Lory Meagher
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Midfield | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
| Tullaroan | |||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
1924-1935 | Kilkenny | 39 (8-46) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Leinster titles | 6 | ||
| All-Irelands | 3 | ||
Lory Meagher (1899 - 1973) was a famous Irish sportsperson who played hurling for Tullaroan and Kilkenny in the 1930s. He was named in the midfield position on the Gaelic Athletic Association's "Hurling Team of the Millennium."
Lory Meagher was born in Tullaroan, County Kilkenny in 1899. He was christened Lorenzo Ignatius Meagher, a rather unusual name in Ireland at the time, however, the name Lorenzo had been in the family for generations. A grand-uncle of Meagher's, also named Lorenzo, had been a naval doctor. Meagher was born into a family that was heavily involved in nationalist politics and Gaelic Games. His father, Henry Joseph Meagher, had attended the inugural meeting of the Gaelic Athletic Association in Thurles in 1884 and he encouraged his sons to play the national games. Meagher, along with his three brothers all played hurling together with Tullaroan in the 1920s and later with Kilkenny. Lory made his senior hurling debut against Dublin in 1924. Two years later Meagher, and his two brothers Willie and Henry, played in their first All-Ireland Hurling Final, however, they were defeated by Cork.
In 1927 he played with Leinster and won the inaugural Railway Cup competition. In 1931 Meagher played his best hurling with Kilkenny. The All-Ireland final against Cork took two replayes to find a winner. Meagher was magnificent in the first two games but couldn't play in the second replay because of damaged ribs. Such was the esteem in which he was held the game was virtually conceded to Cork because Meagher couldn't play. In 1932 Meagher won his first All-Ireland title over Clare. In 1933 he was back, winning Railway Cup, National Hurling League and All-Ireland honours in the same year. In 1935 Meagher was captain of the Kilkenny side that defeated Limerick in the All-Ireland final. It was his third All-Ireland medal and his greatest hour.
Meagher died in Kilkenny in 1973. In 1999 he was chosen to partner Cork's Jack Lynch at midfield on the Hurling Team of the Millennium.
Meagher's house is preserved as "Brod Tullaroan" and is open to the public. This is a 17th century, two storey thatched farmhouse where Lory Meagher lived with his sisters. The house was restored to something approaching its original state in the early 1900s. It gives an insight into the lifestyle of a reasonably wealthy Irish Farming family of that period. Adjoining the house there is an exhibition centre and museum dedicated to County Kilkenny's many exploits in Gaelic games. Here one can find a wealth of sporting history with a unique collection of trophies and other mementos of the sport including medals and personal awards earned by Meagher and others.
See also
References
- Brendan Fullam, Captains of the Ash, (Wolfhound Press, 2004)