Joe Dunphy

Joe Dunphy remembers the many years he spent contributing to the betterment of Kilkenny hurling through his deep involvement with the GAA. Originally from Thomastown, he played hurling with the local club growing up and later attended De La Salle school in Waterford as a boarder. He maintained his interest in hurling there, as he did at St Pat’s teacher training college in Drumcondra, Dublin. After returning to Kilkenny he began teaching in Ballyhale, and was soon coaching the school hurling team. Many of the inter-county stars of the future came under Joe’s tutelage, and in later years he was coaching the same players as they enjoyed unprecedented success with Ballyhale Shamrocks. He also worked in different administrative positions - notably as an Irish officer - and composed books of poetry in which he found expression for the grá that he and many others felt for Gaelic games. With his extensive knowledge of names, familial connections, dates and places, Joe is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to Kilkenny GAA. And through his years of coaching work he left an indelible mark on some of the greatest and most successful inter-county hurlers that Ireland has ever witnessed.