Paddy O'Donovan
Encyclopedia
Paddy O'Donovan was an Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling
with his local club Glen Rovers
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1930s and 1940s.
with the famous Glen Rovers
club in the Blackpool area of Cork city. He first came to prominence with the club as a member of the team that won an unprecedented eight county title
s in-a-row between 1934 and 1941. O'Donovan won further county honours in 1944, 1945, 1948, 1949 and 1950.
title following a defeat of Limerick
. However, Kilkenny
later accounted for Cork in the famous "thunder and lightning"
All-Ireland final. Two years later the 1941 championship was severely hampered due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Cork only had to play two games to be crowned All-Ireland
hurling champions, however, they lost the delayed Munster hurling final to Tipperary
. O'Donovan came on as a substitute to claim his first All-Ireland medal.
In 1942 O'Donovan captured his second set of Munster and All-Ireland medals. 1943 proved to be another successful year for him as he won a third Munster medal as well as a third All-Ireland medal. In 1944 O'Donovan captured his fourth Munster hurling title. Later that year Cork created a piece of sporting history by becoming the only team to win four All-Ireland hurling titles in-a-row. O'Donovan was one of the heroes of the team who played in all four finals.
In 1945 Cork surrendered their provincial hurling crown, however, the hurlers returned in 1946 and O'Donovan claimed a fifth provincial hurling title. A fifth All-Ireland hurling medal was later added to his collection following a defeat of old rivals Kilkenny in the final. O'Donovan captured a sixth Munster hurling medal in 1947 before going on to play in his seventh All-Ireland hurling final in less than a decade. The game itself against Kilkenny has often been described as the greatest All-Ireland final ever played, however, O'Donovan ended up on the losing side by a single point. There was some consolation at the start of 1948 as O'Donovan claimed a National Hurling League
medal. O'Donovan had retired from inter-county hurling by the start of the 1950s.
in 1945 and 1949.
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 his local club 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:...
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1930s and 1940s.
Club
O'Donovan 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 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:...
club in the Blackpool area of Cork city. He first came to prominence with the club as a member of the team that won an unprecedented eight county title
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....
s in-a-row between 1934 and 1941. O'Donovan won further county honours in 1944, 1945, 1948, 1949 and 1950.
Inter-county
O'Donovan first tasted success with the Cork senior hurling team in the late 1930s. In 1939 he won his first MunsterMunster 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 following a defeat of 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...
. However, 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...
later accounted for Cork in the famous "thunder and lightning"
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1939
-Miscellaneous:* Kilkenny's victory over Cork in the All-Ireland final is the fourth time that Kilkenny have beaten their great rivals by just a single point. Previous one-point wins came in 1904, 1907 and 1912...
All-Ireland final. Two years later the 1941 championship was severely hampered due to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Cork only had to play two games to be crowned 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....
hurling champions, however, they lost the delayed Munster hurling final 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...
. O'Donovan came on as a substitute to claim his first All-Ireland medal.
In 1942 O'Donovan captured his second set of Munster and All-Ireland medals. 1943 proved to be another successful year for him as he won a third Munster medal as well as a third All-Ireland medal. In 1944 O'Donovan captured his fourth Munster hurling title. Later that year Cork created a piece of sporting history by becoming the only team to win four All-Ireland hurling titles in-a-row. O'Donovan was one of the heroes of the team who played in all four finals.
In 1945 Cork surrendered their provincial hurling crown, however, the hurlers returned in 1946 and O'Donovan claimed a fifth provincial hurling title. A fifth All-Ireland hurling medal was later added to his collection following a defeat of old rivals Kilkenny in the final. O'Donovan captured a sixth Munster hurling medal in 1947 before going on to play in his seventh All-Ireland hurling final in less than a decade. The game itself against Kilkenny has often been described as the greatest All-Ireland final ever played, however, O'Donovan ended up on the losing side by a single point. There was some consolation at the start of 1948 as O'Donovan claimed 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...
medal. O'Donovan had retired from inter-county hurling by the start of the 1950s.
Provincial
O'Donovan also won Railway Cup medals 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 1945 and 1949.