Dick Walsh
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| Dick 'Drug' Walsh | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sport | Hurling | |
| Irish Name | Risteard Breathnach | |
| Full name | Richard Walsh | |
| Place of birth | Mooncoin , County Kilkenny | |
| Nickname(s) | Drug | |
| Club information | ||
| Club | Mooncoin | |
| Position | Full-back | |
| Inter-County | ||
| County | Kilkenny | |
| Position | Centre-back | |
| Inter-County(ies)** | ||
| County | Years | Apps (scores) |
| Kilkenny | 1904-1913 | |
| Senior Inter-County Titles | ||
| Leinster Titles | 7 | |
| All-Ireland | 7 | |
|
* club appearances and scores |
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Dick 'Drug' Walsh (1878-1958) was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Mooncoin and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the early years of the 20th century. He is regarded as one of Kilkenny's greatest ever players.[citation needed]
Walsh's status as one of the all-time greats is self-evident. In a senior inter-county career that lasted for nine years he won seven All-Ireland titles and seven Leinster titles. He is the only hurler to have played in seven All-Ireland finals and ended up on the victorious side on each occasion. Walsh, together with Dick Doyle, Jack Rochford and Sim Walton, became the first player to win seven All-Ireland titles on the field of play. This record was later surpassed by Christy Ring and John Doyle. Walsh also became the first player to captain a team to three All-Ireland final victories.
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[edit] Early life
Richard Walsh was born in Rathkieran, Mooncoin, County Kilkenny in 1878. He grew up on the family farm and had a love of hurling from a young age. Walsh earned his nickname 'Drug' in the local national school as he liked to sing the song "Clare's Dragoons." In singing he pronounced dragoons as drugoons and son his school-mates gave him the nickname 'Drug', which he disliked in later life.
[edit] Playing career
[edit] Club
Walsh played his club hurling with the famous Mooncoin side in Kilkenny. He enjoyed much success with the club, winning senior county titles in 1900, 1906, 1908 and 1913. Mooncoin also captured a three-in-a-row in 1916, 1917 and 1918.
[edit] Inter-county
Walsh first played senior hurling with Kilkenny in 1904. That year he won his first Leinster title before later lining out in his first All-Ireland final. Cork, who would later become Kilkenny's arch-rivals, provided the opposition. In a thrilling and exciting game Kilkenny emerged victorious by just a single point giving Walsh his first All-Ireland medal. In 1905 he captured a second Leinster title following a victory over Dublin before later lining out in a second championship decider. Cork emerged victorious on that occasion, however, the game had to be replayed because Cork goalkeeper Daniel McCarthy was a British Army reservist and Kilkenny's Matt Gargan had lined out with Waterford as well as with his own county. In the replay Kilkenny had an easy victory and Walsh captured his second All-Ireland medal.
Two years later in 1907 Walsh was appointed captain of the Kilkenny team. He captured his seventh Leinster medal that year as Dublin fell once again. He later lead his men out in the championship decider against Cork. Like before Kilkenny won by just a single point giving Walsh a third All-Ireland title. Two years later in 1909 he was captain again as he claimed a fourth Leinster medal. Kilkenny later faced Tipperary in the championship decider and captured a famous victory over the Munstermen. Walsh once again collected the cup and claimed a fourth All-Ireland title.
In 1911 Kilkenny were named All-Ireland champions without having to play in the final, thus giving Walsh his fifth All-Ireland medal. A sixth All-Ireland medal was won in 1912 and in 1913 Walsh was given the honour of captaining Kilkenny yet again. With an All-Ireland final victory over Tipperary Walsh became the first man to captain a team to three All-Ireland victories. This record was later equalled by Christy Ring of Cork and Mikey Maher of Tipperary. Kilkenny also completed the three-in-a-row with Walsh collecting a record seventh All-Ireland medal. He remains one of only a handful of Kilkenny players to win seven All-Ireland medals on the field of play. This record was later surpassed by Christy Ring and John Doyle of Tipperary. In retirement from hurling Walsh trained Laois to win the 1915 All-Ireland title.
Dick 'Drug' Walsh died in 1958.
| Preceded by ' |
Kilkenny Senior Hurling Captain 1907 |
Succeeded by ' |
| Preceded by Tom Semple (Tipperary) |
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final winning captain 1907 |
Succeeded by Tom Semple (Tipperary) |
| Preceded by ' |
Kilkenny Senior Hurling Captain 1909 |
Succeeded by ' |
| Preceded by Tom Semple (Tipperary) |
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final winning captain 1909 |
Succeeded by Dick Doyle (Wexford) |
| Preceded by ' |
Kilkenny Senior Hurling Captain 1913 |
Succeeded by Sim Walton |
| Preceded by Sim Walton (Kilkenny) |
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final winning captain 1913 |
Succeeded by Amby Power (Clare) |
[edit] Teams
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[edit] References
- Brendan Fullam, Captains of the Ash, (Wolfhound Press, 2004).
