Bobby Rackard
Encyclopedia
Bobby Rackard was a famous Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling
with his local club Rathnure
and with the Wexford
senior inter-county team from 1945 until 1957. Rackard is regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time.
with the famous Rathnure
club and enjoyed much success. He first tasted victory in 1948 when he won his first senior county title with the club. Rackard won further county medals in 1950, 1955 and 1961.
minor hurling team. After little success at this grade he was introduced to the county senior team in 1945. Success at senior level was also slow in coming and it would be 1951 before he won his first Leinster
title as Wexford defeated Laois
by 3-12 to 4-3. It was the county’s first senior provincial title since 1918. Wexford later accounted for Galway
in the penultimate game of the championship, setting up an All-Ireland final meeting with Tipperary
. Tipp were the overwhelming favourites and were looking for a third championship in-a-row. Rackard’s brother Nicky
was the star player for Wexford, however, it was Tipp who won the game by 7-7 to 3-9.
Wexford lost out to Dublin
and Kilkenny
in the next two Leinster finals. The team bounced back in 1954 with Rackard winning a second Leinster medal after defeating Dublin. Wexford later trounced Antrim
by 12-17 to 2-3 to qualify for the All-Ireland final. Cork were the opponents on that occasion as a record crowd of 84,856 traveled to Croke Park
. Wexford led by four points with seventeen minutes left to play, however, history was against Wheeler’s team. Cork were hoping for a third All-Ireland in-a-row and Christy Ring
was hoping for a record eighth All-Ireland medal. In the end it was ‘the Rebel’s who won the game by 1-9 to 1-6.
In 1955 Wexford retained their provincial dominance with Rackard collecting a third Leinster medal. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Limerick
providing the opposition. The team was trained by Mick Mackey
, however, they were completely outclassed by Wexford who qualified for another All-Ireland final. Galway had got a bye into the final without picking up a hurley, however, they took the Wexford men to task. Wexford trailed at half-time; however, a Tim Flood
goal near the end clinched the victory for Wexford. It was Wheeler’s first All-Ireland
medal and Wexford’s first championship title since 1910.
1956 got off to a good start as Rackard added a National Hurling League
medal to his collection. By this stage Wexford were earning a reputation as a great team and they proved it by retaining the Leinster title for a third successive year. Galway fell heavily in the All-Ireland semi-final, allowing Wexford to advance to an All-Ireland final meeting with Cork. The game has gone down in history as one of the all-time classics as Christy Ring was bidding for a ninth All-Ireland medal. The game turned on one important incident as the Wexford goalkeeper, Art Foley
, made a miraculous save from a Ring shot and cleared the sliothar up the field to set up another attack. Nicky Rackard scored a crucial goal with two minutes to go giving Wexford a 2-14 to 2-8 victory. In spite of Cork's loss Wexford’s Nick O'Donnell
and Rackard, in an unparalleled display of sportsmanship in any game, raised Christy Ring onto their shoulders and carried him off the field. Wexford had won the game and Rackard had collected his second All-Ireland medal but there was no doubt in their minds that the real hero was Ring. This was Rackard’s last major victory as he was forced to retire from inter-county hurling in 1957 due to injury.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He won his sole Railway Cup medal in 1956 as Leinster defeated Munster
.
and Billy
, came to be regarded as one of the greatest hurling families of all-time. In 1984, the centenary year of the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association
, he was named on the Hurling Team of the Century selection. In 1992 both Billy and Bobby Rackard’s brilliance was recognised when they were presented with the All-Time All-Star Award
for hurling. Rackard’s position as one of the all-time greats of the game was further cemented in 1999 (three years after his death) when he was posthumously named on the Hurling Team of the Millennium.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
sportsperson. He played hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
with his local club Rathnure
Rathnure GAA
Rathnure St. Anne’s is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Rathnure, County Wexford, Ireland. Rathnure's most famous players are the Rackards and Quigley brothers.-First AGM:...
and with the Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
senior inter-county team from 1945 until 1957. Rackard is regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time.
Club
Rackard played his club hurlingHurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
with the famous Rathnure
Rathnure GAA
Rathnure St. Anne’s is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Rathnure, County Wexford, Ireland. Rathnure's most famous players are the Rackards and Quigley brothers.-First AGM:...
club and enjoyed much success. He first tasted victory in 1948 when he won his first senior county title with the club. Rackard won further county medals in 1950, 1955 and 1961.
Inter-county
Rackard first came to prominence in the mid-1940s as a member of the WexfordWexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
minor hurling team. After little success at this grade he was introduced to the county senior team in 1945. Success at senior level was also slow in coming and it would be 1951 before he won his first Leinster
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Leinster in Ireland....
title as Wexford defeated Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
by 3-12 to 4-3. It was the county’s first senior provincial title since 1918. Wexford later accounted for Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
in the penultimate game of the championship, setting up an All-Ireland final meeting with Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
. Tipp were the overwhelming favourites and were looking for a third championship in-a-row. Rackard’s brother Nicky
Nicky Rackard
Nicholas Rackard better known as Nicky or Nickey Rackard, was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local Rathnure club and was a member of the Wexford senior inter-county team from 1940 until 1956...
was the star player for Wexford, however, it was Tipp who won the game by 7-7 to 3-9.
Wexford lost out to Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
and Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
in the next two Leinster finals. The team bounced back in 1954 with Rackard winning a second Leinster medal after defeating Dublin. Wexford later trounced Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
by 12-17 to 2-3 to qualify for the All-Ireland final. Cork were the opponents on that occasion as a record crowd of 84,856 traveled to Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
. Wexford led by four points with seventeen minutes left to play, however, history was against Wheeler’s team. Cork were hoping for a third All-Ireland in-a-row and Christy Ring
Christy Ring
Nicholas Christopher Michael Ring , better known as Christy Ring, was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Glen Rovers club from 1941 until 1967 and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1939 until 1963. Ring is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in...
was hoping for a record eighth All-Ireland medal. In the end it was ‘the Rebel’s who won the game by 1-9 to 1-6.
In 1955 Wexford retained their provincial dominance with Rackard collecting a third Leinster medal. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
providing the opposition. The team was trained by Mick Mackey
Mick Mackey
Michael ‘Mick’ Mackey was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the famous Ahane club from 1930 until 1948 and was a member of the Limerick senior inter-county team from 1930 until 1947. Mackey is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in the history of the game...
, however, they were completely outclassed by Wexford who qualified for another All-Ireland final. Galway had got a bye into the final without picking up a hurley, however, they took the Wexford men to task. Wexford trailed at half-time; however, a Tim Flood
Tim Flood
Thomas Timothy Flood , is a former professional baseball player who played second base for the St...
goal near the end clinched the victory for Wexford. It was Wheeler’s first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
medal and Wexford’s first championship title since 1910.
1956 got off to a good start as Rackard added a National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
medal to his collection. By this stage Wexford were earning a reputation as a great team and they proved it by retaining the Leinster title for a third successive year. Galway fell heavily in the All-Ireland semi-final, allowing Wexford to advance to an All-Ireland final meeting with Cork. The game has gone down in history as one of the all-time classics as Christy Ring was bidding for a ninth All-Ireland medal. The game turned on one important incident as the Wexford goalkeeper, Art Foley
Art Foley
Michael Arthur Foley , better known as Art Foley, is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Aidan's of Enniscorthy and with the Wexford senior inter-county team from 1946 until 1956.-Club:...
, made a miraculous save from a Ring shot and cleared the sliothar up the field to set up another attack. Nicky Rackard scored a crucial goal with two minutes to go giving Wexford a 2-14 to 2-8 victory. In spite of Cork's loss Wexford’s Nick O'Donnell
Nick O'Donnell
Nick O'Donnell was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling at various times with his local clubs Éire Óg in Kilkenny and St. Aidan’s in Wexford. He was also a member of both the Kilkenny and Wexford senior inter-county teams from 1947 until 1962...
and Rackard, in an unparalleled display of sportsmanship in any game, raised Christy Ring onto their shoulders and carried him off the field. Wexford had won the game and Rackard had collected his second All-Ireland medal but there was no doubt in their minds that the real hero was Ring. This was Rackard’s last major victory as he was forced to retire from inter-county hurling in 1957 due to injury.
Provincial
Rackard also lined out with LeinsterLeinster GAA
The Leinster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Leinster. The Leinster Council has been partnered with the European County Board to help develop Gaelic Games in Europe...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He won his sole Railway Cup medal in 1956 as Leinster defeated Munster
Munster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
.
Post-playing career
In retirement Rackard, along with his brothers NickyNicky Rackard
Nicholas Rackard better known as Nicky or Nickey Rackard, was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local Rathnure club and was a member of the Wexford senior inter-county team from 1940 until 1956...
and Billy
Billy Rackard
Billy Rackard was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Rathnure and was a member of the Wexford senior inter-county team from 1950 until 1964.-Early life:...
, came to be regarded as one of the greatest hurling families of all-time. In 1984, the centenary year of the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
, he was named on the Hurling Team of the Century selection. In 1992 both Billy and Bobby Rackard’s brilliance was recognised when they were presented with the All-Time All-Star Award
GAA All-Time All-Star Award (Hurling)
The GAA All-Time All-Star Award in Hurling was an award given on an annual basis to a sportsperson who had made a long-running and considerable contribution to the sport of hurling in Ireland...
for hurling. Rackard’s position as one of the all-time greats of the game was further cemented in 1999 (three years after his death) when he was posthumously named on the Hurling Team of the Millennium.