Jimmy 'Butler' Coffey

Jimmy Coffey was a hurler for Tipperary minor team and then senior team from 1926 to 1947. In this interview, he explains the highlights and lowlights of being a county player at the time. He recalls some great stories of his time as a player and mentions Tipperary best successes in the 1930s such as the 1930 All-Ireland finals against Cork and the 1937 All-Ireland final against Kilkenny. He discusses the differences between hurling now and hurling inhis childhood when he was playing with a crooked stick instead of a hurl. He also mentions playing against some of the best hurlers of that time like the Mackey brothers from Limerick and Paddy Phelan from Kilkenny. He also refers to events in Irish History, such as the Civil War and the Foot and Mouth outbreak of 1941, and how it had an impact on the county hurling team. The interview ends with Jimmy discussing his family involvement in the GAA.