James Ryall
Encyclopedia
James Ryall is an Irish
sportsperson. He plays hurling
with his local club Graigue-Ballycallan
and was a member of the Kilkenny
senior inter-county team from 2002 to 2010.
in 1980. He was educated locally and later attended Coláiste Éamann Rís
in Kilkenny
, a well known hurling school. Here his hurling talents were quickly spotted and he won a Leinster Colleges' title with the school's senior hurling team. Ryall later attended the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
, where he was named hurler of the year in 2001. He currently works as a sales rep with Michael Lyng Motors Kilkenny.
Gaelic Athletic Association
club. He had some success at underage level and was on the panel when the club won the county championship in 1998 and 2000.
, Ryall has become a key member of the team since joining the panel in 2002
. Within a year of joining the team he had won his first Leinster Championship
and All-Ireland
titles, following wins over Wexford
and Cork respectively. In 2004 Kilkenny were aiming to win a third All-Ireland title in-a-row, however, the team had a less than successful year as Kilkenny ended up without any major title. The team was back in 2005 with Ryall collecting his first National Hurling League
medal, as well as a second Leinster title. Kilkenny were later defeated by Galway
in a thrilling All-Ireland semi-final. In 2006 Ryall won his third Leinster medal, before later collecting his second All-Ireland medal following a win over Cork.
On September 8, 2010 speculations went around that Ryall was retiring from Inter-County hurling defeat by Tipperary
, however it turned out originally that the report was misquoted. In December, 2010 Ryall confirmed his retirement from Inter-County hurling.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
sportsperson. He plays 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 Graigue-Ballycallan
Graigue-Ballycallan GAA
Graigue-Ballycallan is a Gaelic Athletic Association club situated in County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club has enjoyed success at county and provincial level, and several players from the club have gone on to play a part in the Kilkenny intercounty team. The catchment area for the club is the...
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 from 2002 to 2010.
Biography
James Ryall was born in Ballycallan, County KilkennyCounty Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
in 1980. He was educated locally and later attended Coláiste Éamann Rís
Coláiste Éamann Rís
Coláiste Éamann Rís is a Christian Brothers secondary school for boys located in Callan, County Kilkenny, in the South-East of Ireland....
in Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
, a well known hurling school. Here his hurling talents were quickly spotted and he won a Leinster Colleges' title with the school's senior hurling team. Ryall later attended the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology is a third level institute of education and is based at five locations in the west of Ireland.-Galway Campus:...
, where he was named hurler of the year in 2001. He currently works as a sales rep with Michael Lyng Motors Kilkenny.
Club
Ryall plays his club hurling with his local Graigue-BallycallanGraigue-Ballycallan GAA
Graigue-Ballycallan is a Gaelic Athletic Association club situated in County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club has enjoyed success at county and provincial level, and several players from the club have gone on to play a part in the Kilkenny intercounty team. The catchment area for the club is 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...
club. He had some success at underage level and was on the panel when the club won the county championship in 1998 and 2000.
Inter-county
Although never having All-Ireland success at minor or under-21 level with 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...
, Ryall has become a key member of the team since joining the panel in 2002
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2002
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 2002 was the 116th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition...
. Within a year of joining the team he had won his first Leinster Championship
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....
and 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....
titles, following wins over 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...
and Cork respectively. In 2004 Kilkenny were aiming to win a third All-Ireland title in-a-row, however, the team had a less than successful year as Kilkenny ended up without any major title. The team was back in 2005 with Ryall collecting his first 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, as well as a second Leinster title. Kilkenny were later defeated by 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 a thrilling All-Ireland semi-final. In 2006 Ryall won his third Leinster medal, before later collecting his second All-Ireland medal following a win over Cork.
On September 8, 2010 speculations went around that Ryall was retiring from Inter-County hurling defeat by 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...
, however it turned out originally that the report was misquoted. In December, 2010 Ryall confirmed his retirement from Inter-County hurling.