W.J. Spain
Encyclopedia
William J. Spain was a famous Irish
dual player
. He played Gaelic football
with his local club Commercials and with the Limerick
senior inter-county team in the 1880s. Spain also played hurling
with his local club Kickhams
and with the Dublin
senior inter-county team in the 1880s.
, County Tipperary
, Spain first came to prominence as a Gaelic football
er with the Commercials club in Limerick
. The club enjoyed much success in the infant years of the Gaelic Athletic Association
. Spain captured a senior county title with the club in 1887.
Spain later moved to Dublin and joined the famous Kickhams
club. Here he enjoyed further success, however, this time it was on the hurling
field. He won a senior county title with that club in 1889.
championship took place in football. Only four teams participated that year and Spain was a member of the Limerick
inter-county team. The county’s first outing in their championship campaign saw Tipperary
provided the opposition. That game ended in a draw; however, Limerick secured the victory in the replay by 1-9 to 0-4. The next game was the All-Ireland final and Limerick played Louth
. The game itself was a close, low-scoring affair. Spain turned out to be the hero of the game. Eleven minutes into the second-half he scored a goal after a long dribbling run for his own 21-yard line. Limerick won the game by 1-4 to 0-3 and Spain collected his first All-Ireland title.
Two years later in 1889 Spain was a key member of the Dublin
hurling team. That year Dublin got a walkover from Laois
in the Leinster
final. This victory allowed Spain’s side advance directly to the All-Ireland final. Clare
provided the opposition on that occasion and an exciting game followed. The Clare team, who played the game in their bare feet, took a half-time lead of 1-5 to 1-0. ‘The Dubs’ fought back in the second-half with Spain scoring a hat trick of goals as Clare collapsed. Dublin won the game by 5-1 to 1-6, giving Spain an All-Ireland
hurling title to match his football one. In doing son he became the first All-Ireland-winning dual player
in the history of Gaelic games
.
Spain’s career ended shortly afterwards as he emigrated to the United States
in 1890.
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,...
dual player
Dual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
. He played Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
with his local club Commercials and with the 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...
senior inter-county team in the 1880s. Spain also 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 Kickhams
Ballymun Kickhams
Ballymun Kickhams is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Ballymun, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. The club has a clubhouse and its home pitch, Arás Proinsias Mác Gafraidh, just off the Ballymun exit of the M50. Ballymun also has a full size astroturf pitch...
and with the Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
senior inter-county team in the 1880s.
Club
Although born just outside NenaghNenagh
Nenagh is the county town of North Tipperary in Ireland. It is the administrative centre of North Tipperary and in 2011 it had a recorded population of 7,995. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Ormond Lower...
, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, Spain first came to prominence as a Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er with the Commercials club in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
. The club enjoyed much success in the infant years 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...
. Spain captured a senior county title with the club in 1887.
Spain later moved to Dublin and joined the famous Kickhams
Ballymun Kickhams
Ballymun Kickhams is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Ballymun, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. The club has a clubhouse and its home pitch, Arás Proinsias Mác Gafraidh, just off the Ballymun exit of the M50. Ballymun also has a full size astroturf pitch...
club. Here he enjoyed further success, however, this time it was on the 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...
field. He won a senior county title with that club in 1889.
Inter-county
In 1887 the very first All-IrelandAll-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
championship took place in football. Only four teams participated that year and Spain was a member of the 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...
inter-county team. The county’s first outing in their championship campaign saw 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...
provided the opposition. That game ended in a draw; however, Limerick secured the victory in the replay by 1-9 to 0-4. The next game was the All-Ireland final and Limerick played Louth
Louth GAA
The Louth County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Louth GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Louth. The county board is also responsible for the Louth inter-county teams....
. The game itself was a close, low-scoring affair. Spain turned out to be the hero of the game. Eleven minutes into the second-half he scored a goal after a long dribbling run for his own 21-yard line. Limerick won the game by 1-4 to 0-3 and Spain collected his first All-Ireland title.
Two years later in 1889 Spain was a key member of the Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
hurling team. That year Dublin got a walkover from 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:...
in the Leinster
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster 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 Leinster in Ireland....
final. This victory allowed Spain’s side advance directly to the All-Ireland final. 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....
provided the opposition on that occasion and an exciting game followed. The Clare team, who played the game in their bare feet, took a half-time lead of 1-5 to 1-0. ‘The Dubs’ fought back in the second-half with Spain scoring a hat trick of goals as Clare collapsed. Dublin won the game by 5-1 to 1-6, giving Spain 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....
hurling title to match his football one. In doing son he became the first All-Ireland-winning dual player
Dual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
in the history of Gaelic games
Gaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
.
Spain’s career ended shortly afterwards as he emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1890.