Index |
|
Mooncoin Ploughing Association |
Soccer |
Badminton |
(Click on your choice from the above index)
Introduction
By far the most popular sport in Mooncoin is hurling. It is held in high esteem by the locals. At the moment, Mooncoin's main team are in the junior division. Mooncoin is also represented in many different ages in hurling, gaelic football and camogie. These include minor, junior, Under 20 and Under 16, along with an array of juvenile teams. The local colours are green and white.
Mooncoin's
GAA history started officially with the founding of Mooncoin GAA in January
1886. The committee was:
Richard Dunphy-President, John Walsh (portnascully)-vice president, James
Comerford-Treasurer, Pat Fogarty-secretary.
A gaelic football team
was also officiated at the same time.
Mooncoin played in Kilkenny's first county final in April 1887 but lost to Tullaroan. The following year in 1888 Mooncoin won their first county final and went on to win Leinster. Mooncoin had an immense rivalry with Tullaroan during the first 40 years of the GAA. One interesting fact is that either Tullaroan or Mooncoin were in every county final from 1887 up until 1930. By the way, Mooncoin GAA during this era was often referred to by an old name for area; ‘Moondharrig’, which translates as ‘red bog’ in Irish. This was a slight variation on ‘Mooncoin’, which is translated as ‘Coyne’s Bog’ in Irish. Needless to say, the area around Mooncoin village must have been fairly marshy and boggy in its day.
Below are pictures of Mooncoin teams who were Kilkenny Champions(Click to enlarge):
Many Mooncoin players have played for Kilkenny over the years. When Kilkenny first won the 1904 All-Ireland there were three Mooncoin players on the team, namely Drug Walsh, Eddie and Dick Doyle. Kilkenny was actually represented by Tullaroan but the Mooncoin players were added because of their huge talent.
Mooncoin's most famous son is Richard (Dick) 'Drug' Walsh. His medal haul is incredible and his record of captaining three all Ireland senior winning teams is still unsurpassed in Kilkenny, over 100 years after he created the record. He was a great leader and is said to have been a key driving force in Kilkenny winning their first three in a row (1911-1913).
During this time, the club that won the county championship represented Kilkenny,
so Mooncoin jerseys would be worn when playing for Kilkenny (if Mooncoin had
won the county final the year previously).
Kilkenny's first all Ireland win in
1904 with 'Drug' Walsh, Eddie and Dick Doyle |
Mooncoin's biggest achievement in hurling is that it has the joint 3rd most county senior titles in Kilkenny (12 in all). Only Tullaroan and (very recently) Ballyhale are ahead (19 and 20 respectively). Furthermore, some people argue that Mooncoin have 14 county titles. The reason for this is that the 1916 championship was not completed until 1919 because of the political troubles. The Kilkenny County Board decided to award the winners of the 1916 championship (i.e. Mooncoin) as winners of both the 1917 and 1918 county championship. Mooncoin also have the 2nd most county minor titles (8) and the joint most junior titles (4).
Mooncoin's
Roll of Honours |
Early 1900s
Throughout the first half of the 1900s, Mooncoin's senior hurling team dominated Kilkenny hurling. They were feared all over the county and competed with Tullaroan as the greatest hurling parish in Kilkenny. Here are some of the great names who represented Mooncoin at this time. They were known as the famous six;
"If I could play in one more game - just one...i think i could die happy"
Drug Walsh speaking at the age of 51 in July 1929.
Drug, at one point, went to the US to play in a New York championship final. He was invited by Mooncoin native Dick Quinn, who founded the ‘Kilkenny’ club in New York in 1905, but because the ship was delayed by bad weather the final was already over by the time Drug got there. He was sent back home on the same ship, making him the first New York GAA 'weekender' !
Tragedy on the Suir It could all have been so very different. Drug was lucky to escape with his life following a cot fishing accident in June 1907. Fishing was a passion of his and he was skilled at snap-net cot fishing, which was unique to this part of Ireland. The River Suir was famed for its salmon and the record for the largest salmon ever caught in Ireland was recorded on the Suir some years earlier (a fish weighing 57lbs). Salmon fishing was also a good way for the locals to earn a little extra money. On the night in question, 5th June 1907, Drug went cot fishing with three others, his brothers Patrick (Patsy) and Michael, and Patrick Holden from Polerone. However, when Drug's fishing partner, Patrick Holden, stood up to pull in the nets, the boat overturned. Although Drug did his best to help him, Holden became tangled in the nets and was drowned. Drug himself went under and was pulled from the water unconscious. Holden was 39 years old and married with six children, all under the age of nine. It no doubt was a traumatic time for all involved. Drug was not allowed time to recover from the tragedy. He was required to play in the All-Ireland final that very same month in June 1907. He won his second All-Ireland medal, which must have been bittersweet considering all he had gone through (claiming the 1905 Championship against Cork).
1907 All Ireland |
1909 All Ireland |
1908 Kilkenny Senior Champ |
1907 Senior All Ire Hurling Final Medal. Inscribed; 'R Drug Walsh' |
1909 Senior All Ire Hurling Final Medal. Inscribed; 'R Drug Walsh' |
1908 Kilkenny Senior Championship Medal. Inscribed; 'R Drug Walsh' |
Mooncoin & Kilkenny Hurling Legend, Dick 'Drug' Walsh |
Drug Walsh, Centre, middle row with Mooncoin team which represented Kilkenny cir 1909 |
Grave of Kilkenny hurling icon Drug Walsh, Carrigeen Graveyard |
'R Walsh' on the role of honours in the GAA museum, Croke Park, Dublin. |
On Saturday, 9th October 2021, a statue of Drug Walsh was unveiled at the club's new entrance on Main Street, Mooncoin. President of the GAA, Larry McCarthy, did the honours. The statue, which stands nearly 7ft tall, shows Drug ready to strike - 'first time pulling' such an important facet of the hurling style in his day (the statue is about 15% larger than Drug's actual size). The hurley used in the statue was moulded and cast using Drug's actual hurley from the 1904 All Ireland - the hurley he struck the winning point with to give Kilkenny their first ever All-Ireland win. It was presented to club by Mrs Kathleen Doran in 2011; her late husband Séamus having been given the hurl by Drug himself many years earlier. The brilliant piece of bronze art was lovingly created in west Clare by Séamus Connolly, one of Ireland’s leading bronze sculptors. It was the Mooncoin GAA Supports Club of Australia who made the creation of the monument possible, following their very generous donation which funded the entire cost; namely, Séamus Delahunty, Larry Delahunty and Bill Kinsella.
1936 Irish Press: | Interview with Jack Rochford(mentions Drugs debut and winning point in 1904 Championship) |
1929 Munster Exp | Fr Dollard writing about Drug |
1927 Munster Exp | Review of Drug Walsh's career |
1978 Irish Press | Drug mentioned in an interview by Richard Quinn, New York |
1913 Munster Exp | Match being held in Brennan field Ashgrove |
'Drug
Walsh of
Mooncoin'
by Fr O'Hanlon
Come all you young fellows to my my story give ear,
I tell of a stalwart, 'mong hurlers a peer
Whose name is still cherished wherever they join
By sportsman and trueman - "Drug" Walsh from Mooncoin.
When Cusack and Davin set a nation aflame
With a fervour and pride in its own native game
A youth from the Suirside plucked a shapely caman
Saying "Ill strike for my sireland, fair Erin go Brath".Full many an evening 'mid shouts loud and gay.
The sliotar sped swiftly in sportive affray.
O'er green sod and cross road, a dark youth to the fore
Whose prowess and skill -hurling's garlands foretold.Seven times in All-Irelands with victory crowned
A record whose equal has yet to be found-
Four gallant ate numbered, Rochford, Walton,Dick Doyle,
And that youth from the Suirside, "Drug" Walsh from Mooncoin.With eagle-eyed vision and speed of a deer,
No matter how hectic, in combat- no fear
His wristwork - an artist's, Kilkenny's own Doyen
Reigned the Prince among hurlers, "Drug" Walsh from Mooncoin.
1920s (Wattie Dunphy)
The next
star to emerge from Mooncoin was Wattie Dunphy (1895-1972). He lead Kilkenny
to All-Ireland victory in 1922 and holds the distinction of being the first
Kilkenny captain to bring the Liam McCarthy cup back to Kilkenny. The Liam
McCarthy cup was introduced the year previously. Before this, the Great Southern
railway shield was presented to the All-Ireland winners. Great celebrations
were had in Kilkenny as they had not won an All-Ireland for nearly 10 years
(and they would not win another for 10 years).
Wattie was a farmer by trade. He was a big, strong, well built man with broad
shoulders and weighing in at 13 stone. He played centre back for both Mooncoin
and Kilkenny. His nephew, Joe Dunphy, carried on the tradition of playing for
Kilkenny when he captained the Kilkenny minors to victory in 1961 and 62.
Wattie also created more history by captaining Leinster to win the very first Railway Cup on St. Patrick's Day 1927. Wattie also captained Mooncoin twice in their famous 3-in-a-row victories(1927, 28, 29). He won 5 county senior medals with Mooncoin.
Wattie Dunphy |
1930s (Eddie Doyle)
The 1930s saw another star emerge from Mooncoin. His name was Eddie Doyle(1897-1948). He was no relation to the other famous Doyles of Dournane. This Eddie Doyle was from Luffany, Carrigeen. He played with Mooncoin and Kilkenny throughout the 1920s and 30s with his usual position being in defense.
He gave great
performances for Kilkenny in the 1926 and 1931 All Ireland finals which they
lost. However, he received his first All-Ireland medal the year later in 1932.
He capped off a great career by captaining Kilkenny to victory the following
year (1933) in both the League and All-Ireland. He also captained Kilkenny
in a tour of the USA in 1934.
He retired from club and county after this but was forced out of retirement for the 1936 county
final against old enemies Tullaroan. He gave a man of the match performance
along with his friend Tommy Carroll who also came out of retirement. Eddie's
son, Noel, went on to set up the successful Suir Electric company, which once sponsored
the Mooncoin hurling team. The tradition has continued as Eddie's grandson, Eoin Doyle of Ashgrove Stables, currently sponsors the local senior team. The present GAA complex in Mooncoin is dedicated Eddie's son and Eoin's father, Noel Doyle. As a young man, Eddie Doyle took part in the Sinnott's Cross ambush in June 1921, as part of the IRA ambush party.
Eddie Doyle |
This decade was to be the end of the great era of Mooncoin hurling that stretched back to the founding of the GAA. They would never be as dominant again, despite a brief renaissance in the 1960s.
1960s: Mooncoin's revival started with the minors winning in 1958. They also went on to win the minor title in 1960, 61, 62 and 64. However the success at minor did not totally translate to the senior grade with Mooncoin only winning one senior county title, in 1965. They also lost the county final the following year. One record was set in this era when Joe Dunphy (nephew of Wattie Dunphy) captained the Kilkenny minors to victory in both 1961 and 1962. This record has never been equaled. He also went on to Captain Kilkenny in the senior All-Ireland of 1966 when they lost to Cork. Other Mooncoin players such as Claus Dunne were also on this team.
Mooncoin's won futher minor A titles in 1979 and 2018.
Bob O' Keeffe:
Bob O' Keeffe
is another famous son of Mooncoin. He was born in 1880 in Glengrant, the most southern point in County Kilkenny and Ossory. He is famous because the current Leinster Hurling trophy (the Bob O' Keeffe
Cup) is dedicated to his memory.
Bob trained to be a teacher in De La Salle, Waterford City and his
first post was in Meath. While in Meath, he twice won the long puck championship
of Ireland for Dunboyne. Later, he moved to Laois were he was a prominent figure
in them winning their only All-Ireland title in 1915. He managed to talk Drug Walsh into travelling up to Portlaoise by train in the weeks leading up to the All Ireland final to help with their preparations, which was said to have been very beneficial in helping them win the All Ireland that year.
After his hurling career ended he was involved in local administration. While he was secretary of the Laois County Board he acquired and purchased O'Moore Park in Portlaoise.
Bob was also president
of the GAA from 1935-1938. He continued to be secretary of the Leinster council
until his death in 1949. Bob never did play for Kilkenny. Every few years, his old club team in Laois, Borris-in-Ossory, come down to play Carrigeen in a hurling match in his memory.
The original Bob O' Keeffe Trophy was the biggest trophy on offer in the GAA. It is 3 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 563 ounces with a capacity of 6 gallons. The celtic chase work was taken from the Book of Kells. The hurler depicted on top of the cup is barefooted which is attributed to Bob who originally played in this manner. A new Bob O' Keeffe trophy was introduced in 2005. The original trophy is in the possession of the Croke Park museum. The new trophy is a lot smaller and was originally a horse racing trophy!
Bob O Keeffe |
Kilkenny legend DJ Carey with the original Bob O'Keeffe Cup(2003) |
Mooncoin Ploughing Association
Towards the end of 1800s and the first half of the 1900s, ploughing was very popular in Mooncoin with matches held often by the association. The meetings were very popular and competitive. Matches were held all over the parish, including Dournane, Polerone, Clonmore, Aglish and Clogga. .
Ploughing
match in the 1930's |
Soccer has become very popular in Mooncoin over the last number of years. The main soccer team is called Mooncoin Celtic. The Mooncoin teams play in the Waterford League. There is a soccer pitch in Ashgrove, although a new pitch is being created in Suir Cresant in the village.
Mooncoin badminton club was set up over 30 years ago. Mooncoin's badminton players were widely recognised as some of the best in the county of Kilkenny. This has been proved with the amount of county medals the players have won in both double and single tournaments.