Tom Semple
Encyclopedia
Tom Semple was a famous Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling
with his local club Thurles
and with the Tipperary
senior inter-county team from 1900 until 1912. Semple captained Tipperary to two All-Ireland
titles in 1906 and 1908.
, Drombane, County Tipperary
in 1879. He received a limited education at his local national school and, like many of his contemporaries, finding work was a difficult prospect. At the age of 16 Semple left his native town land and moved to Thurles
. Here he worked as a guardsman with the Great Southern and Western Railway
.
, the precursor to the famous Sarsfields club. He rose through the club and served as captain of the team for almost a decade. Semple captained the club to their first senior county title
in 1904. Two years later in 1906 he was still captain as he captured a second county victory. It was the first title of a famous four-in-a-row for Thurles. Semple won a sixth county title as captain in 1911. Barring just two defeats Thurles, under Tom Semple, had the capacity to capture an unprecedented eight county championship victories in-a-row.
senior hurling selectors. He made his debut in 1900 as Tipp breezed through the Munster Championship
. A hard-fought defeat of Cork in the opening round was followed by a trouncing of Clare
and Kerry
in the semi-final and final respectively gave Semple his first provincial title. Tipp later narrowly defeated Kilkenny
in the All-Ireland semi-final before trouncing Galway
in the ‘home’ All-Ireland final. This was not the end of the championship campaign because, for the first year ever, the ‘home’ finalists had to take on London
in the real All-Ireland final. The game was a close affair with both sides level at 0-5 with eight minutes to go. London then took the lead; however, they later conceded a free. Tipp’s Mikey Maher
stepped up, took the free and a forward ‘charge’ carried the sliothar over the line. Tipp scored another goal following a weak puck out and claimed the victory. It was Semple’s first All-Ireland
title.
Cork dominated the provincial championship for the next five years; however, Tipp bounced back in 1906. That year Semple was captain for the first time as Tipp foiled Cork’s bid for an unprecedented sixth Munster title in-a-row. The score line of 3-4 to 0-9 gave victory to Tipp and gave Semple a second Munster title. Tipp trounced Galway by 7-14 to 0-2 on their next outing, setting up an All-Ireland final meeting with Dublin
. Semple’s side got off to a bad start with Dublin’s Bill Leonard
scoring a goal after just five seconds of play. Tipp fought back with Paddy Riordan giving an exceptional display of hurling and capturing most of his team’s scores. Ironically, eleven members of the Dublin team hailed from Tipperary. The final score of 3-16 to 3-8 gave victory to Tipperary and gave Semple a second All-Ireland medal. 1906 also Semple captured the Poc Fada title after hitting a nine ounce ball a distance of 96 yards.
Tipp lost their provincial crown in 1907, however, they reached the Munster final again in 1908. Semple was captain of the side again that year as his team received a walkover from Kerry in the provincial decider. Another defeat of Galway in the penultimate game set up another All-Ireland final meeting with Dublin. That game ended in a draw and a replay was staged several months later in Athy
. Semple’s team were much sharper on that occasion. A first-half goal by Hugh Shelly put Tipp well on their way. Two more goals by Tony Carew after the interval gave Tipp a 3-15 to 1-5 victory. It was Semple’s third All-Ireland medal.
1909 saw Tipp defeat arch rivals Cork in the Munster final once again. A 2-10 to 1-6 victory gave Semple his fourth Munster medal. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Galway provided the opposition, however, the men from the West were much better than previous encounters. Tipp just about sneaked a win by 6-7 to 5-7. The All-Ireland final saw Tipp take on Kilkenny. The omens looked good for a Tipperary win. It was the county’s ninth appearance in the championship decider and they had won the previous eight. All did not go to plan as this Kilkenny side were definitely the team of the decade. A 4-6 to 0-12 defeat gave victory to ‘the Cats’ and a first final defeat to Tipperary.
Semple continued playing with Tipperary for another three years. They surrendered their provincial crown at the first hurdle in 1910. That year, however, Tipperary embarked on a European tour. Together with Cork both counties attended a pan-Celtic congress in Brussels
to display their skills. Tipp reached the Munster finals of 1911 and 1912. Cork provided the opposition both occasions, however, Semple ended up on the losing side on both occasions. The second defeat brought the curtain down on his inter-county playing days.
. In 1910 Semple and others organised a committee which purchased the showgrounds in Thurles
in an effort to develop a hurling playing field there. This later became known as Thurles Sportsfield and is regarded as one of the best surfaces for hurling in Ireland.In 1971 it was renamed Semple Stadium
in his honour. The stadium is also lovingly referred to as ‘Tom Semple’s field’.
Semple also held the post of chairman of the Tipperary County Board and represented the Tipperary on the Munster Council and Central Council. He also served as treasurer of the latter organization. During the War of Independence
Semple played an important role for Republicans
. He organized dispatches via his position with the Great Southern & Western Railway in Thurles.
Tom Semple died on April 11, 1943.
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 Thurles
Thurles Sarsfields GAA
Thurles Sarsfields is a Gaelic Athletic Association hurling club located in the town of Thurles in Tipperary, Ireland. The club was founded in 1881...
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 1900 until 1912. Semple captained Tipperary to two 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 1906 and 1908.
Early life
Tom Semple was born in GlebeGlebe
Glebe Glebe Glebe (also known as Church furlong or parson's closes is an area of land within a manor and parish used to support a parish priest.-Medieval origins:...
, Drombane, County Tipperary
County 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 1879. He received a limited education at his local national school and, like many of his contemporaries, finding work was a difficult prospect. At the age of 16 Semple left his native town land and moved to 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...
. Here he worked as a guardsman with the Great Southern and Western Railway
Great Southern and Western Railway
The Great Southern and Western Railway was the largest Irish gauge railway company in Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
.
Club
Semple played his club hurling with the local club in ThurlesThurles Sarsfields GAA
Thurles Sarsfields is a Gaelic Athletic Association hurling club located in the town of Thurles in Tipperary, Ireland. The club was founded in 1881...
, the precursor to the famous Sarsfields club. He rose through the club and served as captain of the team for almost a decade. Semple captained the club to their first senior county title
Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship
The Tipperary Senior Hurling Club Championship is an annual club competition between the top Tipperary hurling clubs...
in 1904. Two years later in 1906 he was still captain as he captured a second county victory. It was the first title of a famous four-in-a-row for Thurles. Semple won a sixth county title as captain in 1911. Barring just two defeats Thurles, under Tom Semple, had the capacity to capture an unprecedented eight county championship victories in-a-row.
Inter-county
Semple’s skill quickly brought him to the attention of the TipperaryTipperary 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 hurling selectors. He made his debut in 1900 as Tipp breezed through 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....
. A hard-fought defeat of Cork in the opening round was followed by a trouncing of Clare
Clare 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....
and Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry 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 Kerry...
in the semi-final and final respectively gave Semple his first provincial title. Tipp later narrowly defeated 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 the All-Ireland semi-final before trouncing 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,...
in the ‘home’ All-Ireland final. This was not the end of the championship campaign because, for the first year ever, the ‘home’ finalists had to take on London
London GAA
The London County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or London GAA is one of the county boards outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in London...
in the real All-Ireland final. The game was a close affair with both sides level at 0-5 with eight minutes to go. London then took the lead; however, they later conceded a free. Tipp’s Mikey Maher
Mikey Maher
Mikey Maher was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Tubberadora and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1890 until 1900. Maher is one of only three players to captain a team to three All-Ireland successes.-Biography:Mikey Maher was born in Tubberadora,...
stepped up, took the free and a forward ‘charge’ carried the sliothar over the line. Tipp scored another goal following a weak puck out and claimed the victory. It was Semple’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....
title.
Cork dominated the provincial championship for the next five years; however, Tipp bounced back in 1906. That year Semple was captain for the first time as Tipp foiled Cork’s bid for an unprecedented sixth Munster title in-a-row. The score line of 3-4 to 0-9 gave victory to Tipp and gave Semple a second Munster title. Tipp trounced Galway by 7-14 to 0-2 on their next outing, setting up an All-Ireland final meeting with 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...
. Semple’s side got off to a bad start with Dublin’s Bill Leonard
Bill Leonard
William R. Leonard is a Republican U.S. politician who served as a member of the California State Board of Equalization from 2002 until his resignation in March 2010.-Life and career:After earning his B.A...
scoring a goal after just five seconds of play. Tipp fought back with Paddy Riordan giving an exceptional display of hurling and capturing most of his team’s scores. Ironically, eleven members of the Dublin team hailed from Tipperary. The final score of 3-16 to 3-8 gave victory to Tipperary and gave Semple a second All-Ireland medal. 1906 also Semple captured the Poc Fada title after hitting a nine ounce ball a distance of 96 yards.
Tipp lost their provincial crown in 1907, however, they reached the Munster final again in 1908. Semple was captain of the side again that year as his team received a walkover from Kerry in the provincial decider. Another defeat of Galway in the penultimate game set up another All-Ireland final meeting with Dublin. That game ended in a draw and a replay was staged several months later in Athy
Athy
The town developed from a 12th century Anglo-Norman settlement to an important British military outpost on the border of the Pale.The first town charter dates from the 16th century and the town hall was constructed in the early 18th century...
. Semple’s team were much sharper on that occasion. A first-half goal by Hugh Shelly put Tipp well on their way. Two more goals by Tony Carew after the interval gave Tipp a 3-15 to 1-5 victory. It was Semple’s third All-Ireland medal.
1909 saw Tipp defeat arch rivals Cork in the Munster final once again. A 2-10 to 1-6 victory gave Semple his fourth Munster medal. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Galway provided the opposition, however, the men from the West were much better than previous encounters. Tipp just about sneaked a win by 6-7 to 5-7. The All-Ireland final saw Tipp take on Kilkenny. The omens looked good for a Tipperary win. It was the county’s ninth appearance in the championship decider and they had won the previous eight. All did not go to plan as this Kilkenny side were definitely the team of the decade. A 4-6 to 0-12 defeat gave victory to ‘the Cats’ and a first final defeat to Tipperary.
Semple continued playing with Tipperary for another three years. They surrendered their provincial crown at the first hurdle in 1910. That year, however, Tipperary embarked on a European tour. Together with Cork both counties attended a pan-Celtic congress in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
to display their skills. Tipp reached the Munster finals of 1911 and 1912. Cork provided the opposition both occasions, however, Semple ended up on the losing side on both occasions. The second defeat brought the curtain down on his inter-county playing days.
Post-playing career
In retirement from playing Semple maintained a keen interest in Gaelic gamesGaelic 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...
. In 1910 Semple and others organised a committee which purchased the showgrounds 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...
in an effort to develop a hurling playing field there. This later became known as Thurles Sportsfield and is regarded as one of the best surfaces for hurling in Ireland.In 1971 it was renamed Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium, located in Thurles, North Tipperary, Ireland, is the home of hurling for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 53,500....
in his honour. The stadium is also lovingly referred to as ‘Tom Semple’s field’.
Semple also held the post of chairman of the Tipperary County Board and represented the Tipperary on the Munster Council and Central Council. He also served as treasurer of the latter organization. During 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...
Semple played an important role for Republicans
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
. He organized dispatches via his position with the Great Southern & Western Railway in Thurles.
Tom Semple died on April 11, 1943.