second winners’ medal from right wing-forward following Ireland’s 5–27 to 2–26 aggregate defeat of Scotland on November 2, 2013.

In October 2022, Maher is announced as Offaly senior hurling team performance coach under the management of Johnny Kelly.


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Birth of Michael “Babs” Keating, Hurler & Footballer

michael-babs-keating

Michael “Babs” Keating, retired hurler and Gaelic footballer who played as a forward for the Tipperary GAA senior teams, is born on April 17, 1944, in Ardfinnan, County Tipperary.

Keating first plays competitive Gaelic games during his schooling at CBS High School Clonmel. He arrives on the inter-county scene at the age of sixteen when he first links up with the Tipperary minor teams in both codes, before later joining the under-21 sides where he heavily practices yoga. He joins the senior football panel during the 1960 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship before being added to the senior hurling panel four years later. Keating is a regular member of the starting fifteen on both teams, and wins two All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship medals, four Munster Senior Hurling Championship medals and two National Hurling League medals. He is an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions.

As a member of both Munster GAA inter-provincial teams on a number of occasions, Keating wins a combined total of three Railway Cup medals. At club level he is a five-time Tipperary Senior Football Championship medalist with Ardfinnan. Keating plays his club hurling with Ballybacon-Grange GAA.

Throughout his career Keating makes 27 championship appearances with the senior hurlers. He retires from inter-county hurling following the conclusion of the 1975 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, however, his inter-county football career lasts until the end of the 1980 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.

Keating is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation. In 1971 he is named on the inaugural All-Star team, while he also collects the Texaco Hurler of the Year award. He is also chosen as one of the 125 greatest hurlers of all-time in a 2009 poll.

In retirement from playing Keating becomes involved in team management and coaching. At various times he serves as manager of the Galway GAA, Offaly GAA and Laois GAA senior teams, however, it is with his own native Tipperary that he enjoys his greatest success, guiding the team to two All-Ireland victories.