Tipperary hurling legend John O’Grady -aka Cúlbáire - is reunited with the Irish Press Cup

Seventy three years after he became the first player to receive the Irish Press Cup for winning the All-Ireland minor hurling championship, the great John O’Grady - better known as Cúlbáire- was reunited with the silver recently.

A visit from Tipperary minor Manager James Woodlock and the cup, to the Thurles Community Hospital of the Assumption proved opportune, as John was in attendance on respite and was thrilled to chat to James and to hold the cup he raised aloft in Croke Park back in 1949.

The Doran family entertained the residents and visitors at the Community Hospital of the Assumption

That was a great day for Tipperary with the seniors also winning the All-Ireland, captained by Pat Stakelum. Indeed, it was a great day for mid Tipperary with John hailing from the Moycarkey Borris club, Pat, the Holycross Ballycahill club, and both having represented Thurles CBS at Dr Harty Cup level.

John first played hurling at club level with Moycarkey-Borris and joined the club’s senior team as a 16-year-old. He also lined out with Thurles CBS in the Harty Cup and earned selection on the Munster Colleges team.

As a university student in Cork, John played in the Fitzgibbon Cup with University College Cork and also earned inclusion on the Combined Universities team in 1952 and 1953 - a feat also achieved by Pat Stakelum, amongst other notable Tipperary men.

After leaving university John O’Grady played with the Blackrock club in Cork, lining out in the 1954 final defeat by the Christy Ring led Glen Rovers, before ending his career with Moycarkey-Borris in 1962.

John first played for Tipperary during a three-year tenure as goalkeeper with the minor team. He won his first All-Ireland MHC medal in 1947 before captaining the team to the title two years later in 1949.

John’s progress to the senior team was delayed due to the dominance and excellence of Tony Reddin between the posts. However he lined out in a tournament game with Cork in 1953 and after Reddin’s retirement in 1957, John impressed in a series of club games and inter-county trials and was called up to the team in 1958. Later that year he won a Munster senior hurling medal before lining out in goal in the 1958 All-Ireland final defeat of Galway.

James’ visit to the hospital with the cup was facilitated by the care team and the Drom-Inch man was particularly taken with John O’Grady- a renowned columnist with the Tipperary Star for many years- who shared stories and tales with great recall, of his days on the field of play. Residents, visitors and staff alike delighted in the occasion.