Blackrock National Hurling Club Explained

Club Gaa:Blackrock National Hurling Club
Irish:Cumann Iománuoíchta Náisiunta Na Carraige Duibhe
Founded:1883
Province:Munster
County:Cork
Nickname:The Rockies
Colours:Green and Gold[1]
Grounds:Church Road, Blackrock
Coordinates:51.8932°N -8.4183°W
H1:3
H2:5
H3:33
Pattern La:_green_hoops
Pattern B:_greenhoops
Pattern Ra:_green_hoops
Leftarm:FDD017
Body:FDD017
Rightarm:FDD017
Shorts:FFFEED
Socks:1DA237

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'.

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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[4]

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.[5] [6] 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.[6]

Blackrock's most recent Senior County Championship was in 2020 when they defeated Glen Rovers in the final.

Honours

33[7]

1

5

7

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.

PlayerEraClub titles
All-IrelandMunsterCounty
Mick 'Gah' Ahern1920s-1930s1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
Paddy 'Balty' Ahern1920s-1930s1920, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
John Bennett1950s-1960s1956, 1961
Jimmy Brohan1950s-1960s1956, 1961[12]
Alan Browne1990s-2000s1999, 2001, 2002
John Browne1990s-2000s1999, 2001, 2002
Richard Browne1980s-1990s1985
Jim Cashman1980s-1990s1985, 1999
Mick Cashman1950s-1960s1956, 1961
Tom Cashman1970s-1980s19791978, 19791978, 1979, 1985
Donie Collins1970s-1980s1972, 1974, 19791971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 19791971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979
Eudie Coughlan1920s-1930s1920, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
John Coughlan1920s-1930s1920, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
Pat Coughlan1880s-1890s1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898
Alan Cummins1990s-2000s1999, 2001, 2002
Brendan Cummins1970s-1980s1972, 19741971, 19731971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Frank Cummins1970s-1980s1972, 1974, 1979[13] 1971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 19791971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Ray Cummins1960s-1980s1972, 1974, 19791973, 1975, 1978, 19791971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Paddy Delea1920s-1930s1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
Stephen Hayes1880s-1890s1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898
John Horgan1970s-1980s1972, 19741971, 1973, 1975, 19781971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979[14]
Jim Hurley1970s-1980s1925, 1927, 1929, 1930
Dermot Mac Curtain1970s-1980s19791975, 1978, 19791975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Billy Mackessy1900s-1910s1903, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913
Pat Moylan1970s-1980s1972, 1974, 19791971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 19791971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979
John 'Curtis' Murphy1880s-1890s1887, 1889, 1891, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1898
Seán Óg Murphy1910s-1920s1913, 1920, 1924, 1925 and 1927
Frank Norberg1960s-1970s1972, 19741971, 1973, 1975, 19791971, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979
Edward 'Marie' O'Connell1920s-1930s1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
Éamonn O'Donoghue1970s-1980s1974, 19791973, 1975, 1978, 19791973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985
Peter 'Hawker' O'Grady1920s-1930s1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1931
John O'Halloran1960s-1970s197419731961, 1971, 1973
Johnny Quirke1920s-1930s1929, 1930, 1931
Fergal Ryan1990s-2000s1999, 2001, 2002
Mick Ryan1950s
Wayne Sherlock1990s-2000s1999, 2001, 2002

Notable teams

YearCompetitionTeam AScoreTeam BScoreResult
1972All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship FinalBlackrock5-13Rathnure6-9Bernard 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.
1974All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship FinalBlackrock(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.)
1979All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship FinalBlackrock5-7Ballyhale Shamrock5-5Tim 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

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History . Blackrock Hurling Club . blackrockhurlingclub.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20150219174955/http://www.blackrockhurlingclub.com/blackrockhurling.org/history.htm . 19 February 2015.
  2. Web site: The Rockies - About . Blackrock Hurling Club . blackrockhurlingclub.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20181020211214/http://blackrockhurlingclub.com/about/ . 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. Web site: Players take on Murphy's law . Irish Times . 7 December 2002 . 2 November 2018 . Blackrock hurling club, which was founded in 1883 [..] is officially the oldest club in Cork .
  4. Book: Cork: A History In the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Volume One 1887-1949 . T.M. Mhic Chonbhui . 2017 . 9781326881245 . Lulu Press .
  5. Book: East to Mahon, The Story of Blackrock, Ballintemple, Ballinlough, Ballinure and Mahon . Richard Henchion. Dahadore Publications . 2005 . 0-9541293-2-6 . 162 . 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.
  6. Book: O'Brien Pocket History of Gaelic Sport . Eamonn Sweeney . O'Brien Press . 2012 . 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.
  7. Web site: Blackrock claim Cork hurling title after pulsating final win . Irish Times . irishtimes.com . 4 October 2020 . 4 October 2020 .
  8. News: Ryan goals keep resurgent Rockies on roll . 22 October 2012 . . 22 October 2012.
  9. Web site: Brilliant Blackrock sweep aside anxious Duhallow. 14 November 2015. Irish Examiner. 17 November 2015 .
  10. News: Four-goal Rockies retain crown . 2 October 2012 . . 2 October 2012.
  11. News: Rockies rule thanks to Cormack’s fine finish . 2 September 2013 . . 2 September 2013.
  12. Web site: Club to Honour Jimmy Brohan . Blackrock Hurling Club . blackrockhurlingclub.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20140712232831/http://blackrockhurlingclub.com/node/340 . 12 July 2014 .
  13. Web site: All-Ireland Club Hurling - Martin Breheny's top 25. Independent News & Media . 15 March 2011 . 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. News: Obituary: John Horgan, Cork hurling captain, Blackrock club legend . Irish Examiner . irishexaminer.com . 1 July 2016 . 2 November 2018 .