John Connolly (hurler)
Encyclopedia
John Connolly is a retired Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling
with his local club Castlegar
and with the Galway
senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s. Connolly is regarded as one of Galway’s greatest-ever players.
, County Galway
in 1948. From his early years he showed outstanding promise as a fine all-round sportsman. His family moved to the city while he was still a young boy and he was educated in St. Mary’s College in the city. By the mid 1960s Connolly was coming to the notice of the public as a hurler, Gaelic football
er and as a boxer. In 1965 he was crowned Connacht
junior champion at light-welterweight, however, Connolly later turned his attention to Gaelic games
.
and, together with his brothers Pádraic, Joe
, Gerry, Michael, Tom and Murth, enjoyed much success. He won his first county title in 1967 and added a second in 1969. Three years later in 1972 Connolly added a third county medal to his collection. This was later converted into a Connacht
club title, however, Castlegar were defeated by a mighty Glen Rovers
team in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final. Connolly captured another brace of county and provincial titles in 1973, however, Rathnure
got the better of Castlegar in the All-Ireland semi-final. It would be 1979 before Connolly won his fifth county championship title. He later collected his third Connacht club hurling title before lining out in his first All-Ireland club final. Castlegar took on Ballycastle on that occasion, with victory going to the Galway men on a score line of 1-11 to 1-8. It was Connolly’s first and only All-Ireland
club medal. In 1985 he won a sixth county medal and a fourth Connacht club medal. He later lined out in a second All-Ireland club final, however, St. Martin’s
of Kilkenny
took the title after a replay.
at under-age levels. He had little success with either the minor or under-21 teams and was subsequently called up to the Galway senior panel. Galway were in the doldrums at the time after having an unsuccessful eleven season spell participating in the Munster Championship
.
In 1971 Connolly was a member of the team as Galway trounced Antrim
in the All-Ireland quarter-final before losing to Tipperary
in an exciting All-Ireland semi-final. In spite of this loss Connolly was later presented with a coveted All-Star
award. It was the inaugural year of the awards scheme and Connolly became the first amn from Galway to be presented with the award.
Connolly first tasted major success in 1975. That year he was captain as Galway captured the National Hurling League
title. It was a sign of things to come for the team. Later that summer Connolly’s side trounced Westmeath
and shocked Cork to book their place in the All-Ireland final. Kilkenny
, the reigning champions, provided the opposition on that occasion. Galway got off to a good start and took a 0-9 to 1-3 lead at half-time. Kilkenny, inspired by marvelous displays by Eddie Keher
and Liam O’Brien
, powered on to win by 2-22 to 2-10.
Galway faced a series of defeats at the penultimate stage of the championship for the next few seasons. In 1979 Connolly’s side shocked Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final for the second time of the decade. Once again the All-Ireland final saw Galway play Kilkenny. In one of the least exciting finals of the decade Galway continued their losing streak and capitulated to ‘the Cats’ by 2-12 to 1-8. In spite of this Connolly was still presented with a second All-Star award.
In 1980 Galway defeated Kildare
and Offaly
to reach a second consecutive All-Ireland final. On that occasion Limerick
provided the opposition. Galway got off to a good start with two goals and led by 2-7 to 1-5 at the interval. Limerick fought back in the second-half; however, Galway secured the victory by 2-15 to 3-9. It was Connolly’s first All-Ireland
medal and Galway’s first since 1923. The celebrations at Croke Park
on that occasion surpassed anything that had ever been seen before.
In 1981 both Galway and Limerick met in the All-Ireland semi-final, however, it took a replay to find a winner. Galway emerged to take part in their third All-Ireland final in-a-row. Offaly, a team that Connolly’s side defeated on the way to the championship the previous year now provided the opposition. In another close encounter Galway looked set to make history as they took a six point lead after the interval. The team, however, failed to score for the last twenty-three minutes and Offaly took their first All-Ireland title.
The next three seasons saw Galway defeated at the All-Ireland semi-final stage. Connolly retired from inter-county hurling shortly afterwards.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He captured his sole Railway Cup title in 1980 as Connacht defeated Munster
.
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 Castlegar
Castlegar GAA
Castlegar GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Castlegar in County Galway, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.-Overview:...
and with the 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,...
senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s. Connolly is regarded as one of Galway’s greatest-ever players.
Biography
John Connolly was born in Leiter Moir, ConnemaraConnemara
Connemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
in 1948. From his early years he showed outstanding promise as a fine all-round sportsman. His family moved to the city while he was still a young boy and he was educated in St. Mary’s College in the city. By the mid 1960s Connolly was coming to the notice of the public as a hurler, Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er and as a boxer. In 1965 he was crowned Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
junior champion at light-welterweight, however, Connolly later turned his attention to Gaelic games
Gaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
.
Club
Connolly played his club hurling with his local club in CastlegarCastlegar GAA
Castlegar GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Castlegar in County Galway, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.-Overview:...
and, together with his brothers Pádraic, Joe
Joe Connolly
Joseph Aloysius Connolly was a left fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Boston Braves from through . Listed at 5' 7.5", 165 lb., Connolly batted left-handed and threw right-handed....
, Gerry, Michael, Tom and Murth, enjoyed much success. He won his first county title in 1967 and added a second in 1969. Three years later in 1972 Connolly added a third county medal to his collection. This was later converted into a Connacht
Connacht Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Connacht Senior Club Hurling Championship was an annual hurling tournament played between the senior hurling clubs in Connacht contested from 1970 until it became defunct after the conclusion of the 2007/08 season due to the predominance of the Galway champions coupled with a lack of meaningful...
club title, however, Castlegar were defeated by a mighty Glen Rovers
Glen Rovers GAA
Glen Rovers is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Ballyvolane and Blackpool areas of Cork city, Ireland. The club was founded in 1916 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-Colours:...
team in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final. Connolly captured another brace of county and provincial titles in 1973, however, 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:...
got the better of Castlegar in the All-Ireland semi-final. It would be 1979 before Connolly won his fifth county championship title. He later collected his third Connacht club hurling title before lining out in his first All-Ireland club final. Castlegar took on Ballycastle on that occasion, with victory going to the Galway men on a score line of 1-11 to 1-8. It was Connolly’s first and only All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
club medal. In 1985 he won a sixth county medal and a fourth Connacht club medal. He later lined out in a second All-Ireland club final, however, St. Martin’s
St. Martin's GAA
St. Martin's are a Gaelic Athletic Association Club based in the Ballyfoyle/Coon/Muckalee area of County Kilkenny, Ireland.-History:The club was formed in 1982 following an amalgamation of the clubs in the parishes Muckalee/Ballyfoyle Rangers and Coon...
of 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...
took the title after a replay.
Inter-county
Connolly first came to prominence on the inter-county scene with the GalwayGalway 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,...
at under-age levels. He had little success with either the minor or under-21 teams and was subsequently called up to the Galway senior panel. Galway were in the doldrums at the time after having an unsuccessful eleven season spell participating in the Munster Championship
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....
.
In 1971 Connolly was a member of the team as Galway 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...
in the All-Ireland quarter-final before losing to 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 an exciting All-Ireland semi-final. In spite of this loss Connolly was later presented with a coveted All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
award. It was the inaugural year of the awards scheme and Connolly became the first amn from Galway to be presented with the award.
Connolly first tasted major success in 1975. That year he was captain as Galway captured 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...
title. It was a sign of things to come for the team. Later that summer Connolly’s side trounced Westmeath
Westmeath GAA
The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...
and shocked Cork to book their place in the All-Ireland final. 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...
, the reigning champions, provided the opposition on that occasion. Galway got off to a good start and took a 0-9 to 1-3 lead at half-time. Kilkenny, inspired by marvelous displays by Eddie Keher
Eddie Keher
Edward Peter Keher , better known as Eddie Keher, is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game....
and Liam O’Brien
Liam O'Brien (hurler)
-Teams:...
, powered on to win by 2-22 to 2-10.
Galway faced a series of defeats at the penultimate stage of the championship for the next few seasons. In 1979 Connolly’s side shocked Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final for the second time of the decade. Once again the All-Ireland final saw Galway play Kilkenny. In one of the least exciting finals of the decade Galway continued their losing streak and capitulated to ‘the Cats’ by 2-12 to 1-8. In spite of this Connolly was still presented with a second All-Star award.
In 1980 Galway defeated Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
and Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
to reach a second consecutive All-Ireland final. On that occasion 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. Galway got off to a good start with two goals and led by 2-7 to 1-5 at the interval. Limerick fought back in the second-half; however, Galway secured the victory by 2-15 to 3-9. It was Connolly’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 Galway’s first since 1923. The celebrations at Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
on that occasion surpassed anything that had ever been seen before.
In 1981 both Galway and Limerick met in the All-Ireland semi-final, however, it took a replay to find a winner. Galway emerged to take part in their third All-Ireland final in-a-row. Offaly, a team that Connolly’s side defeated on the way to the championship the previous year now provided the opposition. In another close encounter Galway looked set to make history as they took a six point lead after the interval. The team, however, failed to score for the last twenty-three minutes and Offaly took their first All-Ireland title.
The next three seasons saw Galway defeated at the All-Ireland semi-final stage. Connolly retired from inter-county hurling shortly afterwards.
Provincial
Connolly also lined out with ConnachtConnacht GAA
The Connacht Council are a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Connacht.-Constituent counties:*Galway*Leitrim*Mayo*Roscommon*Sligo-Special counties:...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He captured his sole Railway Cup title in 1980 as Connacht 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:...
.