Jimmy Brohan
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Brohan is an Irish
retired sportsperson. He played hurling
with his local club Blackrock
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1954 until 1963.
in 1935. James Brohan Snr, his father, was a native of Fethard
, County Tipperary
who moved to Cork to work in the Metropole Hotel. His mother, Mary Murphy, hailed from Ballintemple and also worked in the Metropole. Brohan was the middle child in a family of seven and was educated at Sullivan’s Quay CBS
. It was here that his hurling skills were first exploited. Brohan played on the school hurling team in the Dr. Harty Cup
for five consecutive years, the first two as goalkeeper and the last three as a corner-back. In 1951 Brohan was at full-forward when Sullivan’s Quay defeated the famous North Monastery in the Harty Cup, before later being defeated themselves by Thurles CBS. In 1952 and 1953 he was chosen on the Munster Colleges hurling team which played in the inter-provincial competition. He enjoyed much success and won two All-Ireland colleges’ medals in both those years.
After leaving Sullivan’s Quay in 1953 Brohan worked at the Dunlop’s tyre centre in Cork until its closure in 1983. Other Cork greats who also worked there included Johnny Clifford
and Willie Murphy
. Brohan later worked with the Customs Service until his retirement in 2000.
Two of Brohan’s brothers also had sporting success playing soccer in the League of Ireland
.
with the famous Blackrock
club in Cork and enjoyed much success. In 1956 the club, with Brohan playing a key role, won the senior county championship
for the first time in twenty-five years. Another county title followed five years later in 1961. Brohan also played Gaelic football
with Blackrock’s sister club called St. Michael's
and enjoyed some success. He won a county junior football championship
title with the club in 1956.
defeated Cork in the early rounds of the championship in both years.
At the end of 1953 Brohan made his senior debut for Cork in the National Hurling League
. He duly impressed the selectors and was subsequently called up to play in the All-Ireland semi-final against Galway
. Brohan was replacing the injured Tony O'Shaughnessy
and had a good game, however, O’Shaughnessy returned for the All-Ireland final and Brohan was left on the bench as Cork claimed victory over Wexford
.
In 1955 Brohan suffered a major setback when was suspended from all GAA activity for the year, due to his failure to turn up for a club game with St. Michael’s. Clare
defeated Cork in the opening round of the championship as Brohan watched on from the stand.
In 1956 Brohan was back with Cork and was installed at corner-back. That year Cork reached the Munster final once again. Limerick
provided the opposition on that occasion; however, Cork recorded a 5-5 o 3-5 victory thanks to three goals by Christy Ring
. It was Brohan’s first Munster
winners' medal on the field of play. Cork later lined out in the All-Ireland final with Wexford
providing the opposition. The game has gone down in history as one of the all-time classic games as Christy Ring was bidding for a record 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 sliotar up the field to set up another attack. Wexford went on to win the game on a score line of 2-14 to 2-8 and Brohan was left with an All-Ireland runners-up medal.
Brohan added to his medal collection when he won a Munster
junior football medal in 1957. Once again Cork’s hurlers reached the Munster final, however, they were defeated by Waterford
on a score line of 1-11 to 1-6. In spite of a lack of success in 1958 Brohan was still included on a Sunday Review best hurling team of the year selection.
Brohan’s side contested three consecutive provincial finals in 1959, 1960 and 1961, however, he ended up on the losing side on every occasion. In a Gael-Linn sponsored poll in the Irish Independent
in 1961, Brohan was named in the right corner-back position on a hurling team considered to be the best ever. He retired from inter-county hurling in the early 1960s.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition and enjoyed much success. He first lined out with his province in 1957 and helped Munster to a 5-7 to 2-5 victory over Leinster
. This was the first of five consecutive Railway Cup victories for Brohan as part of the Munster team. He won a sixth and final Railway Cup winners' medal in 1963 as Munster accounted for Leinster by just a single point.
, captain Cork to victory.
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...
retired 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 Blackrock
Blackrock GAA
Blackrock National Hurling Club is a G.A.A. club located on the southside of Cork City, Ireland. The club was founded in 1883 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-History:...
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1954 until 1963.
Biography
Jimmy Brohan was born in Ballintemple, County CorkCounty Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1935. James Brohan Snr, his father, was a native of Fethard
Fethard
-Constituencies:*Fethard *Fethard...
, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
who moved to Cork to work in the Metropole Hotel. His mother, Mary Murphy, hailed from Ballintemple and also worked in the Metropole. Brohan was the middle child in a family of seven and was educated at Sullivan’s Quay CBS
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
. It was here that his hurling skills were first exploited. Brohan played on the school hurling team in the Dr. Harty Cup
Dr. Harty Cup
The Dr. Harty Cup is a hurling competition for schools in the province of Munster in Ireland. The cup is presented to the winners of the Munster Colleges Senior "A" Hurling Championship. Players have to be under the age of 19 to compete. The winning team represents Munster in the Dr. Croke Cup...
for five consecutive years, the first two as goalkeeper and the last three as a corner-back. In 1951 Brohan was at full-forward when Sullivan’s Quay defeated the famous North Monastery in the Harty Cup, before later being defeated themselves by Thurles CBS. In 1952 and 1953 he was chosen on the Munster Colleges hurling team which played in the inter-provincial competition. He enjoyed much success and won two All-Ireland colleges’ medals in both those years.
After leaving Sullivan’s Quay in 1953 Brohan worked at the Dunlop’s tyre centre in Cork until its closure in 1983. Other Cork greats who also worked there included Johnny Clifford
Johnny Clifford
Johnny Clifford was an Irish hurling manager and player. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1950s...
and Willie Murphy
Willie Murphy
Willie 'Long Puck' Murphy was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballincollig and was a member of the Cork senior-inter-county team from 1939 until 1949.-Nickname:...
. Brohan later worked with the Customs Service until his retirement in 2000.
Two of Brohan’s brothers also had sporting success playing soccer in the League of Ireland
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
.
Club
Brohan 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 Blackrock
Blackrock GAA
Blackrock National Hurling Club is a G.A.A. club located on the southside of Cork City, Ireland. The club was founded in 1883 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-History:...
club in Cork and enjoyed much success. In 1956 the club, with Brohan playing a key role, won the senior county championship
Cork Senior Hurling Championship
The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
for the first time in twenty-five years. Another county title followed five years later in 1961. Brohan also played Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
with Blackrock’s sister club called St. Michael's
St. Michael's GAA
St. Michaels G.F.C. is a Gaelic football club in Cork City, Ireland. The club was formed in 1951 after a discourse in the Leaping Salmon bar in Blackrock near Cork. At that time some of the Blackrock hurlers played football with different city teams and it was thought a good idea to enter a...
and enjoyed some success. He won a county junior football championship
Cork Junior Football Championship
The Cork Junior Football Championship is a Gaelic football competition in Cork. The competition was originally established in 1895 as a competition for second teams of clubs playing in the Cork Senior Football Championship. This is the fourth level of football clubs, under Senior, Premier...
title with the club in 1956.
Inter-county
Brohan first came to prominence on the inter-county scene in the early 1950s as a member of the Cork minor hurling team. He was eligible to play for the team in both 1952 and 1953, however, TipperaryTipperary 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...
defeated Cork in the early rounds of the championship in both years.
At the end of 1953 Brohan made his senior debut for Cork in the 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...
. He duly impressed the selectors and was subsequently called up to play in the All-Ireland semi-final against 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,...
. Brohan was replacing the injured Tony O'Shaughnessy
Tony O'Shaughnessy
Tony O’Shaughnessy was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club St. Finbarr's and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1952 until 1957.-Inter-county:...
and had a good game, however, O’Shaughnessy returned for the All-Ireland final and Brohan was left on the bench as Cork claimed victory 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...
.
In 1955 Brohan suffered a major setback when was suspended from all GAA activity for the year, due to his failure to turn up for a club game with St. Michael’s. 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....
defeated Cork in the opening round of the championship as Brohan watched on from the stand.
In 1956 Brohan was back with Cork and was installed at corner-back. That year Cork reached the Munster final once again. 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...
provided the opposition on that occasion; however, Cork recorded a 5-5 o 3-5 victory thanks to three goals by 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...
. It was Brohan’s 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....
winners' medal on the field of play. Cork later lined out in the All-Ireland final with 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...
providing the opposition. The game has gone down in history as one of the all-time classic games as Christy Ring was bidding for a record 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 sliotar up the field to set up another attack. Wexford went on to win the game on a score line of 2-14 to 2-8 and Brohan was left with an All-Ireland runners-up medal.
Brohan added to his medal collection when he won a Munster
Munster Junior Hurling Championship
The Munster Junior Hurling Championship is a junior "knockout" competition in the game of Hurling played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council....
junior football medal in 1957. Once again Cork’s hurlers reached the Munster final, however, they were defeated by 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...
on a score line of 1-11 to 1-6. In spite of a lack of success in 1958 Brohan was still included on a Sunday Review best hurling team of the year selection.
Brohan’s side contested three consecutive provincial finals in 1959, 1960 and 1961, however, he ended up on the losing side on every occasion. In a Gael-Linn sponsored poll in the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
in 1961, Brohan was named in the right corner-back position on a hurling team considered to be the best ever. He retired from inter-county hurling in the early 1960s.
Inter-provincial
Brohan also lined out with MunsterMunster 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:...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition and enjoyed much success. He first lined out with his province in 1957 and helped Munster to a 5-7 to 2-5 victory over Leinster
Leinster 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...
. This was the first of five consecutive Railway Cup victories for Brohan as part of the Munster team. He won a sixth and final Railway Cup winners' medal in 1963 as Munster accounted for Leinster by just a single point.
Unique style of play
Brohan had a unique style of play, often described as tidy and economical. This was best illustrated by his defensive strategy which made him one of the most famous exponents of the batting skill in hurling and he often delighted the legions of Cork supporters in the 1950s and 1960s by batting away the ball to great distances out of defence to the frustration of opposing forwards. This was a tactic which was not very well developed or used to effect by his contemporaries and he duly deserved his reputation of being master of this particular skill which was best employed in a tight entanglement which did not allow room for the full natural hurley swing more conducive to loose marking and open play.Retirement
Following his retirement as a player Brohan became involved as a selector with the county hurling team. He was involved with the teams that won the All-Ireland titles in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1986. In the latter year Brohan had the pleasure of seeing his nephew, Tom CashmanTom Cashman
Tom Cashman is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1977 until 1988. Cashman later served as manager of the Cork senior inter-county team from 2000 until 2001.-Biography:Tom...
, captain Cork to victory.