St Lachtain's won the Kilkenny JHC in 2024.
By Cian O’Connell
Stephen Farrell marvels at how St Lachtain’s campaign has unfolded. Every joyous sporting adventure generates momentum. Hurling peppers the conversations in Freshford, but this is an extra level.
The scrutiny, desire, and simple sense of belonging. Sunday’s AIB All-Ireland JHC Final against Russell Rovers at Croke Park is next on the agenda. Farrell was a sub when St Lachtain’s sampled GAA headquarters glory at Intermediate level back in 2010.
So, he is fully aware of what can happen when a decent club team advances on to the provincial and national stages. “You're going through a county championship, everyone in the parish and everyone around us is living on the edge: the county final is the big one,” Farrell reflects.
“To get back up to Intermediate was St Lachtain's massive goal. Everything after that, it probably takes a couple of games in Leinster, people saying everything is bonus, it is great to get the days out.
“Then, you play a Leinster first round, a Leinster quarter-final, and the next thing the players are looking at each other.”
Suddenly, possibilities exist. That is what hurling can bring. “You've people around the village back talking again, that hunger is back again,” he adds.
“Now, they want to go to win, it isn't bonus territory anymore. You want to win it, to enjoy it, to get to Croke Park, to go to win in Croke Park. Definitely, there is a great buzz around. Training is going well, the lads are looking forward to it, and it is one more game, whatever we can do to get over the line to win it.
“Definitely, it has been an unbelievable Christmas, an unbelievable last few weeks, there is great excitement around the place. We're delighted to be there, but we want to give it one last push, to try to get over the line.”
There is just something about Croke Park, especially for a club team. Returning to the Jones’ Road venue matters deeply to St Lachtain’s. Since 2010, tough days have been endured. Relegations hurt.
Throughout the past decade and a half Lachtain’s persevered. Crucially, links to that famous triumph supplies guidance. “You've guys still on the team John Fitzpatrick, Brian Kennedy, Noel McGree,” Farrell says. “Then, as part of the management team you'd have Robbie Dowling, Bill Beckett, and myself.
“So, plenty of us were there back in 2010 which is great from a manager's side, that we've the experience, and for the players, that you've three players still involved. It is great to have that experience.”
St Lachtain's Ollie O'Connor celebrates after scoring a goal in the 2010 AIB All-Ireland Club IHC Final at Croke Park. Photo by Sportsfile
Farrell was a teenager in 2010, relishing the games and occasions. Valuable lessons were learned, information stored away for future reference. It was Brian Kennedy and I's first year playing at adult level, we'd have been minors, two county minors at the time, part of the panel,” he recalls. “It was our first year playing adult, it was a great introduction. We'd have only been 18.
“It was unbelievable really, being a young lad looking up to the John Costellos, Eoin Guinans, even the Bill Becketts and Robbie Dowlings, two of the selectors.
“Coming into a panel like that at a young age, to get the days out that we got, to go to win in Croke Park, it was dreams come true.”
Not long after, though, Farrell had to deal with the harsh and painful reality of injuries. His playing career was terminated too early. Coaching has been a rewarding route. That it started far from Croke Park, merely adds to the fulfilment. “It is a strange one, with injuries, I suppose, I had to stop playing at a young age,” Farrell reflects.
“I got a lot of operations done and had a lot of setbacks; I just couldn't stay on the field. I went through a couple of hard years with injuries, I just had to call it a day, it just never worked out for me.
“My younger sister, at a young age when she was eight or nine, with the camogie there was no team or management for her and her friends. So, I actually took on that, we started off with maybe eight or nine girls, and then ended up having a team.
“We were competing at U10 and U12, I took on the camogie side of it, that way. Then, as the older my sister got, my brother and I felt we had set a good foundation, and we stepped away to let them at it.”
Other gigs became available. Farrell was firmly on the coaching path. “That is when I expanded with a boys U21 team in the club,” he adds. “I went to coach a few teams outside the club, and then ended up coming back. So, it is a funny story really. I had to stop playing myself at a young age, and then jumped straight into coaching straightaway.
“I love the GAA; it is something I'm passionate about. So, it was nice to have something to fall back on when you couldn't compete yourself.”
Away from Freshford, Farrell had to find ways to survive and thrive. Coaching other clubs was a challenge to embrace for a plethora of reasons. “Definitely, when you go outside at a young age, and when I took off with the camogie, getting them going, I was only 22 at the time,” Farrell responds.
“I gave a couple of years with them, it was enjoyable dealing with that age group, you'd learn a lot more with that age group than you would with some adult teams.”
Michael Kavanagh starred for St Lachtain's and Kilkenny during a very successful playing career. Photo by Sportsfile
“Certainly, when I went outside the club, you're on your own. You've to learn different things, it is definitely something that sets you up. You see how things are run differently, that you're not in your own club, in a comfortable environment. You're working with people you don't know. You're working with different club secretaries and chairpeople, that you wouldn't know. It was great to go outside to learn.
“I was involved in a Kilkenny camogie set-up for a couple of years. I've been back with my own club now for another stint, I'm enjoying it and it is something I'm passionate about.
“It is great when you've days like January 12, it is great, especially when it is with your own friends and family, it is something special.”
Securing silverware in an ultra-competitive Kilkenny environment is tough. “In Kilkenny, the club hurling, it is really cut throat,” Farrell acknowledges. “I always believe, and you'd often hear people saying, that if you win a county final in Kilkenny at any grade or level, that you deserve it.
“Really, it is small margins in Kilkenny hurling, you can have one or two great years, but if something goes wrong, you can find yourself at the other end very easily. It is cut throat in Kilkenny, it really is.”
Ultimately, Farrell is encouraged about the progress being made by St Lachtain’s, on and off the field. Capable hurlers are being produced meaning hope is attached. The work carried out in the juvenile ranks is key. “We got beaten in an U21 County Final against Clara just before Christmas by a couple of points,” Farrell says.
“We're not blessed with numbers, in a small parish, it is hard when numbers are a big thing. We're competing, we've good people down there, experienced people coaching the teams, ex hurlers. We've a good set-up.
“We're not blessed with huge numbers, but we're a good club with a good structure put together. Hopefully we can keep driving on, we're back up to intermediate level.
“The reason we're at intermediate level is because of the underage structure happening, we've to stay producing. Even for a small parish like this, if you could get three or four hurlers out of minor every year to strengthen that intermediate panel, it is a big help.”
Before local action resumes in Kilkenny, though, St Lachtain’s make a welcome return to Croke Park. “It's great, it's been an enjoyable Christmas, a busy Christmas, a different Christmas, I suppose, to the usual ones,” he laughs.
“2010 was the last time we were there, you don't get many opportunities like this, and we're looking forward to it.”
