Sim Walton

Simon 'Sim' Walton (1880–1966) was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Tullaroan and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the first two decades of the 20th century. Walton captained Kilkenny to the All-Ireland title in 1912.

Waltons’s status as one of Kilkenny’s all-time greats is self-evident. In a senior inter-county career that lasted for seventeen years he won seven All-Ireland titles and ten Leinster titles. Walton, together with Dick Doyle, Jack Rochford and Dick Walsh, became the first player in the history of the championship to win seven All-Ireland hurling titles on the field of play. This record was later surpassed by Christy Ring and John Doyle.

Biography

Sim Walton was born in Reimeen, Tullaroan, County Kilkenny in 1880. He grew up on the family farm and was educated at the local national school. Walton inherited a love of hurling from his father, John Walton, who won a senior county championship title with Tullaroan in 1887. He later followed in his father’s footsteps and became renowned as an excellent centre-forward and full-forward.

As well as hurling Walton also had a very keen interest in greyhound racing. He kept many championship greyhounds, the most famous of the all, Captain Sim, ran in the Waterloo Cup.

Sim Walton died in 1966. Over thirty years after his death he was chosen in the full-forward position on the Tullaroan Hurling Team of the Century. Walton's grand-nephew, Liam Doyle, won All-Ireland medals with Clare in 1995 and 1997.

Playing career

Club

Walton played his club hurling with the famous Tullaroan side in his local area in Kilkenny. He enjoyed much success with the club, winning his first senior county championship title in 1901. Walton added more county titles to his collection in 1902, 1904, 1907, 1910, 191 and 1915.

Inter-county

Walton first played senior hurling with Kilkenny in 1903. That year he won his first Leinster title, however, Kilkenny were later defeated by Cork in the 'Home Final.' In 1904 Walton won his second Leinster medal before later winning his very first All-Ireland medal following a victory over Cork. The following year he won a third provincial title before adding a second All-Ireland medal to his collection. In 1907 Walton captured a fourth Leinster medal as well as a third All-Ireland medal following yet another victory over Cork. He won his fourth All-Ireland medal in 1909 following a comfortable victory over Tipperary.

In 1911 Kilkenny were named All-Ireland champions without having to play in the final, thus giving Walton his fifth All-Ireland medal. In 1912 Walton was appointed captain of the Kilkenny team. He played a real captain's role, guiding Kilkenny to yet another Leinster title. In the All-Ireland final against Cork he scored the winning goal. That day he collected his sixth All-Ireland medal. In 1913 Kilkenny completed the three-in-a-row with Walton collecting n eighth Leinster medal and 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 of Cork and John Doyle of Tipperary. In retirement from hurling Walton trained greyhounds and had much success.

Teams

References

• Brendan Fullam, Captains of the Ash, (Wolfhound Press, 2004).

External links

• Tullaroan GAA