Blackrock National Hurling Club is a G.A.A. club located on the southside of Cork City

Cork (city)

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...

, Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. The club was founded in 1883 and is primarily concerned with the game of 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...

.

History

In a city that boasts three of 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...

's most notable clubs, Blackrock, on the southside of Cork city, has seen some considerable success. Blackrock Hurling Club was officially founded in 1883, one year before the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association

Gaelic Athletic Association

The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...

 itself. It is therefore the oldest club in Cork. Until 1888 the club was known as Cork Nationals, when it changed its name to National Hurling Club of Blackrock, and later in the same year to the shortened title of Blackrock National Hurling Club.

Blackrock won eight of the first nine Cork Senior Hurling Championship

Cork Senior Hurling Championship

The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....

 titles and, in the early years of the All-Ireland Championship when the winning clubs represented the county, subsequently claimed the All-Ireland titles for Cork in 1893 and 1894. Blackrock once again claimed the All-Ireland hurling title for Cork in 1903 and were such a dominant force in Cork hurling that up until the 1930s the Blackrock club selected the county team.

Blackrock's dominance in Cork hurling has been challenged on occasions by Glen Rovers

Glen Rovers GAA

Glen Rovers is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Ballyvolane and Blackpool areas of Cork city, Ireland. The club was founded in 1916 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-Colours:...

 and St. Finbarr's

St. Finbarr's GAA

St. Finbarr's National Hurling and Football Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Togher area of Cork city, County Cork, Ireland....

, however, Blackrock have always been close to the top. The team enjoyed a successful spell in the 1970s winning All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship

All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship

The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...

 titles in 1972, 1974 and 1979, along with five Munster titles in the same decade.

Honours

• All-Ireland Champions: 5
  • 1893, 1894, 1903, 1925, 1931

• All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
  All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
  The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
  
  s: 3
  • 1972, 1974, 1979

• Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
  Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
  The Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
  
  s: 5
  • 1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979

• Cork Senior Hurling Championship
  Cork Senior Hurling Championship
  The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
  
  s: 32
  • 1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898, 1903, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1920, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1956, 1961, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1999, 2001, 2002

• Cork Junior Hurling Championship
  Cork Junior Hurling Championship
  The Cork Junior Hurling Championship is the third tier championship for hurling clubs in Cork. The winners of this championship compete in the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship in the following year. This championship is often considered the most difficult championship to win, since more teams...
  
  s: 5
  • 1895, 1901, 1910, 1931, 1947

• Cork Under-21 Hurling Championship
  Cork Under-21 Hurling Championship
  The Cork Under-21 Hurling Championship is a hurling competition for players under the age of 21. Clubs affiliated to Cork board compete to win this championship. Seven of the divisions in Cork organize their own championship . The divisional winners compete against each other to decide the county...
  
  s: 2
  • 1976, 1977, 1978, 1983

• Cork Minor Hurling Championship
  Cork Minor Hurling Championship
  The Cork Minor Hurling Championship is a hurling competition for Gaelic Athletic Association players under the age of 18 in County Cork, Ireland. This competition is also known as the Cork Premier Minor Hurling Championship since 1992. It is played on a countywide basis. Prior to 1992, all teams...
  
  s: 8
  • 1963, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1994, 2009

• Croke Cup Winners: 3
  • 1903, 1910, 1913

• Feile Na nGael All Ireland Champions: 1
  • 1971

Famous Hurlers

This is a list of notable hurlers who have played for Blackrock. Generally, this means players that have enjoyed much success with the club or have played for the Cork senior hurling team.

Player	Era	Club titles
		All-Ireland	Munster	County
Mick 'Gah' Ahern	1920s-1930s			1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
Paddy 'Balty' Ahern	1920s-1930s			1920, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
John Bennett John Bennett (hurler) John Bennett is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1960 until 1968....	1950s-1960s			1956, 1961
Jimmy Brohan Jimmy Brohan Jimmy Brohan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1954 until 1963.-Biography:...	1950s-1960s			1956, 1961
Alan Browne Alan Browne Alan Browne is an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1995 until 2003.-Club:...	1990s-2000s			1999, 2001, 2002
John Browne John Browne (hurler) John Browne is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with Cork and Blackrock in the 1990s and 2000s.John Browne was born in Blackrock just outside Cork in 1977. He was educated locally and later studied at University College Cork where he qualified with a degree in dentistry...	1990s-2000s			1999, 2001, 2002
Richard Browne Richard Browne (hurler) Richard Browne is a retired Irish sportsman. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1980s. He was a member of Cork's 1986 Munster Senior Hurling Championship team.- References :...	1980s-1990s			1985
Jim Cashman Jim Cashman (hurler) Jim Cashman is a former Irish sportsman. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county in the 1980s and 1990s.-Early life:Jim Cashman was born in Blackrock in Cork City in 1965...	1980s-1990s			1985, 1999
Mick Cashman Mick Cashman Mick Cashman was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1950s and 1960s.-Club:...	1950s-1960s			1956, 1961
Tom Cashman Tom Cashman Tom Cashman is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1977 until 1988. Cashman later served as manager of the Cork senior inter-county team from 2000 until 2001.-Biography:Tom...	1970s-1980s	1979	1978, 1979	1978, 1979, 1985
Donie Collins Donie Collins Donie Collins is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling at various times with his local clubs Blackrock in Cork and James Stephens in Kilkenny in the 1970s and 1980s. Collins also lined out with the Cork senior inter-county team. He is the only player in history to win four All-Ireland...	1970s-1980s	1972, 1974, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979
Eudie Coughlan Eudie Coughlan Eugene 'Eudie' Coughlan was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1919 until 1931. Coughlan captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 1931...	1920s-1930s			1920, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
John Coughlan John Coughlan John Coughlan was an Irish sportsman. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1920 and 1930s.-External links:*...	1920s-1930s			1920, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
Pat Coughlan Pat Coughlan Pat Coughlan was an Irish sportsman. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1880s and 1890s.-Biography:...	1880s-1890s			1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898
Alan Cummins	1990s-2000s			1999, 2001, 2002
Brendan Cummins Brendan Cummins (Cork hurler) Brendan Cummins is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1970s.-Club:...	1970s-1980s	1972, 1974	1971, 1973	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Frank Cummins Frank Cummins Frank Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling at various times with his local clubs Knocktopher in Kilkenny and Blackrock in Cork. Cummins was also a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from the 1968 until 1984...	1970s-1980s	1972, 1974, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Ray Cummins Ray Cummins Ray Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. A dual player at the highest levels, he played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1982. Cummins also played Gaelic football with his local club St...	1960s-1980s	1972, 1974, 1979	1973, 1975, 1978, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Paddy Delea Paddy Delea Paddy Delea was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1922 until 1931. He was born in Blackrock, County Cork, Ireland.-Club:...	1920s-1930s			1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
Stephen Hayes Stephen Hayes (hurler) Stephen Hayes was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1880s and 1890s. Murphy captained Cork to a third All-Ireland victory in-a-row in 1894.-Club:Hayes played his club hurling with the famous Blackrock club in...	1880s-1890s			1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898
John Horgan	1970s-1980s	1972, 1974	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979
Jim Hurley Jim Hurley Jim Hurley was an Irish sportsperson and revolutionary. A veteran of the Irish independence struggle, he subsequently played hurling and football with Cork in the 1920s.-Early life:...	1970s-1980s			1925, 1927, 1929, 1930
Dermot Mac Curtain Dermot Mac Curtain Dermot Mac Curtain is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1977 until 1987.-Club:...	1970s-1980s	1979	1975, 1978, 1979	1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Billy Mackessy Billy Mackessy William ‘Billy’ Mackessy was an Irish sportsperson. A dual player with his local club Blackrock he played both hurling and Gaelic football with the Cork senior inter-county teams from 1901 until 1912.-Club:...	1900s-1910s			1903, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913
Pat Moylan Pat Moylan (hurler) Pat Moylan is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1973 until 1981.-Club:...	1970s-1980s	1972, 1974, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979
John 'Curtis' Murphy John Murphy (hurler) John 'Curtis' Murphy was an Irish sportsman. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1880s and 1890s. Murphy captained Cork to All-Ireland victory in 1893.-Club:...	1880s-1890s			1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898
Seán Óg Murphy Seán Óg Murphy Jackie 'Seán Óg' Murphy was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1915 until 1929. Murphy captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 1926 and 1928...	1910s-1920s			1913, 1920, 1924, 1925 and 1927
Frank Norberg	1960s-1970s	1972, 1974	1971, 1973, 1975, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979
Edward 'Marie' O'Connell Edward O'Connell Edward 'Marie' O'Connell was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1920s and 1930s.-Club:...	1920s-1930s			1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
Éamonn O'Donoghue Éamonn O'Donoghue Éamonn O'Donoghue is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1983.-Club:...	1970s-1980s	1974, 1979	1973, 1975, 1978, 1979	1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Peter 'Hawker' O'Grady Peter O'Grady Peter ‘Hawker’ O’Grady, brother of the famous Hugo O'Grady was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1920s and 1930s. -Playing career:-Club:...	1920s-1930s			1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
John O'Halloran John O'Halloran John O'Halloran is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local clubs UCC and Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1963 until 1969.-Inter-county:...	1960s-1970s	1974	1973	1971, 1973
Johnny Quirke Johnny Quirke Johnny Quirke was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1932 until 1946...	1920s-1930s			1929, 1930, 1931
Fergal Ryan Fergal Ryan Fergal Ryan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blcakrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1992 until 2002.-Biography:...	1990s-2000s			1999, 2001, 2002
Mick Ryan Mick Ryan Mick Ryan was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling at various times with the Roscrea, Dicksboro, Blackrock and St. Finbarr's clubs and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1946 until 1954. He is regarded as one of Tipperary's greaest-ever hurlers.-Club:Ryan first...	1950s
Wayne Sherlock Wayne Sherlock Wayne Sherlock is an Irish sportsman. He played hurling for the Cork senior inter-county team from 1999 until 2006. He still plays hurling with his local Blackrock club.-Early life:...	1990s-2000s			1999, 2001, 2002

Famous Teams

Year	Competition	Team A	Score	Team B	Score	Result
1972	All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship Final All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...	Blackrock	5-13	Rathnure Rathnure Rathnure is a small village on the R731 regional road about from the town of Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland. The village is located at the foot of the Blackstairs Mountain, which borders County Carlow on the opposite side.-Attractions:...	6-9	Bernard Hurley; Pat Casey, Paddy Geary, John Horgan (Capt.); Simon Murphy, Frank Cummins, Frank Norberg; Michael Murphy, Pat Kavanagh; Donie Collins, Ray Cummins, Pat Moylan; Brendan Cummins, John Rothwell, Dave Prendergast.
1974	All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship Final All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...	Blackrock	(2-14) 3-8	Rathnure Rathnure Rathnure is a small village on the R731 regional road about from the town of Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland. The village is located at the foot of the Blackstairs Mountain, which borders County Carlow on the opposite side.-Attractions:...	(3-11) 1-9	Tim Murphy; John Rothwell, Paddy Geary, John Horgan (Capt.); Frank Cummins, C. O’Brien, Frank Norberg; Jack Russell, Pat Moylan; Pat Kavanagh, John O’Halloran, Donie Collins; Dave Prendergast, Ray Cummins, Éamonn O’Donoghue. Subs: S. Kearney, D. Buckley. (Note: Brendan Cummins played in the drawn game.)
1979	All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship Final All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...	Blackrock	5-7	Ballyhale Shamrock Ballyhale Shamrocks GAA Ballyhale Shamrocks is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Ballyhale in County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1972 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling...	5-5	Tim Murphy; Frank Nornerg, C. O’Brien, John Horgan (Capt.); Dermot Mca Curtain, Frank Cummins, Andy Creagh; Tom Cashman, J. O’Grady; Pat Moylan, Tom Lyons, Donie Collins; Éamonn O’Sullivan, Ray Cummins, Éamonn O’Donoghue. Subs: D. Buckley.

Club Ballads

The club has two ballads written in its honour. "We'll Bring Glory Home" was written by Kenny O'Connell in 1998 and is written about Blackrock Hurling Club and its sister club St.Michaels Football Club. "The Boys of Blackrock" is a much older ballad.

We'll Bring Glory Home

Where the south of Cork City meets up with the Lee

And the flags they fly proudly of Golden and Green

You can walk by the castle where the sand meets the foam

And the boys from Blackrock, they'll bring glory home

We'll Bring Glory Home

We'll Bring Glory Home

We're the boys from Blackrock

And we'll Bring Glory Home

We are proud of our heroes who have worn gold and green

With a football or a hurley - they're the best that you've seen

We take pride in our colours and wherever we roam

With Blackrock or St.Michaels, we'll bring glory home

We'll Bring Glory Home

We'll Bring Glory Home

We're the boys from Blackrock

And we'll Bring Glory Home

So wherever you wander - playing fields far and wide

We're The Dazzlers and The Rockies and remember with pride

All those men gone before - those whose legends have grown

We will die for the jersey and we'll bring glory home

We'll Bring Glory Home

We'll Bring Glory Home

We're the boys from Blackrock

And we'll Bring Glory Home

The Boys of Blackrock

I met an old hurler now sixty and six,

Who played centre forward and under the sticks,

He played with the Islands,the Redmonds and Barrs,

He had medals to prove it with old battle scars,

He could play don't forget although an old crock,

But the best men he met were the boys of Blackrock.

I asked his opinion what he had to say,

Of the men of the past and the boys of today,

He answered me with a gleam in his eye,

Can you equal the men of the days that's gone by

For the men of today are just chips off the block,

Of the men who won credit for Cork and Blackrock.

If you wanted a hurler you'd find him for sure,

Ballinlough,Ballintemple and around Ballinure,

I don't care what you say but give me the old stock ,

And stand up and hurl with the boys of Blackrock.

Can you equal the Coughlans,the Ahernes,the Sheas,

Scannell,Cremin,Curtis and match Stephen Hayes,

I can mention their names from the round of the clock,

The men that won credit for Cork and Blackrock....

" Twas the Rockies taught Ireland what hurling was then,

With science and skill they proved they were men,

Against prejudice they stood many a hard knock

The boys that won credit for Cork and Blackrock.....

Now all you young hurlers take pattern by me,

And don't waste your time by the banks of the Lee,

Just come down to Beaumont and meet the old stock,

And we'll learn to hurl with the boys of Blackrock.

External links

• Cork GAA site
• Blackrock Hurling Club Website