Johnny Leahy
Encyclopedia
Johnny Leahy was an Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling
with his local club Boherlahen
and with the Tipperary
senior inter-county team from 1909 until 1926. Leahy captained Tipperary to All-Ireland
titles in 1916 and 1925.
in the heart of the Golden Vale
in 1890. He was educated at the local national school and later worked on the family farm. Leahy remained a bachelor for his entire life.
Leahy came from a great sporting family with his brothers Paddy, Mick and Tommy all playing inter-county hurling at various times. Paddy won All-Ireland
honours with Tipperary
in 1916 and 1925. Tommy was a member of the successful Tipperary team of 1930. Mick
was a substitute on the victorious team of 1916 and later moved to Cork
where he played hurling with the famous Blackrock
club. He won All-Ireland medals with Cork in 1928 and 1931.
Leahy also took part in the War of Independence
in his native-county. One of his other brothers, Jimmy, was Vice-Comdt. of Tipperary No.2 Brigade of the Irish Republican Army
.
In retirement from playing Leahy became involved in the administrative affairs of the GAA. He was a member of the Munster Council
and also served as chairman and secretary of the Tipperary County Board.
Johnny Leahy died in January, 1949.
with his local Boherlahen
club. He played in his first county final in 1914, however, his side lost out to Toomevara
. Boherlahan bounced back from this defeat to win the next four county championship titles
between 1915 and 1919. In all Leahy won ten county titles with victories also coming in 1920, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1927 and 1928. He retired from club hurling at the age of forty in 1930, following Boherlahan’s defeat to Toomevara
in the county final.
with Tipperary
in a tournament at Fethard
in 1909, however, he didn’t establish himself on the county team until 1915. The following year Leahy was captain of the county team a she played in his first Munster final. Cork provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Leahy collected his first Munster
title as Tipp won by 5-0 to 1-2. Galway
were trounced in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final, resulting in a Tipperary-Kilkenny
All-Ireland final. The game itself wasn’t played until January 21, 1917 and it wasn’t a good start for Leahy’s side. Tipp fell behind by five points at half-time, however, the side fought back. Tipperary’s Tommy Shanahan and Kilkenny’s Dick Grace
were both sent off. I spite of this Tipperary won the game giving Leahy his first All-Ireland
medal.
1917 saw Tipperary draw with Limerick
in the Munster final. In the replay Tipp made no mistake and Leahy added a second Munster medal to his collection. The absence of the All-Ireland semi-finals allowed Tipp to advance directly to the championship decider where Dublin
provided the opposition. The game was a close one, however, ‘the Dubs’ pulled away to win by 5-4 to 4-2.
Tipp went into decline for a number of year following this defeat, however, the team bounced back in 1922 with Leahy collecting a third Munster title as captain. Galway fell in the All-Ireland semi-final, setting up a championship decider with local rivals Kilkenny. Leahy’s side were up by three points with three minutes to go, however, two quick Kilkenny goals resulted in a 4-2 to 2-6 victory for Kilkenny. It would be another 45 years before they beat Tipp in the championship again.
Tipp surrendered their provincial crown to Limerick in 1923, however, Leahy won a fourth Munster medal in 1924. Once again he was captain of the team. Galway, the reigning All-Ireland champions, played against Tipp in the subsequent All-Ireland smei-final. It was a close affair, however, the men from the West won by a single point.
In 1925 Leahy added a fifth and final Munster medal to his collection as Tipp trounced Waterford
in the provincial final. Antrim
were trounced by Tipp in the penultimate game of the championship, setting up an All-Ireland final with Galway. Tipperary started with a quick goal and never looked back. They went on to win the game by 5-6 to 1-5 giving Leahy his second All-Ireland medal as captain.
In 1926 the Tipperary hurlers embarked on a coast-to-coast tour of the United States
. It was during this journey that Leahy cemented his reputation as one of the most charismatic hurling captains of all-time. He retired from inter-county hurling shortly afterwards.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He first played for his province in the inaugural year of the competition in 1927, however, Munster were defeated by Leinster
in the final. Leahy lined out again in 1928 and captured a coveted Railway Cup medal as Leinster were defeated.
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 Boherlahen
Boherlahen-Dualla GAA
Boherlahen-Dualla GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club associated with the village located between the towns of Thurles and Cashel in County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland. The parish of Boherlahan-Dualla is one of the largest in comparison to other parishes in Tipperary...
and with the 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...
senior inter-county team from 1909 until 1926. Leahy captained Tipperary to 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 in 1916 and 1925.
Biography
Johnny Leahy was born in Boherlahen, County TipperaryCounty 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...
in the heart of the Golden Vale
Golden Vale
The Golden Vale is an area of rolling pastureland in the civil province of Munster, southwestern Ireland. Covering parts of three counties, Limerick, Tipperary and Cork, it is the best land in Ireland for dairy farming....
in 1890. He was educated at the local national school and later worked on the family farm. Leahy remained a bachelor for his entire life.
Leahy came from a great sporting family with his brothers Paddy, Mick and Tommy all playing inter-county hurling at various times. Paddy won 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....
honours 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...
in 1916 and 1925. Tommy was a member of the successful Tipperary team of 1930. Mick
Mick Leahy (hurler)
Michael "Mick" Leahy was an Irish hurler who played as a left corner-forward for the Tipperary and Cork senior teams from 1916 until 1931....
was a substitute on the victorious team of 1916 and later moved to Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
where he played hurling 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. He won All-Ireland medals with Cork in 1928 and 1931.
Leahy also took part in the War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
in his native-county. One of his other brothers, Jimmy, was Vice-Comdt. of Tipperary No.2 Brigade of the Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
.
In retirement from playing Leahy became involved in the administrative affairs of the GAA. He was a member of the Munster Council
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:...
and also served as chairman and secretary of the Tipperary County Board.
Johnny Leahy died in January, 1949.
Club
Leahy 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 his local Boherlahen
Boherlahen-Dualla GAA
Boherlahen-Dualla GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club associated with the village located between the towns of Thurles and Cashel in County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland. The parish of Boherlahan-Dualla is one of the largest in comparison to other parishes in Tipperary...
club. He played in his first county final in 1914, however, his side lost out to 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...
. Boherlahan bounced back from this defeat to win the next four county championship titles
Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship
The Tipperary Senior Hurling Club Championship is an annual club competition between the top Tipperary hurling clubs...
between 1915 and 1919. In all Leahy won ten county titles with victories also coming in 1920, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1927 and 1928. He retired from club hurling at the age of forty in 1930, following Boherlahan’s defeat to 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 the county final.
Inter-county
Leahy 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 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 a tournament at Fethard
Fethard
-Constituencies:*Fethard *Fethard...
in 1909, however, he didn’t establish himself on the county team until 1915. The following year Leahy was captain of the county team a she played in his first Munster final. Cork provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Leahy collected 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 as Tipp won by 5-0 to 1-2. 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,...
were trounced in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final, resulting in a Tipperary-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...
All-Ireland final. The game itself wasn’t played until January 21, 1917 and it wasn’t a good start for Leahy’s side. Tipp fell behind by five points at half-time, however, the side fought back. Tipperary’s Tommy Shanahan and Kilkenny’s Dick Grace
Dick Grace
Dick Grace was born in Morris, Minnesota and was an early stunt pilot who specialised in crashing planes for films. Grace was one of the few stunt pilots who died of old age. He was the author of several books including Squadron of Death, Crash Pilot, I am still alive, and Visibility Unlimited...
were both sent off. I spite of this Tipperary won the game giving Leahy 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.
1917 saw Tipperary draw with 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...
in the Munster final. In the replay Tipp made no mistake and Leahy added a second Munster medal to his collection. The absence of the All-Ireland semi-finals allowed Tipp to advance directly to the championship decider where 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...
provided the opposition. The game was a close one, however, ‘the Dubs’ pulled away to win by 5-4 to 4-2.
Tipp went into decline for a number of year following this defeat, however, the team bounced back in 1922 with Leahy collecting a third Munster title as captain. Galway fell in the All-Ireland semi-final, setting up a championship decider with local rivals Kilkenny. Leahy’s side were up by three points with three minutes to go, however, two quick Kilkenny goals resulted in a 4-2 to 2-6 victory for Kilkenny. It would be another 45 years before they beat Tipp in the championship again.
Tipp surrendered their provincial crown to Limerick in 1923, however, Leahy won a fourth Munster medal in 1924. Once again he was captain of the team. Galway, the reigning All-Ireland champions, played against Tipp in the subsequent All-Ireland smei-final. It was a close affair, however, the men from the West won by a single point.
In 1925 Leahy added a fifth and final Munster medal to his collection as Tipp 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. 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...
were trounced by Tipp in the penultimate game of the championship, setting up an All-Ireland final with Galway. Tipperary started with a quick goal and never looked back. They went on to win the game by 5-6 to 1-5 giving Leahy his second All-Ireland medal as captain.
In 1926 the Tipperary hurlers embarked on a coast-to-coast tour of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was during this journey that Leahy cemented his reputation as one of the most charismatic hurling captains of all-time. He retired from inter-county hurling shortly afterwards.
Provincial
Leahy 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. He first played for his province in the inaugural year of the competition in 1927, however, Munster were defeated by 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...
in the final. Leahy lined out again in 1928 and captured a coveted Railway Cup medal as Leinster were defeated.