Tom Cheasty
Encyclopedia
Tom Cheasty was an Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling
with two clubs Ballyduff Lower
and Portlaw
and with the Waterford
senior inter-county team in the 1950s and 1960s. He is regarded as one of Waterford's greatest-ever players.
in 1934. He was brought up on the family farm where he developed a strong, muscular frame which earned him the nickname of the 'iron man' and was a formidable bustling centre-forward in both hurling
and Gaelic football
games, using his strength and guile to great effect.
On January 30, 2007 Cheasty was profiled on the TG4
television programme Laochra Gael
.
with his local Ballyduff Lower GAA
club winning a Junior Hurling County medal in 1961. The club merged with neighbours Portlaw GAA
in the late 1960s. He won one county titles with Ballyduff Lower/Portlaw in 1970. Ballyduff and Portlaw went their separate ways in 1971 and Cheasty elected to play with Portlaw, winning four more County Championships, the last in 1977 at the age of 43. He would later win a Junior Hurling County medals with his native club Ballyduff Lower in 1983, a few months shy of his 50th birthday.
minor hurling and football teams. He joined the county's senior hurling team in 1954 and his debut was unusual to say the least. While attending a National Hurling League
game between Waterford and Kilkenny
, the former team were so short of players that the management resorted to searching the crowd for hurlers. Cheasty volunteered his services and his sporting career began. He first made his first mark at inter-county level in 1956 when Waterford played Cork in the first round of the Munster Championship
. In spite of losing the game Cheasty played well and became a key member of the great Waterford side of the late 1950s.
Cheasty won a Munster Championship
medal in 1957, however, his side were later defeated in the All-Ireland final by Kilkenny. A first round defeat in 1958 made the Waterford hurlers more determined to come back in 1959. That year Cheasty collected a second provincial medal before lining out in a second All-Ireland final. Kilkenny provided the opposition again, however, the game ended in a draw. In the replay a few weeks later Cheasty played a vital role in securing the victory by defeating five defenders and scoring two goals. One of Cheasty's bursts of speed prompted the commentator Michael O'Hehir
to say:
In 1962 Cheasty won an Oireachtas Cup with Waterford and in 1963 he won a National Hurling League
medal. Due to his attendance at a function organised by a soccer club, however, Cheasty was in violation of the GAA 'ban' on supporting 'foreign sports.' As such he received a six-month ban from playing and was not allowed to travel to the United States
to play New York
in the second leg of the National League. The ban ended just in time for him to win a third Munster medal and line out in a third All-Ireland final. Once again Waterford faced Kilkenny, with Kilkenny winning by 3 points. Cheasty retired from inter-county hurling in 1967 after breaking his finger in a Munster Championship win over All-Ireland Champions, Cork.
in the Railway Cup inter-provincial competition. He won three Railway Cup medals in 1958, 1960 and 1961.
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 two clubs Ballyduff Lower
Ballyduff Lower GAA
Ballyduff Lower GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballyduff Lower, County Waterford, Ireland. The club enters teams in both the Waterford Intermediate Hurling Championship and the Waterford Intermediate Football Championship.-Underage:...
and Portlaw
Portlaw GAA
Portlaw GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Portlaw, County Waterford, Ireland. The club enters teams in both codes. Portlaw have been quite successful in hurling having won the Waterford Senior Hurling Championship on 6 occasions.-Honours:...
and with the 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...
senior inter-county team in the 1950s and 1960s. He is regarded as one of Waterford's greatest-ever players.
Biography
Tom Cheasty was born in Ballyduff Lower, County WaterfordCounty Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
in 1934. He was brought up on the family farm where he developed a strong, muscular frame which earned him the nickname of the 'iron man' and was a formidable bustling centre-forward 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 Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
games, using his strength and guile to great effect.
On January 30, 2007 Cheasty was profiled on the TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
television programme Laochra Gael
Laochra Gael
Laochra Gael which means Gaelic heroes in the Irish language is an Irish television programme. Now its seventh series the show profiles and celebrates some of the greatest names in Gaelic games since the 1940s. Each of the programmes contains interviews with the subject, archive footage of their...
.
Club
Cheasty started 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 Ballyduff Lower GAA
Ballyduff Lower GAA
Ballyduff Lower GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballyduff Lower, County Waterford, Ireland. The club enters teams in both the Waterford Intermediate Hurling Championship and the Waterford Intermediate Football Championship.-Underage:...
club winning a Junior Hurling County medal in 1961. The club merged with neighbours Portlaw GAA
Portlaw GAA
Portlaw GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Portlaw, County Waterford, Ireland. The club enters teams in both codes. Portlaw have been quite successful in hurling having won the Waterford Senior Hurling Championship on 6 occasions.-Honours:...
in the late 1960s. He won one county titles with Ballyduff Lower/Portlaw in 1970. Ballyduff and Portlaw went their separate ways in 1971 and Cheasty elected to play with Portlaw, winning four more County Championships, the last in 1977 at the age of 43. He would later win a Junior Hurling County medals with his native club Ballyduff Lower in 1983, a few months shy of his 50th birthday.
Inter-county
Cheasty first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the WaterfordWaterford 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...
minor hurling and football teams. He joined the county's senior hurling team in 1954 and his debut was unusual to say the least. While attending 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 between Waterford and 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 former team were so short of players that the management resorted to searching the crowd for hurlers. Cheasty volunteered his services and his sporting career began. He first made his first mark at inter-county level in 1956 when Waterford played Cork in the first round of 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 spite of losing the game Cheasty played well and became a key member of the great Waterford side of the late 1950s.
Cheasty won a 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....
medal in 1957, however, his side were later defeated in the All-Ireland final by Kilkenny. A first round defeat in 1958 made the Waterford hurlers more determined to come back in 1959. That year Cheasty collected a second provincial medal before lining out in a second All-Ireland final. Kilkenny provided the opposition again, however, the game ended in a draw. In the replay a few weeks later Cheasty played a vital role in securing the victory by defeating five defenders and scoring two goals. One of Cheasty's bursts of speed prompted the commentator Michael O'Hehir
Michael O'Hehir
Michael James Hehir was an Irish hurling, football and horse racing commentator and journalist. Between 1938 and 1985 his enthusiasm and a memorable turn of phrase endeared him to many...
to say:
"And Tom Cheasty breaks through with Kilkenny defenders falling around him like dying wasps."
In 1962 Cheasty won an Oireachtas Cup with Waterford and in 1963 he won 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. Due to his attendance at a function organised by a soccer club, however, Cheasty was in violation of the GAA 'ban' on supporting 'foreign sports.' As such he received a six-month ban from playing and was not allowed to travel to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to play 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...
in the second leg of the National League. The ban ended just in time for him to win a third Munster medal and line out in a third All-Ireland final. Once again Waterford faced Kilkenny, with Kilkenny winning by 3 points. Cheasty retired from inter-county hurling in 1967 after breaking his finger in a Munster Championship win over All-Ireland Champions, Cork.
Provincial
Cheasty 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 Railway Cup inter-provincial competition. He won three Railway Cup medals in 1958, 1960 and 1961.