Blackrock GAA

Blackrock National Hurling Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club located on the southside of Cork City, Ireland. The club was founded in 1883 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling. No other Cork-based GAA club has won more Senior County Hurling titles or All-Ireland Club Championships.[2] The club is sometimes known as 'The Rockies'.[3]

Blackrock National Hurling Club

Cumann Iománuoíchta Náisiunta Na Carraige Duibhe
Founded:	1883
County:	Cork
Nickname:	The Rockies
Colours:	Green and Gold[1]
Grounds:	Church Road, Blackrock
Coordinates:	51°53′35.43″N 8°25′05.87″W
Playing kits
Standard colours
Senior Club Championships
All Ireland Munster champions Cork champions Hurling: 3 5 33

History

Blackrock Hurling Club was officially founded in 1883, one year before the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association itself. It is therefore the oldest hurling club in Cork.[4] Until 1888 the club was known as Cork Nationals, when it changed its name to National Hurling Club of Blackrock, and later in the same year to Blackrock National Hurling Club.[1]

Blackrock won eight of the first nine Cork Senior Hurling Championship titles and, in the early years of the All-Ireland Championship when the winning clubs represented the county, subsequently claimed the All-Ireland titles for Cork in 1893 and 1894.[5] Blackrock once again claimed the All-Ireland hurling title for Cork in 1903, and were such a dominant force in Cork hurling that up until the 1930s, that many Blackrock players made up the county team in that period.[5]

In subsequent years, Blackrock's dominance in Cork hurling was challenged by Glen Rovers and St. Finbarr's, however, Blackrock have consistently been at the top of the Roll of Honour.[6][7] The team had a successful spell in the 1970s, winning All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship titles in 1972, 1974 and 1979, along with five Munster titles in the same decade.[7]

In the 21st century, Blackrock have won five Under 16 Premier Juvenile Cork County Championships (2008-2013), four Premier Minor Cork County Championships (2009, 2011 & 2012, 2013) and the 2012, 2014 and 2015 Under 21 Cork County Championship.

Honours

• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championships: 5
  • 1893, 1894, 1903, 1925, 1931
• All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championships: 3
  • 1972, 1974, 1979[5]
• Munster Senior Club Hurling Championships: 5
  • 1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979
• Cork Senior Hurling Championships: 33[8]
  • 1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898, 1903, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1920, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1956, 1961, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2020[8]
• Cork Junior Hurling Championships: 5
  • 1895, 1901, 1910, 1931, 1947
• Cork Under-21 Hurling Championships: 5
  • 1976, 1977, 2012,[3] 2014, 2015[9]
• Cork Minor Hurling Championships: 11
  • 1963, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1994, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013[10]
• Cork City Junior Hurling Championships: 7
  • 1931, 1947, 1949, 1970, 1973, 2003, 2013[11]
• Croke Cup Winners: 3
  • 1903, 1910, 1913
• Féile na nGael All Ireland Champions: 1
  • 1971

Notable hurlers

This is a list of Blackrock players that have had championship successes with the club, or have played for the Cork senior hurling team.

Player	Era	Club titles
		All-Ireland	Munster	County
Mick 'Gah' Ahern	1920s-1930s			1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
Paddy 'Balty' Ahern	1920s-1930s			1920, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
John Bennett	1950s-1960s			1956, 1961
Jimmy Brohan	1950s-1960s			1956, 1961[12]
Alan Browne	1990s-2000s			1999, 2001, 2002
John Browne	1990s-2000s			1999, 2001, 2002
Richard Browne	1980s-1990s			1985
Jim Cashman	1980s-1990s			1985, 1999
Mick Cashman	1950s-1960s			1956, 1961
Tom Cashman	1970s-1980s	1979	1978, 1979	1978, 1979, 1985
Donie Collins	1970s-1980s	1972, 1974, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979
Eudie Coughlan	1920s-1930s			1920, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
John Coughlan	1920s-1930s			1920, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
Pat Coughlan	1880s-1890s			1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898
Alan Cummins	1990s-2000s			1999, 2001, 2002
Brendan Cummins	1970s-1980s	1972, 1974	1971, 1973	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Frank Cummins	1970s-1980s	1972, 1974, 1979[13]	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Ray Cummins	1960s-1980s	1972, 1974, 1979[13]	1973, 1975, 1978, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985[5]
Paddy Delea	1920s-1930s			1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
Stephen Hayes	1880s-1890s			1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898
John Horgan	1970s-1980s	1972, 1974	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979[14]
Jim Hurley	1970s-1980s			1925, 1927, 1929, 1930
Dermot Mac Curtain	1970s-1980s	1979	1975, 1978, 1979	1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Billy Mackessy	1900s-1910s			1903, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913
Pat Moylan	1970s-1980s	1972, 1974, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979
John 'Curtis' Murphy	1880s-1890s			1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898
Seán Óg Murphy	1910s-1920s			1913, 1920, 1924, 1925 and 1927
Frank Norberg	1960s-1970s	1972, 1974[13]	1971, 1973, 1975, 1979	1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979
Edward 'Marie' O'Connell	1920s-1930s			1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
Éamonn O'Donoghue	1970s-1980s	1974, 1979	1973, 1975, 1978, 1979	1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Peter 'Hawker' O'Grady	1920s-1930s			1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
John O'Halloran	1960s-1970s	1974	1973	1961, 1971, 1973
Johnny Quirke	1920s-1930s			1929, 1930, 1931
Fergal Ryan	1990s-2000s			1999, 2001, 2002
Mick Ryan	1950s
Wayne Sherlock	1990s-2000s			1999, 2001, 2002

Notable teams

Year	Competition	Team A	Score	Team B	Score	Result
1972	All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship Final	Blackrock	5-13	Rathnure	6-9	Bernard Hurley; Pat Casey, Paddy Geary, John Horgan (Capt.); Simon Murphy, Frank Cummins, Frank Norberg; Michael Murphy, Pat Kavanagh; Donie Collins, Ray Cummins, Pat Moylan; Brendan Cummins, John Rothwell, Dave Prendergast.
1974	All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship Final	Blackrock	(2-14) 3-8	Rathnure	(3-11) 1-9	Tim Murphy; John Rothwell, Paddy Geary, John Horgan (Capt.); Frank Cummins, C. O’Brien, Frank Norberg; Jack Russell, Pat Moylan; Pat Kavanagh, John O’Halloran, Donie Collins; Dave Prendergast, Ray Cummins, Éamonn O’Donoghue. Subs: S. Kearney, D. Buckley. (Note: Brendan Cummins played in the drawn game.)
1979	All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship Final	Blackrock	5-7	Ballyhale Shamrock	5-5	Tim Murphy; Frank Nornerg, C. O’Brien, John Horgan (Capt.); Dermot Mca Curtain, Frank Cummins, Andy Creagh; Tom Cashman, J. O’Grady; Pat Moylan, Tom Lyons, Donie Collins; Éamonn O’Sullivan, Ray Cummins, Éamonn O’Donoghue. Subs: D. Buckley.

See also

• St. Michael's GAA
• Blackrock–Glen Rovers hurling rivalry

References

1. "History". blackrockhurlingclub.com. Blackrock Hurling Club. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015.
2. "The Rockies - About". blackrockhurlingclub.com. Blackrock Hurling Club. Archived from the original on 20 October 2018. Blackrock National Hurling Club was founded in 1883 and is situated on Church Road in Blackrock, Cork City. No team in Cork has won more Senior County Championships, Munster Championships or All-Ireland Championships.
3. "Ryan goals keep resurgent Rockies on roll". Irish Examiner. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
4. "Players take on Murphy's law". Irish Times. 7 December 2002. Retrieved 2 November 2018. Blackrock hurling club, which was founded in 1883 [..] is officially the oldest club in Cork
5. T.M. Mhic Chonbhui (2017). Cork: A History In the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Volume One 1887-1949. Lulu Press. ISBN 9781326881245.
6. Richard Henchion (2005). East to Mahon, The Story of Blackrock, Ballintemple, Ballinlough, Ballinure and Mahon. Dahadore Publications. p. 162. ISBN 0-9541293-2-6. Ever since the foundation of the GAA in 1884 Blackrock has shared with St. Finbarrs and Glen Rovers the honour of being among the three most consistently successful senior hurling clubs in the county
7. Eamonn Sweeney (2012). O'Brien Pocket History of Gaelic Sport. O'Brien Press. ISBN 9781847175212. Over the years [Blackrock's] hegemony was challenged by Glen Rovers and St Finbarr's, but Blackrock have always been close to the top. They enjoyed a golden spell in the 1970s with All-Ireland club titles in 1972, 1974 and 1979
8. "Blackrock claim Cork hurling title after pulsating final win". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
9. "Brilliant Blackrock sweep aside anxious Duhallow". Irish Examiner. 14 November 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
10. "Four-goal Rockies retain crown". Irish Examiner. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
11. "Rockies rule thanks to Cormack's fine finish". Irish Examiner. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
12. "Club to Honour Jimmy Brohan". blackrockhurlingclub.com. Blackrock Hurling Club. Archived from the original on 12 July 2014.
13. "All-Ireland Club Hurling - Martin Breheny's top 25". Independent News & Media. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2018. [Blackrock] won three All-Irelands in 1972, '74 and '79 with such famous names as John Horgan, Ray Cummins, Pat Moylan, Eamon O'Donoghue, Frank Norberg and Kilkenny's Frank Cummins anchoring a powerful squad
14. "Obituary: John Horgan, Cork hurling captain, Blackrock club legend". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2018.

External links

• Blackrock Hurling Club Website