Tipp Association awards for our inter-county hurling stars

Person of the Year Awards for Callanan and Maher while Jimmy Finn to be inducted in to Hall of Fame

The Tipperary Association Dublin annual awards for 2019 were presented recently in Thurles. Due to the pandemic the Person of the Year and Hall of Fame Awards function could not be held in 2020 as normal or to date in 2021. The President of Tipperary Association Dublin, Liam Myles, stated that the association was delighted to make the awards – especially after the lost year that was 2020.

He added: “I wish to thank the three recipients for their understanding, patience and cooperation in respect of this event. Thanks also to the County GAA Board and Semple Stadium for facilitating the association for the event.”

For the first time since the awards commenced in 1981, the Person of the Year award for 2019 goes jointly to well-known Tipperary senior hurlers Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch) and Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh). This award is sponsored by Louis Fitzgerald of the Louis Fitzgerald Group for which we are most grateful.

Borris-Ileigh will be honoured on the double when, Jimmy Finn, one of the club’s greats and one of Tipperary’s finest hurlers from the past, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The Palace Bar, Dublin, which is owned and run by the Aherne family, sponsor this award. The award trophies are unique one offs and are designed and sculptured by well-known artist, Tipperary town native, Jarlath Daly.

When the nominations for 2019 were received there were two clear and outstanding candidates – Seamus Callanan and Brendan Maher. So outstanding in fact, that the association decided they could not be separated!

Person of the Year: Seamus Callanan and Brendan Maher

Seamus Callanan of Drom & Inch captained Tipperary to win the All-Ireland senior hurling championship in 2019, winning his third All-Ireland medal. He holds a number of senior Mid-Tipperary Championship medals with Drom & Inch, going on to win the county title in 2011.

He won an All-Ireland medal at minor level in 2006 and in 2008 was a member of the Munster championship winning Tipperary team at under 21 level. One of the highest goal scorers of all time, he scored a goal for Tipperary in every game of the 2019 championship - a historic and unique record.

2019 was a special year for Seamus Callanan. As captain of the senior hurlers, he led from the front, culminating in a fantastic All-Ireland win. He was selected on the All-Star team of the year - his fourth in all and was chosen as Hurler of the Year for 2019.

Brendan Maher of Borris-Ileigh has starred for many years for Tipperary, captaining the county to senior All-Ireland glory in 2016, having previously captaining the minor team to All-Ireland success in 2007. He sustained a career threatening knee injury in the summer of 2018 but he came back in 2019 to play a leading role in Tipperary winning the All Ireland. His contribution was recognised with him winning his third All Star at the end of the year.

To go along with his performances for Tipp, he has starred for Borris-Ileigh in helping them to win the Dan Breen after a lapse of 33 years. He followed this up with superb performances in the Munster club campaign. While Borris lost out in the final, he lit up the games with some phenomenal and outstanding deeds which thrilled the followers of the game of hurling everywhere. He was deservedly chosen as Club Hurler of the Year for 2019.

Tipperary had a great year on the sporting front in 2019. Seamus Callanan and Brendan Maher made a huge contribution to this success.

Hall of Fame: Jimmy Finn

In June 1959 the career of one of Tipperary’s greatest hurlers came to an end. Jimmy Finn was aged 28 and in his prime when an accidental blow to the eye in a North Championship match in Nenagh ended his career.

Hurling was always part of Jimmy’s life growing up in Borris-Ileigh but his skills were honed when he attended Thurles CBS and progresses to the Tipperary minors in 1948. The following year he was centre back on the successful Tipp minor team on the same day that the seniors won the first of their three senior All Ireland titles.

A year later, in 1950, he was selected at right half back on the senior side to mark the great Jimmy Langton of Kilkenny as Tipperary retained the title and the following year 1951 at just 19 years of age, he captained Tipp to another All-Ireland success.

Jimmy won another All-Ireland medal in in 1958 and but for that unfortunate accident would have been part of the great Tipp team of the early 1960s. He also won six National League medals and six Railway Cup medals representing Munster.

Borris-Ileigh was Jimmy’s first love and played on the senior team from the age of 17 winning three County Championships.

Widely regarded as one of the finest hurlers of all time, his crowning legacy came when he was selected at right half back on the Hurling Team of The Century in the GAA’s Centenary 1984.

Jimmy was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the GPA in 2015 for his contribution to hurling. He is also the last surviving member of the famous three-in-row Tipperary team of 1949 - 1951. Outside of hurling Jimmy’s other sporting passions are greyhounds and horses, and as in all his ventures, has had great success in both.