Mick Mackey
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| Mick Mackey | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sport | Hurling | |
| Irish Name | Mícheál Mac Aodha | |
| Full name | Michael Mackey | |
| Date of birth | July 12, 1912 | |
| Date of death | September 13, 1982 (aged 70) | |
| Place of birth | Castleconnell , County Limerick | |
| Club information | ||
| Club | Ahane | |
| Position | Half-forwrad | |
| Inter-County | ||
| County | Limerick | |
| Position | Centre-forward | |
| Inter-County(ies)** | ||
| County | Years | Apps (scores) |
| Limerick | 1930-1946 | |
| Senior Inter-County Titles | ||
| Munster Titles | 5 | |
| All-Ireland | 3 | |
|
* club appearances and scores |
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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 team from 1930 until 1946. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in the history of the game.[citation needed] Many former players, commentators and fans rate him along with Christy Ring as the number one player of all-time.[citation needed]
Mackey’s status as one of the all-time greats is self-evident. In a senior inter-county career that lasted for sixteen years he won three All-Ireland titles, five Munster titles, five consecutive National Hurling League titles and eight Railway Cup titles. 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 1999.
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[edit] Early & private life
Mick Mackey was born in Castleconnell, County Limerick in 1912. He was born into a family that was steeped in the traditions of the game of hurling. His grandfather, Michael Mackey, was involved in the promotion of Gaelic games even before the establishment of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884 and was a member of the very first Limerick hurling team in 1887. His father, John 'Tyler' Mackey, captained Limerick in the county’s unsuccessful 1910 All-Ireland title bid and was regarded as one of the greats of the game in the early 20th century.
After his education Mackey 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.
[edit] Playing career
[edit] Club
In 1926 the young Mackey became involved in the newly-formed Ahane GAA 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.
[edit] Inter-county
Mackey 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. 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 comfortable the Munster Council decided to award the Munster title to Mackey’s side. Limerick later faced Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final, however, the Leinstermen were the red-hot favourites and proved their worth by defeating Mackey’s side by four points. 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. 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 a close 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 medal for Mackey. He 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 provincial medal. Kilkenny turned out to be Limerick’s opponents in the subsequent All-Ireland final and, once again, the game was a close affair. Mackey smashed a free to the net, however, his final attack to secure a win was foiled by Paddy Larkin. Kilkenyn held on to win the game on a score line of 2-5 to 2-4. This loss brought Limerick’s run of 31 games without defeat to an end.
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. Galway fell to Limerick in the subsequent All-Ireland final, however, the men from the West lost the agme 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. In 1937 he 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 favourites 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 lost out to Cork in the Munster championship in 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 diplay 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 defence 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 travelled 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 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 semmed 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 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 sliothar 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 his fifteenth season of inter-county hurling 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 retired from inter-county hurling.
[edit] Provincial
Mackey also won 8 Railway Cup medals with Munster, lining out on the same team as his great foe Christy Ring.
| Preceded by Timmy Ryan |
Limerick Senior Hurling Captain 1936-1940 |
Succeeded by ' |
| Preceded by Lory Meagher (Kilkenny) |
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final winning captain 1936 |
Succeeded by Jimmy Lanigan (Tipperary) |
| Preceded by Jimmy Walsh (Kilkenny) |
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final winning captain 1940 |
Succeeded by Connie Buckley (Cork) |
| Preceded by Newly created award |
GAA All-Time All-Star Award 1980 |
Succeeded by Jack Lynch (Cork |
[edit] Retirement
In retirement from playing, Mackey came to be regarded as one of the legends of the game and is frequently touted as the greatest player of all-time. He was physically imposing and his swashbuckling style brought huge crowds to see him play, especially to Thurles Sportsfield now Semple Stadium, where he had his greatest triumphs against the cream of Munster hurling. During his playing days he developed the solo-run style, though he eschewed the use of the sliothar resting on the hurley, which he did not consider correct hurling, preferring instead to bounce it on the hurley as he ran. 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 Clare 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.
[edit] Teams
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[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Brendan Fullam, Captains of the Ash, (Wolfhound Press, 2004)
