Munster GAA Awards Hall of Fame Winners Announced

PRESS RELEASE

23 November 2011

Hall of Fame Winners Announced for 2011 Bord Gáis Energy Munster GAA Awards

Cork and Kerry Legends to join elite band

Cork hurling star Gerald McCarthy and Kerry footballing hero Paudie Lynch are the latest Munster legends to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, it was announced today. The two greats will be receiving their awards at the upcoming Bord Gáis Energy Munster GAA Awards which is taking place on 3 December 2011 in the Malton Hotel, Killarney.

Cork hurling star and manager, Gerald McCarthy spent his hurling career with St. Finbarr’s and played for the Cork senior inter-county team for 14 years, during which he won five All Ireland titles, nine Munster titles, three National Hurling League titles and five Railway Cup titles with Munster. In 2000 he was chosen to partner Jack Lynch at midfield on the Cork Hurling Team of the Century. In 2006, McCarthy took the helm of Cork and managed the team for three years until 2009.

Kerry footballer Paudie Lynch played club football with Beaufort and spent 10 years at wing back for Kerry where he won 5 All Ireland Senior medals, 8 Munster Senior medals, 1 U21 All Ireland medal, 4 National Leagues, 3 All Star awards, 2 Railway Cups with Munster, 1 Sigerson Cup with UCC and 1 AII Ireland College medal with St. Brendan’s Killarney.

McCarthy and Lynch join fellow GAA greats in the Hall of Fame including Seamus Durack, Eamon Cregan, Mick O’Dwyer and Senan Downes.

Speaking on the announcement of the Hall of Fame winners for 2011, Bord Gáis Energy Sports Sponsorship Manager Ger Cunningham said “Bord Gáis Energy is delighted to be sponsoring the Munster GAA Awards once again for 2011. It is a great event to honour and reward all those who have made significant contributions to Munster’s GAA.”

Also speaking on the announcement of these awards Sean Walsh, Chairman of Munster GAA said “The outstanding achievements of Gerald McCarthy and Paudie Lynch are worthy of recognition and Munster GAA are honoured to select both as this year’s Hall of Fame awards. Congratulations also to the other award winners”

Other 2011 winners announced today are Michael Scanlon, C103 radio who won the Media Award; Eddie Cunningham, Waterford for Services to Refereeing Award; Willie Dowling, Kerry took the Services in Education Award for his work with Causeway Comprehensive School; Gerry Bennis, Limerick won the award for Distinguished Service to GAA; Clare’s Patrick Kelly won the Intermediate Hurling Award and Andrew O’Sullivan from Cork won the Junior Football Award.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Ed Donnelly

Munster GAA PRO

Email: pro.munster@gaa.ie

Tel: 087 2055642
Nigel O’Mahony

OMF Publicity for Bord Gáis Energy

Email: nigel@omfpublicity.ie

Tel: 086 2497530

Hall of Fame profiles

Paudie Lynch (Beaufort and Kerry)

Paudie Lynch, from Beaufort won his first All-Ireland medal in 1969 when St Brendan’s College (Sem) Killarney captured The Hogan Cup. The captain that day was the Munster 2009 of the hall of fame winner John O’Keeffe.  Paudie was a member of the Kerry Junior team that was defeated in the All Ireland final in 1969, the Kerry minor team in 1970 who also lost in the All Ireland final, and in 1972 was a member of the Kerry U21 team and Senior teams who also lost in the All-Ireland Finals. Paudie has the rare distinction of having runner-up medals in All Ireland Minor, U21, Junior, Senior and also Kerry and Cork Senior county championships.

Paudie was blossoming into a great midfielder and in 1973 was a member of the Kerry U21 team captained by Mickey Ned O’Sullivan who defeated Mayo in the All Ireland final. His first taste of Senior success came in 1975, when Mick O’ Dwyer’s young guns overwhelmed a fancied Dublin team, Paudie played a storming game, partnering Pat McCarthy at midfield. In 1976 when the Dubs defeated Kerry in the AII Ireland final, Paudie was playing at midfield, but a transition was about to happen and when Kerry next played in an All-Ireland final in 1978, Paudie wore the no. 7 shirt and in 1980 and 1981 he again showed his versatility by winning his last 2 All Ireland medals inside at corner back.

With his club Beaufort, whom he served loyally over the years, he won novice Junior and Intermediate Co. Championships, a senior county Championship with Mid Kerry, a senior Cork championship with UCC. With Kerry he won 5 All Ireland Senior medals, 1 U21 All Ireland medal, 4 National leagues, 3 All Star awards, with Munster 2 Railway Cups, with UCC 1 Sigerson Cup and with St. Brendan’s Killarney, 1 AII Ireland College medal.

In Paudie Lynch’s wonderful career, the media rarely noticed or put the spotlight on him. He was not a man for the limelight, but whether for Beaufort in a club game or Kerry at Croke Park, his exceptional football ability shone through, and it can be truly said of him that he was a star among stars in that golden era for Kerry football.  Paudie Lynch played the game as it should be played as exemplary sportsmen, and was a great ambassador on and off the pitch.

Club: Beaufort

Career: 1971 – 1983

Championship Appearances: 39 (38 as a starter, 1 as a sub – scored 0-7)

League Appearances: 60 (scored 2-32)

 

Gerald McCarthy (St. Finbarr’s and Cork)

Gerald McCarthy seemed destined for stardom from early in his career when captaining the Cork team in 1966 which brought the Liam McCarthy Cup back to Leeside after a gap of twelve years and, a short time later, led the Under-21’s to victory after three epic games against Wexford.

Over the course of the last four decades, he achieved every honour the game had to offer, winning a second senior medal in 1970 and playing a key role in the team which completed three-in-a-row eight years later. An older generation will recall his hurling wizardry in the ’77 final against Wexford, when the management strategically placed him at centre-forward in a bid to curb the influence of Mick Jacob.

His won nine Munster championship medals over the 14 years of his career, four in the National League, another five in the Railway Cup, as well as All-Ireland club medals with St. Finbarr’s. And he also won an All-star award in 1975.

At club level, he played in eight county finals, winning four medals – as well as a county football medal in 1976, playing at wing-back. He also enjoyed notable success as a coach with the ‘Barrs in hurling.

He was trainer when Cork lost the 1982 All-Ireland and again when they were successful 1990. And, more recently before taking over as manager during a turbulent time for him personally and the county, he spent four years as Waterford coach, guiding them to Munster and League final appearances as well as an All-Ireland semi-final.