Tommy Maher

Monsignor Thomas "Tommy" Maher (25 April 1922 – 25 March 2015) was an Irish Catholic priest and Irish Hurler who played as left wing-forward for the Kilkenny senior team.[1][2]

Tommy Maher
Personal information
Irish name Tomás Ó Meachair
Sport Hurling
Position Left wing-forward
Born (1922-04-25)25 April 1922
Gowran, County Kilkenny, Ireland
Died 25 March 2015(2015-03-25) (aged 92)
Nickname Fr. Tommy
Occupation Roman Catholic priest
Club(s)
Years Club
1944-1945
1946-1947
 Castle Rovers
Thomastown
Club titles
Kilkenny titles 0
Inter-county(ies)*
Years County Apps (scores)
1945-1946
 Kilkenny 1 (1-1)
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles 0
All-Irelands 0
NHL 0
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 19:06, 12 August 2014.

Born in Gowran, County Kilkenny, Maher first played competitive hurling during his schooling at St. Kieran's College. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of twenty-three when he first linked up with the Kilkenny senior team. He made his senior debut during the 1945 championship. Maher had a brief inter-county career and won one Leinster medal as a non-playing substitute. He was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.

At club level Maher had a brief career with Castle Rovers and Thomastown.

In retirement from playing Maher became involved in team management and coaching. As trainer and coach of the Kilkenny senior team for over twenty years he guided the team to seven All-Ireland titles, fourteen Leinster titles and three National Hurling League titles. Maher also found much success at club level with Mullinavat and at colleges' level with St. Kieran's College.[3]

Honours

Player
St. Kieran's College
Kilkenny
Leinster
  • All-Ireland Colleges Senior Hurling Inter-Provincial Championship (1): 1940

Trainer
Mullinavat
Kilkenny

Clerical career

Monsignor Maher studied for the priesthood in Maynooth College and was ordained a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Ossory in 1948, worked as a curate in Dublin before moving back to Kilkenny in 1955 and taught Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry at St Kieran's College, Kilkenny, from 1963, and served as President of St Kieran’s College from 1973 to 1983. He left St Kieran’s to become parish priest of Mullinavat in South Kilkenny where he remained until he retired in 1998. He awarded the church title of Monsignor from the Catholic church.

References
  1. "A giant of his day with a lesson for today". The Irish Catholic. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  2. Kennedy, J. J. (5 December 2012). "Enda McEvoy's biography on Fr Tommy Maher a real hurling man's book". The Nationalist. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  3. Hogan, Vincent (30 June 2012). "The man who changed everything". Irish independent. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
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