Shem Downey

James "Shem" Downey
Personal information
Irish nameSéamus Ó Dúnaigh
SportHurling
PositionMidfield
Born5 January 1922
Conahy, County Kilkenny, Ireland
Died22 December 2013 (aged 91)
Ballyraggett, County Kilkenny, Ireland
OccupationButcher
Club(s)
YearsClub
Tullaroan
Club titles
Kilkenny titles1
Inter-county(ies)
YearsCounty
1946-1954Kilkenny
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles3
All-Irelands1
NHL0

James "Shem" Downey (5 January 1922 – 22 December 2013) was an Irish hurler who played as a midfielder for the Kilkenny senior team.[1]

Born in Conahy, County Kilkenny, Downey first excelled at hurling in his youth. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked up with the Kilkenny minor team. He made his senior debut in the 1946 championship. Downey went on to play a key part for Kilkenny over the following eight years, and won one All-Ireland medal and three Leinster medals.[2][3] He was an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions.

Downey was a member of the Leinster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions throughout his career, however, he never won a Railway Cup medal. At club level he won one championship medal with Tullaroan.

His retirement came following Kilkenny's defeat by Wexford in the 1954 championship.

Downey's daughters, Angela and Ann, are regarded as two of the greatest camogie players of all-time, and won twelve All-Ireland medals with Kilkenny.

Honours

Team

Tullaroan
Kilkenny

References

  1. ↑ Matthews, Sam (23 December 2013). "Former Kilkenny and Tullaroan hurler Shem Downey has died aged 91". Kilkenny People. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  2. ↑ "Kilkenny GAA profile". Hogan Stand website. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "Leinster Senior Hurling Finalists". Leinster GAA website. Retrieved 8 May 2012.