Tony Reddin
Encyclopedia
Martin Charles Reddington (born 1919 in Castlegar
Castlegar, County Galway
Castlegar is a village and parish in County Galway, Ireland, located just outside of the city of Galway. It extends from Lough Corrib across to Merlin Park by the old Galway-Dublin road....

, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...

), better known as Tony Reddin, is a retired Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 sportsperson. He played hurling at various times with his local clubs Castlegar
Castlegar GAA
Castlegar GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Castlegar in County Galway, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.-Overview:...

 in Galway and Lorrha-Dorrha
Lorrha-Dorrha GAA
Lorrha-Dorrha GAA club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in the parish of Lorrha & Dorrha, in North County Tipperary, Ireland. The club is most famous for Hurling Team of the Millennium goalkeeper Tony Reddin, who played with the club from 1947 to 1957...

 in Tipperary from the 1930s until the 1950s. Reddin also lined out with both the Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...

 and Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...

 senior inter-county teams at various intervals from 1941 until 1957. Reddin has gained iconic status in the sport and is regarded as the undisputed greatest hurling goalkeeper of all-time.

Reddin's status as one of the all-time greats is self-evident. In a senior inter-county with Tipperary that lasted from 1948 until 1957 he won three senior 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....

 titles, three Munster
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....

 titles, five 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...

 titles and five Railway Cup titles with Munster
Munster 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:...

.

Reddin has also been the recipient of many awards and honours off the field. He was honoured in 1984 when he was named, by popular opinion, as the goalkeeper on the GAA Hurling Team of the Century
GAA Hurling Team of the Century
The Hurling Team of the Century was chosen as part of the Gaelic Athletic Association's centenary year celebrations in 1984 to comprise, as a fifteen-member side divided as one goalkeeper, three half-backs, two midfielders, three half-forwardss and three full-forwards, the best hurling players of...

. Reddin was also named in the same position on the GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium
The GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium was announced by GAA President Seán McCague at a special dinner at Croke Park on 24 July 2000. The initiative was sponsored by An Post who issued special commemorative stamps of the Millennium team members. The team was chosen to comprise, as a...

 in 1999, marking him out as the greatest hurling custodian of all-time.

Early life

Martin Charles Reddington was born in Castlegar
Castlegar, County Galway
Castlegar is a village and parish in County Galway, Ireland, located just outside of the city of Galway. It extends from Lough Corrib across to Merlin Park by the old Galway-Dublin road....

, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...

 in 1919. His family, although having the surname Reddington, were always known as the Reddins, with Martin always being referred to be his nickname of Thaudy. When he moved to Lorrha
Lorrha
Lorrha is a small village at the northern tip of North Tipperary, Ireland. It is located on a local minor road between the R489 Birr to Portumna road and the N65 Nenagh to Portumna road about five kilometres east of the point where the River Shannon enters Lough Derg. It is a townland and a civil...

 the locals misheard this nickname and he became Tony Reddin. Reddin grew up on the family farm and was educated at the local national school. He learned his hurling skills on the family farm. When ploughing the fields he would carry a hurley and ball, striking the ball into the air and trapping it on the stick on its way down. To sharpen his reflexes he would practice against a rough stone wall from close distance, catching the sliotar as it rebounded in different directions. Times were tough, however, in post-war Ireland. He tried in vain to make a living on a small holding of land also being farmed by his brother and the rest of their family, so at the age of twenty-eight he made the decision to leave. England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 was booming, however, the Castlegar man had a great love for the game of hurling and when he got the offer of a job on a farm in Lorrha in Tipperary, he took it.

Club

Reddin first played hurling with his local club in Castlegar
Castlegar GAA
Castlegar GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Castlegar in County Galway, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.-Overview:...

. He enjoyed some early successes, culminating with the winning of a much-prized juvenile county championship medal in 1933. After moving to Tipperary in the late 1940s Reddin joined the local Lorrha-Dorrha
Lorrha-Dorrha GAA
Lorrha-Dorrha GAA club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in the parish of Lorrha & Dorrha, in North County Tipperary, Ireland. The club is most famous for Hurling Team of the Millennium goalkeeper Tony Reddin, who played with the club from 1947 to 1957...

 club. He wasn't long at the club when he won a North Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship title in 1948. Reddin added a second North Tipperary county medal to his collection in 1956.

Inter-county

Reddin first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...

 minor hurling team in the late 1930s. He enjoyed little success in this grade, however, he later joined the Galway junior hurling team. In 1940 Reddin was the goalkeeper on this team. That year he captured a Connacht
Connacht Junior Hurling Championship
The Connacht Junior Hurling Championship is a junior "knockout" competition in the game of Hurling played in the province of Connacht in Ireland...

 title in this grade following a defeat of Roscommon
Roscommon GAA
For more details of Roscommon GAA see Roscommon Senior Club Football Championship or Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Roscommon County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Roscommon GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games...

. Reddin later lined out in the All-Ireland final with Cork providing the opposition. On that occasion, however, Cork were the winners by 3-3 to 3-1. He subsequently progressed onto the Galway senior hurling panel, however, Seánie Duggan
Seánie Duggan
Seánie Duggan is a retired Irish sportsman. He played hurling with his local club Liam Mellows and with the Galway senior inter-county team from 1943 until 1953. Duggan is regarded as one of the greatest players never to have won an All-Ireland medal.-Club:Duggan played his club hurling with his...

 was the established goalkeeper at the time and Reddin found it difficult to break onto the team.

After his move to Lorrha Reddin discovered that his reputation as a hurler had preceded him and he quickly joined the Lorrha-Dorrha club in 1947. His skill at club level was quickly noted and he soon made it onto the Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...

 senior hurling side for the 1948-49 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...

. In was in his debut season that Reddin enjoyed his first major success with Tipp when he captured a National League medal following a win over arch-rivals Cork. Both sides met again in the Munster Championship with Tipp recording another victory. The men from the 'premier county' later defeated 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...

 by 1-16 to 2-10, giving Reddin a coveted Munster
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....

 medal. He subsequently line dout in his first ALl-Ireland final at senior level. Surprisingly, Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...

 were the opponents on that occasion, however, the result was expected. Tipp opened the floodgates with a Paddy Kenny
Paddy Kenny (hurler)
Paddy Kenny was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Borrisoleigh and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team in the 1940s and 1950s. Kenny is regarded as one of Tipperary’s greatest-ever players.-Club:...

 goal before Jimmy Kennedy added two more goals in the second-half. At the full-time whisstle Tipp were the victors by 3-11 to 0-3 and Reddin had captured a coveted 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....

.

In 1950 Reddin added a second consecutive National League medal to his collection before further provincial glory followed. A 2-17 to 3-11 defeat of Cork gave him a second consecutive Munster medal and an easy passage into another All-Ireland final. Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...

 provided the opposition on that occasion in a close but uninterseting game. At the final whistle Tipp emerged the victors by 1-9 to 1-8 giving Reddin a second All-Ireland medal.

In 1951 Reddin captured a third Munster title following a 2-11 to 2-9 defeat of arch-rivals Cork. This victory resulted in Tipp being installed as the favourites for a third consecutive All-Ireland title. 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...

, however, stood in Tipp's way after making a long-awaited breakthrough in Leinster. Nicky Rackard
Nicky Rackard
Nicholas Rackard better known as Nicky or Nickey Rackard, was a famous Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local Rathnure club and was a member of the Wexford senior inter-county team from 1940 until 1956...

 had been Wexford's star goal-poacher throughout the year, however, his artistry was beaten by Reddin in the Tipperary goal-mouth. Séamus Bannon
Séamus Bannon
Séamus Bannon is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling at various with his local clubs Nenagh Éire Óg in Tipperary and Young Irelands in Dublin and was a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team in the 1940s and 1950s. Bannon won three All-Ireland and three Munster titles with...

, Tim Ryan and Paddy Kenny got the goals in the second quarter that did the damage, however, Tipp forged ahead to win by 7-7 to 3-9. It was Reddins' third consecutive All-Ireland medal.

For the next three years Reddin's Tipperary side were defeated by Cork in the Munster championship. It wasn't the end of his playing days, however, as he captured further National League honours in 1952, 1954 and 1955.

Remembered for his wonderful anticipation, sharp reflexes and his vision, Reddin suffered from deafness and associated speech limitations throughout his career. In 1950 his ability to hear and speak improved when he got his first hearing-aid during a trip to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 with the Tipperary hurlers. In 1957 he visited New York again where he got a smaller hearing-aid. The hearing-aids helped Reddin as a goalkeeper, however, by the mid-1950s his career was coming to a close. Shortly after winning his sixth National League title in 1957, albeit as a substitute, Reddin retired from inter-county hurling.

Provincial

Reddin also lined out with Munster
Munster 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 championship where he played alongside his championship rivals 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 Smyth
Jimmy Smyth (hurler)
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.-Early life:Jimmy Smyth was born in Ruan near Ennis,...

. He first played for his province in 1950 as Munster defeated Leinster
Leinster GAA
The Leinster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Leinster. The Leinster Council has been partnered with the European County Board to help develop Gaelic Games in Europe...

 to take the Railway Cup title. Both Munster and Leinster qualified for the Railway Cup final again in 1951. With Reddin between the posts Munster claimed a second consecutive victory over their great rivals. 1952 saw the Munster men capture a third successive title, this time following a victory over 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:...

. In 1953 it was four in-a-row for Reddin and for Munster as Leinster were accounted for once again. After a defeat by Leinster in the Railway Cup final of 1954 Reddin won a fifth title in 1955 after Connacht were beaten once again. In 1956 Reddin lined out with Munster for the last time. The final pitted Leinster against the southern province, however, victory went to the Leinster men by 5-11 to 1-7.

Retirement

Following his retirement from the game Reddin continued to work as a hurley maker in Lorrha. He later moved to Banagher
Banagher
Banagher is a town in Ireland, located in the midlands on the western edge of County Offaly in the province of Leinster, on the banks of the River Shannon. The name Banagher comes from its Irish name which translates to English as "the place of the pointed rocks on the Shannon"...

, County Offaly
County Offaly
County Offaly is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe and was formerly known as King's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Offaly County Council is...

 - where he still resides today - and worked with Bord na Móna
Bord na Móna
Bord na Móna , abbreviated BNM, is a semi-state company in Ireland, created in 1946 by the Turf Development Act 1946. The company is responsible for the mechanised harvesting of peat, primarily in the Midlands of Ireland...

. Here he also trained the local St. Rynagh's
St. Rynagh's GAA
St. Rynagh's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club that encompasses the towns of Cloghan and Banagher in County Offaly, in Ireland. Formed in 1961, the club gained almost immediate success - winning the senior championship in 1965. St. Rynagh's went on to appear in three All-Ireland club finals...

 hurling team for almost a decade, winning numerous county titles and regretting he couldn't have done a bit more and brought them All-Ireland success.

Long after his retirement Reddin was honoured by 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...

 by being named on the "Hurling Team of the Century" in 1984. His reputation as the greatest hurling goalkeeper of all-time was further cemented in 2000 when he was also named on the GAA's "Hurling Team of the Millennium". In a position noted for the remarkable talents of many players, Reddin was firmly marked out as the undisputed number one goalkeeper in the history of hurling.

Tipperary

  • All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
    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....

    :
    • Winner (3): 1949
      All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1949
      The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1949 was the 63rd edition of Ireland’s premier hurling knockout competition. The championship ran from May to September of that year, culminating with the All-Ireland final, held at Croke Park, Dublin on 4 September. The match was contested by...

      , 1950
      All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1950
      The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1950 was the 64th edition of Ireland’s premier hurling knockout competition. The championship ran from May to September of that year, culminating with the All-Ireland final, held at Croke Park, Dublin on 3 September. The match was contested by...

      , 1951
      All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1951
      The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1951 was the 65th edition of Ireland’s premier hurling knockout competition. The championship ran from May to September of that year, culminating with the All-Ireland final, held at Croke Park, Dublin on 2 September. The match was contested by...

  • Munster Senior Hurling 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....

    :
    • Winner (3): 1949, 1950, 1951
    • Runner-up (3): 1952, 1953, 1954
  • 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...

    :
    • Winner (5): 1948-1949, 1949–1950, 1951–1952, 1953–1954, 1954–1955
    • Runner-up (3): 1947-1948, 1952–1953, 1955–1956

Munster

  • Railway Cup:
    • Winner (5): 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955
    • Runner-up (2): 1954, 1956

External links


Teams

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