Garrett Howard
Encyclopedia
Garrett Howard was an Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling
at various times with his local clubs Croom in Limerick, Garda
in Dublin and Toomevara
in Tipperary. He was also a member of the Dublin
and Limerick
senior inter-county teams from 1921 until 1936. In the 1980s Howard was presented with a GAA All-Time All-Star Award
, marking him out as one of the greatest players of all-time.
with his local club in Croom in the late 1910s. He won his first senior county title
in 1919, however, he later moved to Dublin where he joined the Garda GAA
club. Here Howard enjoyed much more success winning six senior county titles in 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1931. It was an unprecedented and never repeated run of success for the club that was dominated by rural members. Howard later played club hurling with Toomevara
in County Tipperary.
senior team in the early 1920s. In an unusual provincial championship that saw only Limerick and Cork participating, Howard won his first Munster
title following a victory over the Leesiders. Limerick later squared up to Dublin
in the championship decider. In the first-half Bob McConkey
, the team captain, captured three goals for Limerick and the side eventually won by 8-5 to 3-2. Howard had captured his first All-Ireland
medal.
Howard later moved to Dublin where he was quickly spotted by the Dublin inter-county selectors. He immediately joined the team and won a Leinster
title in 1924. Dublin later played Galway
in the All-Ireland final. The men from the West were the reigning champions and had the measure of Dublin for much of the game. However, Dublin got back on level terms when Howard drove the Galway goalkeeper into and under the net. Dublin eventually won the game on a score line of 5-3 to 2-6 and Howard collected his second All-Ireland medal. Three years later in 1927 he won a second Leinster medal before lining out in his third All-Ireland final. Old Munster rivals Cork provided the opposition on this occasion, however, it was a Dublin side made up of nine members of An Garda Síochána that won the day giving Howard a third All-Ireland medal. He won a third Leinster title in 1928, however, Dublin were later defeated by Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final. Howard captured a National league medal with 'the Dubs' in 1929.
In the 1930s Howard returned to play hurling with his native Limerick. He won a second Munster title in 1933 as Limerick trounced Waterford
in the provincial final. Limerick later faced Kilkenny
in the All-Ireland final and one of the rivalries of the decade got underway. The sides were level for much of the game, however, a remarkable solo-run by Kilkenny's Johnny Dunne sealed the victory for 'the Cats' on a score line of 1-7 to 0-6. Limerick continued their dominance in 1934 by capturing a National Hurling League
title and by defeating Waterford once again in the Munster final. After collecting a third Munster medal Howard lined out in his fifth All-Ireland final appearance. Dublin, Howard's old team, provided the opposition on this occasion, however, the game ended in a draw. Limerick made no mistake in the replay and beat 'the Dubs' on a score line of 5-2 to 2-6 giving Howard a fourth All-Ireland medal. Limerick captured a second consecutive National League title in 1935 and later trounced Tipperary
in the provincial decider giving Howard a fourth Munster medal. Once again Kilkenny provided the opposition and the game was a close affair. In a huge downpour KIlkenny hung on to win by a single point, thus ending Limerick's unprecedented run of 31 matches without defeat. In 1936 Howard won his third National League medal and his fifth Munster title as Limerick trounced Tipperary by four goals. It was his eighth provincial title over all. For the third time in four years Limerick later faced Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. Kilkenny were the bookies' favourites as they had beaten Limerick on the two previous occasions and they were the reigning champions. Limerick, however, did not give up easily and were still smarting from the previous year's defeat. Perhaps this may explain why they trounced Kilkenny by 5-6 to 1-5 giving Howard a fifth All-Ireland medal. This was Howard's last appearance for Limerick as he retired shortly afterwards.
in County Tipperary. His huge contribution to the game of hurling was recognised in 1982 when he was presented with the GAA All-Time All-Star Award
. Howard's daughter, Liz Howard
, followed in her father's footsteps and played camogie
for Clare
, Tipperary and Dublin. She later served as the PRO
of the Tipperary County Board and is currently the president of the Camogie Association of Ireland.
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...
at various times with his local clubs Croom in Limerick, Garda
Garda GAA
Garda is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dublin, Ireland, founded in 1922. Garda have won the Dublin Senior Football Championship on six occasions in 1927, 1929, 1933, 1934, 1935 and 1948. Garda won the Dublin Intermediate Football Championship on one occasion in 1986, bringing them...
in Dublin and Toomevara
Toomevara GAA
Toomevara GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Toomevara in County Tipperary, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with hurling.-Honours:*Munster Senior Club Hurling Championships: 3** 1993, 2004, 2006...
in Tipperary. He was also a member of the 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 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...
senior inter-county teams from 1921 until 1936. In the 1980s Howard was presented with a GAA 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...
, marking him out as one of the greatest players of all-time.
Club
Howard 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 club in Croom in the late 1910s. He won his first senior county title
Limerick Senior Hurling Championship
The Limerick Senior Hurling Championship is an annual club competition between the top Limerick Clubs. The winners of the Limerick Championship qualify to represent their county in the Munster Club Championship and in turn, go on to the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship...
in 1919, however, he later moved to Dublin where he joined the Garda GAA
Garda GAA
Garda is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dublin, Ireland, founded in 1922. Garda have won the Dublin Senior Football Championship on six occasions in 1927, 1929, 1933, 1934, 1935 and 1948. Garda won the Dublin Intermediate Football Championship on one occasion in 1986, bringing them...
club. Here Howard enjoyed much more success winning six senior county titles in 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1931. It was an unprecedented and never repeated run of success for the club that was dominated by rural members. Howard later played club hurling with Toomevara
Toomevara GAA
Toomevara GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Toomevara in County Tipperary, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with hurling.-Honours:*Munster Senior Club Hurling Championships: 3** 1993, 2004, 2006...
in County Tipperary.
Inter-county
Howard first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the LimerickLimerick 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...
senior team in the early 1920s. In an unusual provincial championship that saw only Limerick and Cork participating, Howard won his first Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster 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 Munster in Ireland....
title following a victory over the Leesiders. Limerick later squared up 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...
in the championship decider. In the first-half Bob McConkey
Bob McConkey
Bob McConkey Bob McConkey Bob McConkey (born 1895 in Limerick, Ireland was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Young Irelands and with the Limerick senior inter-county team from the 1910s until the 1930s...
, the team captain, captured three goals for Limerick and the side eventually won by 8-5 to 3-2. Howard had captured his 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.
Howard later moved to Dublin where he was quickly spotted by the Dublin inter-county selectors. He immediately joined the team and won a 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 in 1924. Dublin later played 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 All-Ireland final. The men from the West were the reigning champions and had the measure of Dublin for much of the game. However, Dublin got back on level terms when Howard drove the Galway goalkeeper into and under the net. Dublin eventually won the game on a score line of 5-3 to 2-6 and Howard collected his second All-Ireland medal. Three years later in 1927 he won a second Leinster medal before lining out in his third All-Ireland final. Old Munster rivals Cork provided the opposition on this occasion, however, it was a Dublin side made up of nine members of An Garda Síochána that won the day giving Howard a third All-Ireland medal. He won a third Leinster title in 1928, however, Dublin were later defeated by Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final. Howard captured a National league medal with 'the Dubs' in 1929.
In the 1930s Howard returned to play hurling with his native Limerick. He won a second Munster title in 1933 as Limerick trounced Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
in the provincial final. Limerick later faced 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 All-Ireland final and one of the rivalries of the decade got underway. The sides were level for much of the game, however, a remarkable solo-run by Kilkenny's Johnny Dunne sealed the victory for 'the Cats' on a score line of 1-7 to 0-6. Limerick continued their dominance in 1934 by capturing 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...
title and by defeating Waterford once again in the Munster final. After collecting a third Munster medal Howard lined out in his fifth All-Ireland final appearance. Dublin, Howard's old team, provided the opposition on this occasion, however, the game ended in a draw. Limerick made no mistake in the replay and beat 'the Dubs' on a score line of 5-2 to 2-6 giving Howard a fourth All-Ireland medal. Limerick captured a second consecutive National League title in 1935 and later trounced 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...
in the provincial decider giving Howard a fourth Munster medal. Once again Kilkenny provided the opposition and the game was a close affair. In a huge downpour KIlkenny hung on to win by a single point, thus ending Limerick's unprecedented run of 31 matches without defeat. In 1936 Howard won his third National League medal and his fifth Munster title as Limerick trounced Tipperary by four goals. It was his eighth provincial title over all. For the third time in four years Limerick later faced Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. Kilkenny were the bookies' favourites as they had beaten Limerick on the two previous occasions and they were the reigning champions. Limerick, however, did not give up easily and were still smarting from the previous year's defeat. Perhaps this may explain why they trounced Kilkenny by 5-6 to 1-5 giving Howard a fifth All-Ireland medal. This was Howard's last appearance for Limerick as he retired shortly afterwards.
Post-playing career
In retirement from inter-county hurling Howard continued to work as a GardaGarda
Garda may refer to:* An Garda Síochána, the national police of the Republic of Ireland* Lake Garda, a lake in northern Italy.* Garda , a commune on the shores of the Italian Lake Garda in the province of Verona....
in County Tipperary. His huge contribution to the game of hurling was recognised in 1982 when he was presented with the GAA 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...
. Howard's daughter, Liz Howard
Liz Howard
Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Howard was the 27th president of the Camogie Association.-Background:From Deerpark, Carrick on Suir, Co. Tipperary, the daughter of Limerick man, Garrett Howard and Josephine from Newtown Nenagh, Garrett, won five All Ireland medals and was awarded the Bank of Ireland All Time All...
, followed in her father's footsteps and played camogie
Camogie
Camogie is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women; it is almost identical to the game of hurling played by men. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and world wide, largely among Irish communities....
for Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
, Tipperary and Dublin. She later served as the PRO
PRO
PRO may refer to:* Professional, abbreviation for either a person in a profession or in sports* .pro, a sponsored generic top-level domain* Pro Theme, an Apple Macintosh GUI* Pro Hart , Australian painter nicknamed "Pro" for "professor"-PRO:...
of the Tipperary County Board and is currently the president of the Camogie Association of Ireland.