Jimmy Smyth (hurler)
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Smyth is a retired Irish
sportsperson. He played hurling
with his local club Ruan and with the Clare
senior inter-county team from 1948 until 1967. Smyth is regarded as one of the greatest hurlers never to have won an All-Ireland
medal.
near Ennis
, County Clare
in 1931. He was born into a family that had a strong association with the game of hurling
. His uncle played with Clare
while his mother was also a hurling enthusiast. He was educated locally and later attended St. Flannan's College
, a virtual nursery for young hurlers. Here he won three Harty Cup titles and three All-Ireland Colleges' medals in the 1940s.
minor hurling selectors. In all he played at minor level for a record five years where the junior and senior management teams noticed him. Smyth played his first inter-county match in the National Hurling League
at the age of 17. In the mid-1950s he earned his reputation with the Clare senior hurlers. In 1953 he scored a record 6-4 in the Munster Championship
. The following year, 1954, Clare defeated Wexford
to capture their first ever Oireachtas title. In 1955 Clare showed their confidence by defeating the All-Ireland champions Cork in the first round of the Munster Championship, however, Clare themselves were later defeated by Limerick
.
In 1967 Smyth retired from hurling having given two decades to the game at the highest level.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition and enjoyed much success playing alongside hurling legends like John Doyle
, Christy Ring
, Tom Cheasty
and Jimmy Doyle
.. He won his first Railway Cup medal in 1952 in his first year on the team as Munster defeated Connacht
. Three years later in 1955 Smyth captured a second Railway Cup title. The late 1950s and early 1960s saw Smyth enjoy even more success as Munster came to dominate the inter-provincial series of games. He won five Railway Cup medals in-a-row in 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960 and 1961. Smyth captured his eighth and final Railway Cup title in 1963.
, working as Executive Officer at Croke Park
until 1988. Following this he studied philosophy at Trinity College, Dublin
, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1993. His Master of Arts
thesis was based on the songs, poems and recitations of Gaelic games in Munster. In spite of not having any provincial or All-Ireland success Smyth was still named on the Munster Hurling Team of the Millennium in 2000.
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,...
sportsperson. He played 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...
with his local club Ruan and with the Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
senior inter-county team from 1948 until 1967. Smyth is regarded as one of the greatest hurlers never to have won an All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
medal.
Early life
Jimmy Smyth was born in RuanRuan
The ruan is a Chinese plucked string instrument. It is a lute with a fretted neck, a circular body, and four strings. Its strings were formerly made of silk but since the 20th century they have been made of steel...
near Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
in 1931. He was born into a family that had a strong association 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...
. His uncle played with Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
while his mother was also a hurling enthusiast. He was educated locally and later attended St. Flannan's College
St. Flannan's College
Saint Flannan's College is an Irish secondary school located in Ennis, County Clare. Formerly an all-boys boarding school, the first girls class was entered in 2002 and in 2005 the boarding school was closed. In 2003 an extension which added over 20 new rooms to the college was completed...
, a virtual nursery for young hurlers. Here he won three Harty Cup titles and three All-Ireland Colleges' medals in the 1940s.
Club
In his teens Smyth started playing for his local club in Ruan and enjoyed much success. He won his first senior county title with the club in 1948. Not only was it Smyth's first county victory but it was also the first time that Ruan had triumphed in the county championship. He captured four more county medals in 1951, 1959, 1960 and 1962. Since Smyth's retirement from hurling the club has failed to win a single county title.Inter-county
A skilful hurler from the age of 13 Smyth quickly attracted the attention of the ClareClare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
minor hurling selectors. In all he played at minor level for a record five years where the junior and senior management teams noticed him. Smyth played his first inter-county match in the National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
at the age of 17. In the mid-1950s he earned his reputation with the Clare senior hurlers. In 1953 he scored a record 6-4 in the Munster Championship
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
. The following year, 1954, Clare defeated Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
to capture their first ever Oireachtas title. In 1955 Clare showed their confidence by defeating the All-Ireland champions Cork in the first round of the Munster Championship, however, Clare themselves were later defeated by Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
.
In 1967 Smyth retired from hurling having given two decades to the game at the highest level.
Provincial
Smyth also lined out with MunsterMunster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition and enjoyed much success playing alongside hurling legends like John Doyle
John Doyle (hurler)
John Doyle was an Irish sportsperson and politician, hailed as one of the best defenders in hurling and his county's most iconic player upon his death. He played hurling with his local Holycross-Ballycahill club from the 1940s until the 1970s and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county...
, Christy Ring
Christy Ring
Nicholas Christopher Michael Ring , better known as Christy Ring, was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with the Glen Rovers club from 1941 until 1967 and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1939 until 1963. Ring is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in...
, Tom Cheasty
Tom Cheasty
Tom Cheasty was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with two clubs Ballyduff Lower and Portlaw and with the Waterford senior inter-county team in the 1950s and 1960s. He is regarded as one of Waterford's greatest-ever players.-Biography:...
and Jimmy Doyle
Jimmy Doyle
James 'Jimmy' Doyle , is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with the famous Thurles Sarsfields club from 1956 until 1975 and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1957 until 1973...
.. He won his first Railway Cup medal in 1952 in his first year on the team as Munster defeated Connacht
Connacht GAA
The Connacht Council are a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Connacht.-Constituent counties:*Galway*Leitrim*Mayo*Roscommon*Sligo-Special counties:...
. Three years later in 1955 Smyth captured a second Railway Cup title. The late 1950s and early 1960s saw Smyth enjoy even more success as Munster came to dominate the inter-provincial series of games. He won five Railway Cup medals in-a-row in 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960 and 1961. Smyth captured his eighth and final Railway Cup title in 1963.
Post-playing career
Following his retirement from play he continued his involvement with the Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic 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...
, working as Executive Officer at Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
until 1988. Following this he studied philosophy at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1993. His Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
thesis was based on the songs, poems and recitations of Gaelic games in Munster. In spite of not having any provincial or All-Ireland success Smyth was still named on the Munster Hurling Team of the Millennium in 2000.