Dan Kennedy (hurler)
Encyclopedia
Dan Kennedy was an Irish
sportsman. He is best known as a hurler
for several teams Thomastown, Dicksboro
and Bennettsbridge
clubs and was a member of the Kilkenny
senior inter-county team in the 1940s and 1950s. Dan Kennedy captained Kilkenny
in 1947.
with his local Thomastown club and enjoyed some success. In 1946 it was with Thomastown that he won his first county title. Kennedy later joined the Dicksboro
club and won a second county medal in 1950, however, it was with the famous Bennettsbridge
club that he became really successful. He added more county medals to his collection in 1952, 1953, 1955 and 1956.
senior hurling team in the mid-1940s. He made his debut in 1945 at the age of nineteen and quickly captured his first Leinster
title. Kilkenny subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final with Tipperary
providing the opposition. A huge crowd of 70,000 saw Kilkenny claw their way back in the second-half, however, victory went to Tipp on a score line of 5-6 to 3-6. In 1946 Kennedy won a second Leinster medal before later lining out in his second All-Ireland final. Arch-rivals Cork were the opposition on the day, however, after scoring five goals in the second-half it was the Munstermen who took the title leaving Kennedy on the losing side once again.
In the 1947 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Kennedy was appointed captain of the team for the year. He quickly added a third consecutive Leinster title to his collection before later leading his men out in a third consecutive championship decider. In the 1947 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, which has been described as the greatest hurling final of all-time, Kilkenny sealed the victory on a score line of 2-7 to 0-14 against Cork, giving Kennedy a coveted All-Ireland
medal. It would be 1950 before he won his fourth Leinster title and, once again, Kilkenny later qualified for the All-Ireland final. Tipperary were the opponents once again and ended up as the victors on a score line of 1-9 to 1-8. In spite of the close score line the game was an uniteresting affair. Kennedy retired from inter-county hurling in the mid-1950s.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition, however, he never won a Railway Cup medal.
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,...
sportsman. He is best known as a hurler
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...
for several teams Thomastown, Dicksboro
Dicksboro GAA
Dicksboro is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Kilkenny, Ireland.-History:Dicksboro GAA Club, founded in 1909, takes its name from a townsland about one mile west of the city on the Ballycallan road...
and Bennettsbridge
Bennettsbridge GAA
Bennettsbridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Bennettsbridge, County Kilkenny, Ireland. The Bridge last won the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship in 1971, although they are no longer a senior championship side.-Achievements:...
clubs and was a member of the 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...
senior inter-county team in the 1940s and 1950s. Dan Kennedy captained 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 1947.
Club
Kennedy first played 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 his local Thomastown club and enjoyed some success. In 1946 it was with Thomastown that he won his first county title. Kennedy later joined the Dicksboro
Dicksboro GAA
Dicksboro is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Kilkenny, Ireland.-History:Dicksboro GAA Club, founded in 1909, takes its name from a townsland about one mile west of the city on the Ballycallan road...
club and won a second county medal in 1950, however, it was with the famous Bennettsbridge
Bennettsbridge GAA
Bennettsbridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Bennettsbridge, County Kilkenny, Ireland. The Bridge last won the Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship in 1971, although they are no longer a senior championship side.-Achievements:...
club that he became really successful. He added more county medals to his collection in 1952, 1953, 1955 and 1956.
Inter-county
Kennedy first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the KilkennyKilkenny 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...
senior hurling team in the mid-1940s. He made his debut in 1945 at the age of nineteen and quickly captured 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. Kilkenny subsequently qualified for the All-Ireland final 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...
providing the opposition. A huge crowd of 70,000 saw Kilkenny claw their way back in the second-half, however, victory went to Tipp on a score line of 5-6 to 3-6. In 1946 Kennedy won a second Leinster medal before later lining out in his second All-Ireland final. Arch-rivals Cork were the opposition on the day, however, after scoring five goals in the second-half it was the Munstermen who took the title leaving Kennedy on the losing side once again.
In the 1947 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Kennedy was appointed captain of the team for the year. He quickly added a third consecutive Leinster title to his collection before later leading his men out in a third consecutive championship decider. In the 1947 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, which has been described as the greatest hurling final of all-time, Kilkenny sealed the victory on a score line of 2-7 to 0-14 against Cork, giving Kennedy a coveted 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. It would be 1950 before he won his fourth Leinster title and, once again, Kilkenny later qualified for the All-Ireland final. Tipperary were the opponents once again and ended up as the victors on a score line of 1-9 to 1-8. In spite of the close score line the game was an uniteresting affair. Kennedy retired from inter-county hurling in the mid-1950s.
Province
Kennedy 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, however, he never won a Railway Cup medal.