Mick Mackey
Encyclopedia
Michael ‘Mick’ Mackey (12 July 1912 – 13 September 1982) was a famous Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling
with the famous Ahane
club from 1930 until 1948 and was a member of the Limerick
senior inter-county team from 1930 until 1947. Mackey is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in the history of the game. Almost unanimously regarded as the second-best hurler of all-time (with even many claiming that Mackey was the best), many former players, commentators and fans believe that the only other player who could be said to have bested him was the unparalleled Christy Ring
.
Mackey’s status as one of the all-time greats is self-evident. In a senior inter-county career that lasted for seventeen years he was the star player on the team during Limerick's golden age of hurling. Mackey won three All-Ireland
titles, five Munster
titles, five consecutive National Hurling League
titles and eight Railway Cup titles with Munster
.
Mackey's importance to Limerick is impossible to overstate. When he burst on the hurling scene in the 1930s he was unquestionably the greatest hurler yet seen. From his usual position at centre-forward Mackey inspired the whole team, and their reputation as great entertainers of hurling owed a lot to his charismatic style and his new hurling techniques. He was physically imposing and his swashbuckling style brought huge crowds to see him play. During his playing days it was Mackey that developed the solo-run style, though he eschewed the use of the sliotar resting on the hurley, which he did not consider correct hurling, preferring instead to bounce it on the hurley as he charged at defences.
While his exploits on the field are well documented, Mackey has also been the recipient of many awards and honours off the field. In 1980 he was the first recipient of the prestigious All-Time All-Star Award
. Mackey was also posthumously honoured in 1984 when he was named, by popular opinion, in the centre-forward position on the GAA Hurling Team of the Century
. He was named in the same position on the GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
in 2000.
, County Limerick
in 1912. He was born into a family that was steeped in the traditions of the game of hurling
. His grandfather and namesake, Michael Mackey, was involved in the promotion of Gaelic games
even before the establishment of the Gaelic Athletic Association
in 1884. He was captain of the Castleconnell team in the infancy days of the association and was a member of the very first Limerick
hurling team that played in the inaugural championship in 1887. His father, John 'Tyler' Mackey, ranked among the leading hurling personalities of the first two decades of the twentieth century. In a career that lasted from 1901 until 1917 he captained Limerick in the county’s unsuccessful 1910 All-Ireland title bid when Wexford
were victorious by a single point.
Mackey was educated at the local national school in Castleconnell. As was common at the time he received little in the way of a second-level education and left school at an early age due to the economic realities of life in the newly-independent Irish Free State
. Mackey subsequently joined the Electricity Supply Board
where he spent 47 years as a van driver with the company at Ardnacrusha
, County Clare
. He also spent five years as a member of the Irish Army
.
club. Three years later and still in his teens his skill became apparent when he helped the club to a county junior hurling championship title. Mackey would later go on to have much more success with the club in both hurling
and football
at senior level as Ahane became the kingpins of Limerick in the 1930s. In 1931 he won his first senior county hurling title
. Between 1933 and 1939 he played a key role in helping Ahane to an unprecedented seven county titles in-a-row. Not only did he have major success on the hurling fiedl but Mackey also won five consecutive senior county football titles titles with Ahane between 1935 and 1939. From 1942 until 1949 Ahane captured another unprecedented seven county titles in-a-row, with Mackey featuring prominently in all these victories.
minor hurling team in 1929, however, he enjoyed little success in this grade
He first became involved with the Limerick senior hurling team in 1929 when he was listed as a non-playing substitute for the Munster Championship
. In 1930 he made his senior debut at the relatively young age of eighteen when he went as a spectator to see Limerick take on Kilkenny
in a National Hurling League
game. The Shannonsiders were short the full team so Mackey was called upon to line out. Mackey’s brother, John
, soon followed him onto the county’s senior team and together they would both enjoy a remarkable run of success.
In 1933 Mackey won his first Munster
title after a defeat of Waterford
in the provincial final. Although the game was played in Thurles
the result was decided in Clonmel
as the game had to be abandoned because of a pitch invasion. Since Limerick were winning the game comfortably the Munster Council decided to award the Munster title to Mackey’s side. Limerick later faced reigning champions Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final with just over 45,000 people turning up at Croke Park
to witness the contest. Such was the crowd that the gates were locked five minutes before the game began and 5,000 people were locked out. The final was a close one; however, Kilkenny sealed the victory with a great solo-run goal by Johnny Dunne
in the last ten minutes. A 1-7 to 0-6 win gave Kilkenny a second consecutive All-Ireland title.
1934 began with Limerick bouncing back from this defeat by claiming the National Hurling League title. Mackey later collected a second Munster title following another defeat of Waterford in the final, this time the game was settle don the field of play. Dublin
provided Limerick’s opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final and, as it turned out, the game was a dramatic spectacle. Dublin trailed by five points with five minutes left, however, they fought back to draw 2-7 to 3-4. The repaly turned out to be an even closer affair as well with both sides level with two minutes to go. Points from Mackey and Jackie O'Connell and a fourth goal from Dave Clohessy
secured a victory for Limerick and secured a coveted All-Ireland
winners' medal for Mackey.
Mackey captured a second consecutive National League medal in 1935 before Limerick completely powered their way through the Munster Championship. In the Munster semi-final against Cork, widely regarded as one of the greatest games ever, Mackey scored a goal inside two minutes before later moving to midfield where he dominated the game. Limerick later defeated Tipperary
in the Munster final, giving Mackey a third consecutive provincial winners' medal. Kilkenny turned out to be Limerick’s opponents in the subsequent All-Ireland final and, once again, the game was a close affair. Limerick were the red-hot favourites as they were the reigning National League and All-Ireland champions and had played a remarkable 31 games without defeat. A record crowd of over 46,000 turned up to watch a hurling classic. In spite of rain falling throughout the entire game both sides served up a great game. At the beginning of the second-half Lory Meagher
sent over a huge point from midfield giving Kilkenny a lead which they would not surrender. Mackey smashed a free to the net, however, his final attack to secure a win was foiled by Paddy Larkin
. Kilkenny held on to win the game on a score line of 2-5 to 2-4 and capture a third All-Ireland title in four years.
Limerick began 1936 by winning a third consecutive National League medal. The team later embarked on a tour of the United States
where they defeated a New York
team made up of Irish expatriates. As a result of the tour Limerick were awarded a bye into the Munster final, however, Mackey, who was now captain of the side, sustained an injury to his right knee during the American tour. Tipperary provided the opposition in the provincial final and any sign of weakness from Mackey would be pounced upon. The Limerick selectors then hit on the novel idea of putting a large bandage on their star player’s uninjured left knee in an effort to confuse the Tipp players. The switching of bandages worked perfectly as Mackey scored a remarkable 5 goals and three points as Limerick trounced the opposition. After scoring his final goal, he taunted the Tipperary fans with gestures, and finally turned his back to them and dropped his togs exposing his buttocks. In relatively innocent times this was what marked his reputation as a playboy and a someone who drew crowds of shrieking women to games. Galway
fell to Limerick in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final, however, the men from the West lost the game after walking off the pitch with fifteen minutes left. They were not impressed with the rough tactics of their opponents. For the third time in four years Limerick faced a challenge from Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. ‘The Cats’ were victorious in 1935, however, Limerick were keen for revenge. Jackie Power
, who was playing in his very first game, scored two first-half goals. A solo-run goal by captain Mackey in the second-half helped Limerick to a 5-6 to 1-5 victory. As a result of this victory Mackey had the honour of receiving the famed Liam McCarthy Cup
for the first time and a second All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 1937 Mackey captained Limerick to yet another National League title. Waterford gave Mackey’s side a fright in the Munster semi-final, however, victory went to Limerick courtesy of a last-minute goal. Tipperary provided the opposition in the provincial final, however, the men from Limerick were still the favorites to become the third team ever to win five Munster finals in-a-row. Instead, Tipperary emerged victorious by two goals, ending Limerick’s involvement in that year’s championship.
In 1938 Limerick entered the record books as the first team to win five consecutive National League titles. It is a record which has never been equalled. Limerick, however, lost out to Cork in the subsequent Munster championships of 1938 and 1939, with many people believing that the team were now over the hill. This certainly seemed the case in 1940 when it took two late goals from Jackie Power and a storming display by Mackey to level the Munster semi-final with Waterford. Another late rally gave Limerick a victory in the subsequent replay. Mackey’s side put in another excellent performance in the Munster final to draw the game with Cork. At half-time in the replay Limerick looked like a spent force. Held scoreless for the entire thirty minutes Mackey got the recovery underway in the second-half with a point from a seventy. He later moved back to the defense where Cork were running riot with goals. A pitch invasion scuppered the game for ten minutes, however, Limerick held on to win with Mackey collecting his fifth provincial title. Once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition in the All-Ireland final. 50,0000 spectators traveled to Croke Park
to witness the last great game between the two most outstanding teams of the decade. Early in the second-half Kilkenny took a four-point lead, however, once Mackey was deployed at midfield he proceeded to dominate the game. Limerick hung on to win the game on a score line of 3-7 to 1-7 and Mackey joined an elite group of players who collected the McCarthy Cup more than once as captain.
Limerick took a back seat to Cork and Tipp in the Munster championship for the next few years. In 1941 Mackey’s younger brother, Paddy, died. As was customary at the time, both Mick and John Mackey withdrew from championship hurling for one year. During the Emergency in Ireland Mackey joined the army. Here he maintained his physical fitness and played in many brigade and division games.
In 1944 Limerick squared up to Cork in the provincial final as the Leesiders were aiming for a fourth consecutive All-Ireland final victory. Mackey was a veteran hurler by now, however, he still seemed to be playing better than ever. Cork took an early lead, however, the Ahane man kept his team in with a chance by scoring points from almost impossible angles. He later powered past Con Murphy
to score two quick goals and put Limerick in the driving seat once again. Cork came back, however, to draw the game. In the last fifteen minutes of the replay Limerick were up by four points. Mackey broke through the Cork defence to score another inspiring goal, however, he was deemed to be fouled as he went through and the goal was disallowed. A free was awarded instead but it was missed. With minutes left in the game both sides were level and Mackey launched one last attack for the winning point. His shot hit the outside of the post and dropped wide. Only seconds remained when Cork’s Christy Ring
caught the sliotar and fired a fierce shot into the net to win the game. Many reagard this dramatic passage of play as the moment that the mantle of hurling’s star player passed from Mackey to Ring.
Limerick lost the Munster final of 1945 to Tipperary, however, they faced old rivals Cork in the provincial decider again in 1946. Mackey was now in the twilight of his inter-county hurling career and time had finally caught up with him. Din Joe Buckley
put in a marvellous display when marking Mackey as Cork went on to win the game comfortably. Following this defeat Mackey effectively retired from inter-county hurling, however, he was coaxed back as a substitute for the 1947 Munster final defeat by Cork.
in the inter-provincial hurling championship where he played alongside his championship rivals from other Munster hurling counties. He first played for his province in 1934 as Munster defeated fierce rivals Leinster
to take the Railway Cup title. Three years later in 1937 Mackey was captain of his province. Munster defeated Leinster again on that occasion, giving the Limerick man a second Railway Cup winners' medal. It was the first of four Railway Cup victories in-a-row for Munster, bring Mackey's personal tally to five. He won further Railway Cup titles in 1943, 1945 and an eighth 1946.
in the 1955 Munster final. The Mackey Stand at the Limerick Gaelic Grounds
is named in his honour.
Mick Mackey died on 13 September 1982. His funeral was one of the biggest-ever for a sportsperson in Ireland with thousands coming to Castleconnell, not alone from all parts of Limerick, but from the heartlands of his traditional rivals, Tipperary, Cork and Kilkenny. He was posthumously honoured on the GAA’s Hurling Team of the Century and on the Hurling Team of the Millennium.
A biography of Mick Mackey has been produced in advance of the 100th anniversary of his birth in 2012. This book will be released in August 2011.
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 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 the famous Ahane
Ahane GAA
Ahane GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the Ahane, Castleconnell and Montpelier areas of east County Limerick, Republic of Ireland. The club fields teams in both hurling and football and historically is regarded as one of the great clubs of Limerick. Ahane's greatest players...
club from 1930 until 1948 and was a member of the 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 team from 1930 until 1947. Mackey is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in the history of the game. Almost unanimously regarded as the second-best hurler of all-time (with even many claiming that Mackey was the best), many former players, commentators and fans believe that the only other player who could be said to have bested him was the unparalleled 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...
.
Mackey’s status as one of the all-time greats is self-evident. In a senior inter-county career that lasted for seventeen years he was the star player on the team during Limerick's golden age of hurling. Mackey won three 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, five 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....
titles, five consecutive 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...
titles and eight Railway Cup titles with 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:...
.
Mackey's importance to Limerick is impossible to overstate. When he burst on the hurling scene in the 1930s he was unquestionably the greatest hurler yet seen. From his usual position at centre-forward Mackey inspired the whole team, and their reputation as great entertainers of hurling owed a lot to his charismatic style and his new hurling techniques. He was physically imposing and his swashbuckling style brought huge crowds to see him play. During his playing days it was Mackey that developed the solo-run style, though he eschewed the use of the sliotar resting on the hurley, which he did not consider correct hurling, preferring instead to bounce it on the hurley as he charged at defences.
While his exploits on the field are well documented, Mackey has also been the recipient of many awards and honours off the field. In 1980 he was the first recipient of the prestigious 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...
. Mackey was also posthumously honoured in 1984 when he was named, by popular opinion, in the centre-forward position on the GAA Hurling Team of the Century
GAA Hurling Team of the Century
The Hurling Team of the Century was chosen as part of the Gaelic Athletic Association's centenary year celebrations in 1984 to comprise, as a fifteen-member side divided as one goalkeeper, three half-backs, two midfielders, three half-forwardss and three full-forwards, the best hurling players of...
. He was named in the same position on the GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
The GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium was announced by GAA President Seán McCague at a special dinner at Croke Park on 24 July 2000. The initiative was sponsored by An Post who issued special commemorative stamps of the Millennium team members. The team was chosen to comprise, as a...
in 2000.
Early & private life
Mick Mackey was born in CastleconnellCastleconnell
Castleconnell is a scenic village on the banks of the River Shannon, some from Limerick city and within a few minutes walk of the boundaries with counties Clare and Tipperary....
, County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
in 1912. He was born into a family that was steeped in the traditions of the game of 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...
. His grandfather and namesake, Michael Mackey, was involved in the promotion of 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...
even before the establishment of 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...
in 1884. He was captain of the Castleconnell team in the infancy days of the association and was a member of the very first 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...
hurling team that played in the inaugural championship in 1887. His father, John 'Tyler' Mackey, ranked among the leading hurling personalities of the first two decades of the twentieth century. In a career that lasted from 1901 until 1917 he captained Limerick in the county’s unsuccessful 1910 All-Ireland title bid when 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...
were victorious by a single point.
Mackey was educated at the local national school in Castleconnell. As was common at the time he received little in the way of a second-level education and left school at an early age due to the economic realities of life in the newly-independent Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
. Mackey subsequently joined the Electricity Supply Board
Electricity Supply Board
The Electricity Supply Board , is a semi-state electricity company in Ireland. While historically a monopoly, the ESB now operates as a commercial semi-state concern in a liberalised and competitive market...
where he spent 47 years as a van driver with the company at Ardnacrusha
Ardnacrusha (village)
Ardnacrusha is a village in County Clare, Munster, Ireland located on the northern bank of the Shannon River. The name derives from the phrase Ard na Croise meaning "the height of the cross", due to a large cross marker placed there in 1111 A.D...
, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
. He also spent five years as a member of the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
.
Club
In 1926 the young Mackey became involved in the newly-formed Ahane GAAAhane GAA
Ahane GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the Ahane, Castleconnell and Montpelier areas of east County Limerick, Republic of Ireland. The club fields teams in both hurling and football and historically is regarded as one of the great clubs of Limerick. Ahane's greatest players...
club. Three years later and still in his teens his skill became apparent when he helped the club to a county junior hurling championship title. Mackey would later go on to have much more success with the club in both 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...
and football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
at senior level as Ahane became the kingpins of Limerick in the 1930s. In 1931 he won his first senior county hurling 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...
. Between 1933 and 1939 he played a key role in helping Ahane to an unprecedented seven county titles in-a-row. Not only did he have major success on the hurling fiedl but Mackey also won five consecutive senior county football titles titles with Ahane between 1935 and 1939. From 1942 until 1949 Ahane captured another unprecedented seven county titles in-a-row, with Mackey featuring prominently in all these victories.
Inter-county
Mackey 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...
minor hurling team in 1929, however, he enjoyed little success in this grade
He first became involved with the Limerick senior hurling team in 1929 when he was listed as a non-playing substitute for 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 1930 he made his senior debut at the relatively young age of eighteen when he went as a spectator to see Limerick take on 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 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...
game. The Shannonsiders were short the full team so Mackey was called upon to line out. Mackey’s brother, John
John Mackey (hurler)
John Mackey is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Limerick senior inter-county team from 1932 until 1947.-Early life:...
, soon followed him onto the county’s senior team and together they would both enjoy a remarkable run of success.
In 1933 Mackey 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 after a defeat of 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. Although the game was played in Thurles
Thurles
Thurles is a town situated in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty and is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly...
the result was decided in Clonmel
Clonmel
Clonmel is the county town of South Tipperary in Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. While the borough had a population of 15,482 in 2006, another 17,008 people were in the rural hinterland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked both...
as the game had to be abandoned because of a pitch invasion. Since Limerick were winning the game comfortably the Munster Council decided to award the Munster title to Mackey’s side. Limerick later faced reigning champions Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final with just over 45,000 people turning up 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...
to witness the contest. Such was the crowd that the gates were locked five minutes before the game began and 5,000 people were locked out. The final was a close one; however, Kilkenny sealed the victory with a great solo-run goal by Johnny Dunne
Johnny Dunne
Johnny Dunne was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling at various times with his local clubs Mooncoin and Dicksboro and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1930s. With Kilkenny Dunne won two All-Ireland titles, three Leinster titles and a National Hurling League title....
in the last ten minutes. A 1-7 to 0-6 win gave Kilkenny a second consecutive All-Ireland title.
1934 began with Limerick bouncing back from this defeat by claiming the National Hurling League title. Mackey later collected a second Munster title following another defeat of Waterford in the final, this time the game was settle don the field of play. 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 Limerick’s opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final and, as it turned out, the game was a dramatic spectacle. Dublin trailed by five points with five minutes left, however, they fought back to draw 2-7 to 3-4. The repaly turned out to be an even closer affair as well with both sides level with two minutes to go. Points from Mackey and Jackie O'Connell and a fourth goal from Dave Clohessy
Dave Clohessy
Dave Clohessy was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Fedamore and was a member of the Limerick senior inter-county team in the 1920s and 1930s.-References:...
secured a victory for Limerick and secured a coveted 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....
winners' medal for Mackey.
Mackey captured a second consecutive National League medal in 1935 before Limerick completely powered their way through the Munster Championship. In the Munster semi-final against Cork, widely regarded as one of the greatest games ever, Mackey scored a goal inside two minutes before later moving to midfield where he dominated the game. Limerick later defeated 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 Munster final, giving Mackey a third consecutive provincial winners' medal. Kilkenny turned out to be Limerick’s opponents in the subsequent All-Ireland final and, once again, the game was a close affair. Limerick were the red-hot favourites as they were the reigning National League and All-Ireland champions and had played a remarkable 31 games without defeat. A record crowd of over 46,000 turned up to watch a hurling classic. In spite of rain falling throughout the entire game both sides served up a great game. At the beginning of the second-half Lory Meagher
Lory Meagher
Lorenzo Ignatius Meagher , better known as Lory Meagher, was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Tullaroan and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1924 until 1937...
sent over a huge point from midfield giving Kilkenny a lead which they would not surrender. Mackey smashed a free to the net, however, his final attack to secure a win was foiled by Paddy Larkin
Paddy Larkin
Paddy Larkin was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club James Stephens and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1931 until 1943.-Biography:Paddy Larkin was born and raised in locally named 'village' area of Kilkenny...
. Kilkenny held on to win the game on a score line of 2-5 to 2-4 and capture a third All-Ireland title in four years.
Limerick began 1936 by winning a third consecutive National League medal. The team later embarked on a tour of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where they defeated a New York
New York GAA
The New York County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or New York GAA, is one of the county boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in the New York metropolitan area...
team made up of Irish expatriates. As a result of the tour Limerick were awarded a bye into the Munster final, however, Mackey, who was now captain of the side, sustained an injury to his right knee during the American tour. Tipperary provided the opposition in the provincial final and any sign of weakness from Mackey would be pounced upon. The Limerick selectors then hit on the novel idea of putting a large bandage on their star player’s uninjured left knee in an effort to confuse the Tipp players. The switching of bandages worked perfectly as Mackey scored a remarkable 5 goals and three points as Limerick trounced the opposition. After scoring his final goal, he taunted the Tipperary fans with gestures, and finally turned his back to them and dropped his togs exposing his buttocks. In relatively innocent times this was what marked his reputation as a playboy and a someone who drew crowds of shrieking women to games. 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,...
fell to Limerick in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final, however, the men from the West lost the game after walking off the pitch with fifteen minutes left. They were not impressed with the rough tactics of their opponents. For the third time in four years Limerick faced a challenge from Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. ‘The Cats’ were victorious in 1935, however, Limerick were keen for revenge. Jackie Power
Jackie Power
Jackie Power was an Irish sportsperson. A renowned dual player, he played both hurling and Gaelic football with his local club Ahane and with the Limerick senior inter-county teams in both codes from 1935 until 1949. He later played with the Kerry senior hurling team.-Early life:Jackie Power was...
, who was playing in his very first game, scored two first-half goals. A solo-run goal by captain Mackey in the second-half helped Limerick to a 5-6 to 1-5 victory. As a result of this victory Mackey had the honour of receiving the famed Liam McCarthy Cup
Liam McCarthy Cup
The MacCarthy Perpetual Challenge Cup is a trophy awarded annually by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the hurling team that wins the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.-The trophy:...
for the first time and a second All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 1937 Mackey captained Limerick to yet another National League title. Waterford gave Mackey’s side a fright in the Munster semi-final, however, victory went to Limerick courtesy of a last-minute goal. Tipperary provided the opposition in the provincial final, however, the men from Limerick were still the favorites to become the third team ever to win five Munster finals in-a-row. Instead, Tipperary emerged victorious by two goals, ending Limerick’s involvement in that year’s championship.
In 1938 Limerick entered the record books as the first team to win five consecutive National League titles. It is a record which has never been equalled. Limerick, however, lost out to Cork in the subsequent Munster championships of 1938 and 1939, with many people believing that the team were now over the hill. This certainly seemed the case in 1940 when it took two late goals from Jackie Power and a storming display by Mackey to level the Munster semi-final with Waterford. Another late rally gave Limerick a victory in the subsequent replay. Mackey’s side put in another excellent performance in the Munster final to draw the game with Cork. At half-time in the replay Limerick looked like a spent force. Held scoreless for the entire thirty minutes Mackey got the recovery underway in the second-half with a point from a seventy. He later moved back to the defense where Cork were running riot with goals. A pitch invasion scuppered the game for ten minutes, however, Limerick held on to win with Mackey collecting his fifth provincial title. Once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition in the All-Ireland final. 50,0000 spectators traveled to Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
to witness the last great game between the two most outstanding teams of the decade. Early in the second-half Kilkenny took a four-point lead, however, once Mackey was deployed at midfield he proceeded to dominate the game. Limerick hung on to win the game on a score line of 3-7 to 1-7 and Mackey joined an elite group of players who collected the McCarthy Cup more than once as captain.
Limerick took a back seat to Cork and Tipp in the Munster championship for the next few years. In 1941 Mackey’s younger brother, Paddy, died. As was customary at the time, both Mick and John Mackey withdrew from championship hurling for one year. During the Emergency in Ireland Mackey joined the army. Here he maintained his physical fitness and played in many brigade and division games.
In 1944 Limerick squared up to Cork in the provincial final as the Leesiders were aiming for a fourth consecutive All-Ireland final victory. Mackey was a veteran hurler by now, however, he still seemed to be playing better than ever. Cork took an early lead, however, the Ahane man kept his team in with a chance by scoring points from almost impossible angles. He later powered past Con Murphy
Con Murphy
Con Murphy is a former Irish sportsperson who played hurling with Cork in the 1940s, winning four All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championships with the county. He later served as President of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
to score two quick goals and put Limerick in the driving seat once again. Cork came back, however, to draw the game. In the last fifteen minutes of the replay Limerick were up by four points. Mackey broke through the Cork defence to score another inspiring goal, however, he was deemed to be fouled as he went through and the goal was disallowed. A free was awarded instead but it was missed. With minutes left in the game both sides were level and Mackey launched one last attack for the winning point. His shot hit the outside of the post and dropped wide. Only seconds remained when Cork’s 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...
caught the sliotar and fired a fierce shot into the net to win the game. Many reagard this dramatic passage of play as the moment that the mantle of hurling’s star player passed from Mackey to Ring.
Limerick lost the Munster final of 1945 to Tipperary, however, they faced old rivals Cork in the provincial decider again in 1946. Mackey was now in the twilight of his inter-county hurling career and time had finally caught up with him. Din Joe Buckley
Din Joe Buckley
Din Joe Buckley was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1940 until 1949. Buckley was the last surviving member of Cork's four-in-a-row team of the 1940s.-Early life:Din Joe Buckley was born in...
put in a marvellous display when marking Mackey as Cork went on to win the game comfortably. Following this defeat Mackey effectively retired from inter-county hurling, however, he was coaxed back as a substitute for the 1947 Munster final defeat by Cork.
Provincial
Ryan 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 championship where he played alongside his championship rivals from other Munster hurling counties. He first played for his province in 1934 as Munster defeated fierce rivals 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...
to take the Railway Cup title. Three years later in 1937 Mackey was captain of his province. Munster defeated Leinster again on that occasion, giving the Limerick man a second Railway Cup winners' medal. It was the first of four Railway Cup victories in-a-row for Munster, bring Mackey's personal tally to five. He won further Railway Cup titles in 1943, 1945 and an eighth 1946.
Retirement
In retirement from playing, Mackey came to be regarded as one of the true legends of the game and is frequently touted as one of the greatest players of all-time. In his later years he maintained a keen interest in the game. He officiated at games as a referee and as an umpire and he trained the Limerick side, known as “Mackey’s greyhounds,” that defeated warm favourites ClareClare 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....
in the 1955 Munster final. The Mackey Stand at the Limerick Gaelic Grounds
Gaelic Grounds
The Gaelic Grounds or Páirc na nGael is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Limerick City, Ireland, home to the Limerick hurling and football teams....
is named in his honour.
Mick Mackey died on 13 September 1982. His funeral was one of the biggest-ever for a sportsperson in Ireland with thousands coming to Castleconnell, not alone from all parts of Limerick, but from the heartlands of his traditional rivals, Tipperary, Cork and Kilkenny. He was posthumously honoured on the GAA’s Hurling Team of the Century and on the Hurling Team of the Millennium.
A biography of Mick Mackey has been produced in advance of the 100th anniversary of his birth in 2012. This book will be released in August 2011.