1920 Faughs All Ireland Senior Hurling Champions

Bob Mockler joined Faughs Hurling Club in 1914 and went on to become a stalwart of Faughs and Dublin, winning three All-Ireland Hurling Championships with Dublin in 1917, 1920 and 1924, and six Leinster Hurling Championships. With Faughs he won six Dublin Senior Hurling Championships and seven Dublin Senior Hurling Leagues.

Bob was appointed Captain of Faughs from 1919 to 1923 and captained Dublin to their All-Ireland victory in 1920. Bob was also elected Chairman of Faughs Hurling Club in 1927 until 1929 and Honorary President from 1929 to 1932. He was Dublin Co. Board delegate to Leinster Council in 1921 and 1923.

“Midfield was Bob’s natural place. His superb physique, his speed, his unerring judgement and his fine control of ash made him the most spoken of centerfield men of his day. His command of falling balls and his mighty length of puck often send crowds into ecstasies. Bob was an expert at 70’s and frees at all distances.” (Irish Independent GAA Golden Jubilee Easter 1934.)

Another lesser-known fact is that Bob and his Faughs teammate J.J Callanan were the two umpires at the Railway End (now Hill 16) on “Bloody Sunday” 21st November 1920. That afternoon in Croke Park, 14 people including one player (Michael Hogan from Tipperary), lost their lives when a mixed force of British forces including the Royal Irish Constabulary (R.I.C.), Auxiliary Police and Military who then stormed into Croke Park and opened fire on the crowd.

Tommy Moore, a native of Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny, joined Faughs Hurling Club in 1911.

Tommy went on to become a stalwart of Faughs winning six Dublin Senior Hurling Championships and two All-Ireland Championships with Dublin in 1917 and 1920 and four Leinster Senior Hurling Championships in 1917, 1919, 1920 & 1921.

He was elected Chairman of Faughs GAA Club in 1929, a position he held for 40 years, and was President of the club from 1969 until his death in 1973.

Tommy’s premises ‘The Moore House’ pub on Cathedral Street was a meeting place for hurling followers from all over Ireland and it became normal practice through the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s for the newly crowned champions of the Liam McCarthy Cup to make a stop at Moore’s to quench their thirst before making the long journey home. Tommy also allowed the pub to be used as a makeshift clubhouse for Faughs when we had nowhere else at the time.

In 1969 Tommy was honoured with the Cuchulainn award for his outstanding work for Gaelic games, particularly hurling, as a player and administrator for nearly forty years.

A perpetual trophy in his memory was presented by Faughs to the GAA for the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship and to this day it is presented to its winners on St. Patricks Day. Picture below is Ollie Canning of Portumna, Galway lifting the Tommy Moore Cup in 2013.

 

Click to listen to interview with Eileen Malone, daughter of Tommy, from the GAA’s Oral History Series

Eileen Malone recalls her earliest memory of the GAA. She talks about the Faughs GAA club, and recalls some of the significant figures in GAA history that her father knew.

Tulla native and medical student Tommy Daly was one of the lynchpins of the 1917 Collegians and Dublin teams. Playing with the Collegians, Daly would win a total of six Fitzgibbon Cup titles, (1915, 1916, 1917, 1923, 1924 and 1927). In addition to his senior All-Ireland medal won in 1917, Daly had already won an All-Ireland junior medal with Clare in 1914. During his playing career with Dublin, he would win another three All-Ireland Senior Hurling championships as well as five Leinster titles. In 1930 (following the amendment of the GAA’s non-residents rule which initially stipulated that a player must play for the county where he lived) he was able to line out with his native Clare, which resulted in him securing a Munster title in 1933 as well as his second Railway Cup medal, (this time with Munster), having won his first in 1927 with Leinster. Once described by teammate Bob Mockler as a ‘wizard’ in goal, Daly was a formidable opponent on the pitch, but was universally liked off it. Following his retirement from playing, he became a popular referee and had the dubious pleasure of refereeing the 1935 All-Ireland final between Kilkenny and Limerick in a torrential downpour.

Tragically killed in a motoring accident in 1936, Daly was eulogised in Bryan MacMahon’s famous GAA ballad, Lament for Dr. Tommy Daly, which includes the verse:

No more shall limewhite goalposts
Soar tapering and tall
Above the greatest goalman
That ever clutched a ball.
Nor yet he’ll rouse the echoes
Of ash in native air,
Nor heed the throbbing thousands
Tense with pride of Clare.

In the autumn of 1936 his grieving teammates (including many of the men who played alongside him in 1917) formed an executive committee to bring Daly’s long-held ambition of equipping Clare with an adequate hurling arena to fruition. Consequently in 1941 the Dr. Tommy Daly Gaelic Park was opened in Tulla.

Michael Neville was a native of Kilfinny, Rathkeale, Co. Limerick. He came to Dublin as a youth of 18 and joined Faughs hurling club in 1909.

Mick played for Faughs Junior team in 1909 and 1910, and for Dublin Juniors in 1911 and 1912, he played Senior Hurling for Faughs from 1911 to 1923 and won seven Dublin Senior Hurling Championship medals 1911, 1914, 1915, 1920, 1921, 1922 & 1923 and six Dublin Senior Hurling League medals 1911, 1914, 1915, 1920, 1921 & 1922.

Mick played on the Dublin Senior Hurling team for 10 years from 1913 to 1923. He won a Croke Cup medal in 1915 and four Leinster Senior Hurling medals in 1917, 1919, 1920 & 1921. Mick also won two All-Ireland Senior Hurling medals in 1917 and 1920 and played on the Dublin team defeated by Cork in the 1919 All Ireland final and Limerick in the 1921 final.

Mick returned to his native County in 1923 and was instrumental in revival of West Limerick GAA Board and that of the Kilfinny club. He was Treasurer of the West Limerick GAA Board from 1923 to 1947 and also a member of the Limerick Senior Hurling Selection Committee.

Mick was a member of the famous Faughs Senior Hurling team that won four Dublin Senior Hurling Championship titles in a row – 1920, 1921, 1922 & 1923.

Click to listen to interview with Eithne Neville, daughter of Mick, from the GAA’s Oral History Series

Eithne Neville discusses her lifelong involvement in camogie in Limerick and Dublin. She recounts the playing career of her father, Mick Neville, who won All-Ireland hurling medals with Dublin.

 

Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale, Limerick

Jim was born in Clogger, Mooncoin, Co. Kilkenny. He played first for his native parish and was an automatic choice on the Kilkenny Senior Hurling team from 1915 to 1919.

On his removal to Dublin that year he joined Faughs where he played for the club for the following 15 years. He contested seven All-Ireland Hurling finals, losing two with Kilkenny and winning three with Dublin (1920, 1924 & 1927) also on two losing Dublin sides in 1921 & 1930.

Jim was the only hurler to play in three Tailteann Games, he was selected three times for the Leinster Railway Cup team, he played international Shinty against Scotland. He won seven Leinster Senior Hurling Championships, five Dublin Senior Hurling Championships and six Dublin Senior Hurling League medals. He was on the winning Leinster Railway Cup teams of 1927, 1932 and 1933. Jim Captain Faughs in 1925, 1926, 1928 to 1932. He captained the Dublin Senior Hurling team in 1930. Jim became chairman of the Dublin County Board in 1929 and 1930. He was also a prominent handballer for Faughs in the early 1920s.

A native of Crecora Co. Limerick, Martin Hayes was one of the best-known hurlers of his generation. In 1911, he had narrowly missed outon an All-Ireland medal, when Limerick had beaten Kilkenny.

After moving to Dublin in 1915, he played, typically in the full-back position, for Commercials Hurling Club as well as Faughs. In total, he won three All-Ireland’s with Dublin in 1917, 1920 and 1927- having come out of inter-county retirement and nearing 40 years of age to win the latter. One of the founders of the Garda Hurling Club, he also won an Army championship medal

A native of Kilruane, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary. Jim Cleary played for Faughs Juniors in 1907 and on the Senior team from 1908 to 1923. Jim won eight Dublin Senior Hurling Championship medals between 1910 – 1923 and seven Dublin Senior Hurling League medals. Jim was vice-captain of Faughs from 1914 – 1916 and captain in 1917 – 1918.

He was on the Dublin Senior Hurling team from 1910 – 1923, captaining Dublin in 1915 Leinster Final and won four Leinster Championship medals in 1917, 1919, 1920 and 1921. He won two All-Ireland medals in 1917 and 1920. He played in four All-Ireland finals, the 1917 final when Dublin (Collegians) defeated Tipperary, the 1919 final when lost to Cork, in 1920 when Dublin defeated Cork and in 1921 final when Dublin lost to Limerick. Jim played in two tournament games in London (for Faughs and Dublin) in 1923. Jim was also on victorious Dublin Senior Hurling team in Croke Cup competition of 1915.

Cleary was good friends with Michael Collins and Harry Boland, who were key participants in the War of Independence. Collins and Boland were frequent visitors and held numerous meetings to plan and organise their rebellious activities.

Jim’s brother Jack also played for Faughs and holds the record of winning 10 Senior Hurling Championships with Faughs. Jack had a pub in Inchicore.

Jim’s pub on Amien’s street was up for sale in 2019 and the following piece was in the Irish Independent.

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Scorer of the opening goal of the All-Ireland final for Dublin, Joe Phelan had already won an All-Ireland senior hurling championship with his native Laois in 1915. Once described as ‘one of the most dangerous forwards in the history of the game’, Phelan’s ability to score from acute angles made him indispensable.

Bob Mockler anecdotally recounted how Dublin secured the 1920 All-Ireland win after he and Tommy Moore convinced Phelan, who was studying medicine in UCD, to join the Dublin team three weeks before the final against Cork. Phelan went on to score a hat -trick of goals and secured a third All-Ireland.

Considered one of the most outstanding players of his generation. Kildare native Frank Burke’s first match playing hurling for Dublin’s senior team was the 1917 All -Ireland final. An experienced dual player, Burke had lined out for the Collegians for both the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cup competitions in 1912. He would go on to win five Sigerson Cup medals and four Fitzgibbon Cup medals between 1915 and 1924. He had also won two junior All -Ireland
hurling medals with Dublin in 1914 and 1916.

Having attended Patrick Pearse’s St Enda’s, Burke returned to teach in the school during 1916. His active support of Pearse during the 1916 Easter Rising, resulted in his arrest and internment in Stafford Jail and Frongoch internment camp until his release ahead of Christmas of 1916. In total, Burke would win two senior All-Ireland hurling medals and three senior All-Ireland football medals with Dublin. Infamously, Burke was marking Tipperary captain Mick Hogan during a challenge match played in Croke Park on Bloody Sunday, 21 November 1920. When the British forces began shooting, Burke and Hogan had been contesting the ball – they tried to escape by crawling across the pitch to safety, but Hogan was fatally shot.

For the 100 year anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising in 2016 the following YouTube video was made Frank Burke – Playing for Dublin & Fighting for Ireland.

John Ryan from the Grocers club in Dublin has been mistaken for his namesake from the Collegians who was captain of the All Ireland winning Collegians team in 1917.
John Ryan (Grocers) won a Dublin Senior Hurling Championship in 1916 and was a regular on the Dublin team from 1916 to 1923.

Robert Doherty won four Dublin Senior Hurling Championship medals with Faughs in 1920, 1921, 1922 & 1923. In the 1925 League Final, in which Faughs beat Co. Champions Guards by 5-5 to 5-4, Pat ‘O’ in Irish Times match report “Doherty was the outstanding figure at the close, he took a fast ball in its flight and drove over the Guards backs for the winning point in a stirring game. Three Faughs stars were the veterans Jim ‘Builder’ Walsh (aged 32), Bob Mockler (aged 40) and Tommy Moore (aged 36). In the 1927 Co. Final Guards beat Faughs after which Bob Doherty went to the USA.

Doherty began his career winning two county club championship medals with Newmarket-on-Fergus before he moved to Dublin. Robert “Bob” Doherty played as a left wing-back for the Clare and Dublin senior teams. Doherty made his first appearance for the Clare team during the 1913 championship and was a regular on the inter-county scene until his retirement from the Dublin team after the 1925 championship. During that time he won three All-Ireland medals, three Leinster medals and one Munster medal. Doherty was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.

Born in Thurles, County Tipperary, Callanan first arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of twenty-four when he first linked up with the Tipperary senior team. He joined the senior panel during the 1918 championship and was a regular member of the Tipperary and Dublin teams at various times for over a decade. During that time he won two All-Ireland medals, two Leinster medals and one Munster medal. The All-Ireland-winning captain in 1930, Callanan was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion. As a member of the Munster inter-provincial Callanan won one Railway Cup medal. At club level he was a one-time championship medallist with Thurles Sarsfields while he also played with Collegians.

Callanan retired from inter-county hurling following the conclusion of the 1930 championship. Callanan began his club hurling career with Thurles Sarsfields before later transferring to Collegians in Dublin. He enjoyed little initial success, with his only major victory coming in the twilight of his career after moving back to Thurles Sarsfields. In 1929 Sarsfields qualified for the championship decider. A 4-3 to 1-3 defeat of Toomevara secured a first title in eighteen years and gave Callanan a Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship medal.

Callanan added a second Leinster medal to his collection in 1921 as Dublin accounted for Kilkenny by 4-4 to 1-5. On 4 March 1923 Dublin faced Limerick in the All-Ireland final. Four goals by Limerick captain Bob McConkey helped the Shannonsiders to an 8-5 to 3-2 victory as the Liam MacCarthy Cup was presented for the very first time.

By 1926 Callanan had rejoined the Tipperary senior team, however, Cork dominated the championship. In 1930 he was captain of the team as Cork’s bid for a record-equaling fifth successive provincial title faltered. Tipperary bested Clare in the decider by 6-4 to 2-8, giving Callanan a Munster medal. On 7 September 1930 Tipperary faced Callanan’s former side Dublin in the All-Ireland decider. Goals at the end of the first half from Martin Kennedy and Callanan gave Tipperary the edge. An eventual 2-7 to 1-3 victory gave Callanan a second All-Ireland medal, while he also had the honour of lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

Another lesser-known fact is that Callanan and his Faughs teammate Bob Mockler were the two umpires at the Railway End (now Hill 16) on “Bloody Sunday” 21st November 1920.

Tom was a brother of Martin, he won five Dublin Senior Hurling Championships, one with Commercials in 1916
and four with Faughs in 1920, 21, 22 & 23. Tom was a regular on Dublin teams from 1914 to 1923 and won an
All-Ireland in 1920.
Tom Hayes’ son, Christy Hayes, played at centre-back on the last Dublin team to reach an All-Ireland Final in
1961 where they were unlucky to lose by 1 point to Tipperary

Jim was a member of the Kickhams club in Dublin. Jim won an All-Ireland in 1920 and was on the Dublin team beaten by Kilkenny in the 1922 Leinster Final. Jim also won two Leinster Championship medals in 1920 and 1921.

Had a long career won three Dublin Senior Hurling Championship in 1920, 21 & 22 and later won 5-in-a-row with Guards 1925, 26, 27, 28, 29 and finished with another in 1931. He was on various Dublin teams and won two All Irelands in 1920 & 1927.
Pat ‘O’ in Irish Times report on 1927 final “Hayes, Tobin and Bannon completed a durable defence” all three were former Faughs players and then with Guards and Army.

Joseph Coyne won four Dublin Senior Hurling Championships with Faughs in 1920, 21, 22 & 23. He was born in Kilkenny city in 1894. Having spent three months in Wakefield Prison for his part in the 1916 Easter Rising, his trade as a baker brought him to the capital where he represented the Faughs. The club’s success saw them go on to represent Dublin on the intercounty scene, winning the All-Ireland title in 1920 with a 4-9 to 4-3 final win over Cork.

Coyne can be seen below contesting the ball in the 1921 Leinster Hurling Final, in this famous photo as Michael Collins started this game throwing in the ball.

Eugene has the distinction of being the only Dublin born player on the panel. Eugene joined Faughs from Rathmines H.C. with Harry Boland in 1914. He had already won a Dublin Junior Championship with Rathmines and he went on to win five Dublin Senior Hurling Championship in 1914, 15, 21, 22 & 23 with Faughs. Eugene was the sub-goalkeeper on the All-Ireland winning team and also sub-goalkeeper on Dublin team beaten by Cork in the 1919 All-Ireland Final.

As a player Joe won two All-Ireland Hurling Championships with Dublin in 1924 and 1927 and four Leinster Hurling Championships in 1921, 24, 27 & 1934. With Faughs he won four Dublin Senior Hurling Championship in 1920, 21, 22 & 23 with Faughs and he won two with Young Irelands in 1932 & 1937.

As a player Joseph played with Dublin in 1912, 1916 and 1923 and he won five Dublin Senior Hurling Championships in total. He won one with Rapperees in 1912, one with Commercials in 1916 and three with Faughs in 1921, 22 & 23.

Born in Tipperary he joined Faughs in 1900 and was on the ‘four in a row teams’ from 1900 to 1904 and captained in the senior hurling team in 1912 and won the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship medals in 1906, 1910, 1911, 1914 and 1915 also won six Senior League medals from 1900 to 1915. Andy was secretary of Faughs in 1908 and he won Leinster Senior Hurling medals in 1902, he played in five Leinster Finals 1901 to 1911 and he was on the Leinster team in the Railway Shield competition in 1907.

As an administrator Andy held more posts at different levels in the GAA than any other official. Andy was on the Dublin County Board as Faughs delegate from 1903, served as Chairman for a then record nine year period from 1915 to 1924. Andy was Dublin delegate to the Leinster Counsel from 1904 and Leinster delegate to the Central Council for 1908, Secretary of the GAA Athletics Council in 1908 to 1914, the Trustee of the GAA, Chairman of the Dublin Handball Board from 1923 and President of the Irish Amateur Handball Association in 1925 and 1926, he was Secretary of the National Athletic and Cycling Association and CCA from its formation in 1922 and a member of the Irish Olympic Council in 1922 to 1926. Andy was also a hurler, handballer, athlete and referee. Prominent GAA athlete in the 1890s, winner of the Dublin Senior Handball championship 1906, referee for the 1925 All Ireland Senior Football Final

Born in Lisboney, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary Tim was dual player with Faughs club in the late 1880s back when Faughs played football. He played in seven Dublin County finals and was a member of the victorious four in a row hurling team of 1900 to 1904. Tim was a Dublin intercounty player played in two Leinster Hurling finals and also in the 1902 All-Ireland Hurling Final for Dublin. He was president of Faughs from 1908 to 1910, 1912 to 1922, 1925 & 1926. He was Secretary of Dublin Hurling League in 1917, and Dublin Schools League Committee 1918. He was Vice President of Dublin Schools League 1922 to 1923.

The Freeman’s Journal wrote “Mr. T. McGrath, Clare, who refereed, made a most successful debut in that capacity at Croke Park. He handled the most teams splendidly and brought a great game to a most satisfactory conclusion.”