The Mick Darcy Tipperary & Dublin G.A.A. Medal Collectio...

Hammer

€8,800

The Mick Darcy Tipperary & Dublin G.A.A. Medal Collection

Medals, G.A.A.: 1924-34, An important Collection of gold Sporting Medals, won by Mick Darcy for Dublin & Tipperary, including:
* All-Ireland Hurling C'ship Medal 1924, won by Dublin, Celtic Cross design with pierced obverse and central harp overlay, inscribed on reverse and hallmarked;
* Laochar Iomaint na Mumhan (Seirn) 1925- Tiobradh - Arainn do buaidh, circular design and pierced centre with enamel crest overlay inscribed reverse, hallmarked;
* All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1925, won by Tipperary (Boherlahan Selection) Celtic Cross design with pierced obverse and central harp overlay, inscribed on reverse, hall marked;
* M.H. Final (Souvenir) Medal 1926, circular design, the obverse of etched design and shield enamel coat of arms overlay, inscribed on reverse, hallmarked;
* Munster Senior winner Medal of circular and pierced form with etched coat  of arms for Munster, the reverse inscribed 'M.O. D. Orcheudhe,' hallmarked.
* National Hurling League (GAA) 1st Division 1927, won by Tipperary - the obverse with attractive enamel coat of arms on pierced Celtic Cross design and circular etched central overlay with typical motifs, inscribed on reverse, hallmarked;
* Senior Hurling Championship 1934, won by UCD, HC (University College Dublin, Hurling Club) Jubilee Year 1884-1934, the obverse of circular form with pierced centre and Dublin coat of arms and inscribed Curaidhing, Co. Bhaile Atha Cliath - G.A.A., reverse inscribed, hallmarked (as manager);
* 'Comortas Iomanuidheachta Naoimh Eanna,' the obverse of Celtic Cross design each with Celtic design and central profile of Padraig Pearse, the reverse inscribed, hallmarked.
As a collection, w.a.f.

Provenance:  By family descent, gifted to the Present Vendor.

Note:  Jack and Mick Darcy were born in Grange, Nenagh. Jack was born in 1898 and Mick in 1901. They received their early education in the Convent National School and in Nenagh C.B.S. Fr. William O’Kennedy, a family relation, was on the staff of St. Flannan’s College, Ennis and the brothers were sent there to complete their secondary education.

Jack played for Flannans in the Munster Colleges’ Hurling league, a competition which pre dated the Harty Cup hurling competition. He was the contemporary of the great Tommy Daly, who was a student in Flannan’s when he won a Junior All Ireland with Clare in 1914. Mick was to continue the link with Tommy Daly later.

The Harty Cup was presented in 1918 by Archbishop J.M. Harty, Archbishop of Cashel, for a hurling competition between the secondary schools and colleges in Munster. This was organised by the Dr. Harty Cup Committee and was not directly affiliated to the G.A.A. Flannan’s entered this competition but did not have any success. Mick was a member of the Harty Cup team.

Jack Darcy went to U.C.G. and became an engineer with Cork Corporation. He played inter county hurling for Tipperary from 1919 – 1927. Transport was scarce at the time and he travelled from Cork on his motorbike for training and matches. Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh has described him as “The original Hell’s Angel”.

Mick Darcy went to U.C.D. where he continued his hurling career. In 1923 he played in the Fitzgibbon cup with U.C.D. This team was captained by Tommy Daly of Clare. In 1923 and ’24 he played Senior hurling for Dublin. He won a senior All Ireland Medal in 1924 when Dublin defeated Galway on a scoreline of 5-3 to 2-6. Two other famous non-Dublin natives who were on that team were Tommy Daly of Clare and Garret Howard of Limerick.

1924 also saw the revival of the ancient Tailteann Games. The Government donated 10,000 Pounds to help fund the competitions. It was decided that one of the events would be a hurling match between Ireland and the exiles. The brothers were selected to play on the Irish team, Jack at corner back and Mick at centre field. In modern times they were the first brothers to receive All Star Awards on the same team.

In 1925, having completed his studies in U.C.D., Mick declared for Tipperary and both brothers lined out for Tipperary. Tipperary defeated Cork and Waterford in Munster, Antrim in the semi final and Galway in the final.

In 1926 it was decided that the Tipperary team would undertake a tour of America. The tour would last from May to July. Not all members of the Government were happy with the tour as they felt that it was a cover for fund raising for the I.R.A. Both Darcy brothers were in “Government jobs”, Jack with Cork Corporation and Mick with the Civil Service. They were refused permission to go on the trip and were told that if they did go, they would “have no jobs to come back to”. Their mother decided that they should remain at home reminding them that they had permanent and pensionable jobs. Jobs were scarce in the 1920’s and she was not going to allow her sons to abandon their careers over hurling. She had her way and the boys remained at home.

The tour took place. Tipperary played six games beating Offaly who were American Champions, a Cork selection, Chicago, Buffalo, San Francisco and New York. The publicity for the match in Chicago read “Come for an eyeful of sport, fifteen hundred years old. Arms and legs snap occasionally”. The victorious Tipperary team returned in July. They called themselves “The World Champions”. When the team returned, the Darcy brothers rejoined the panel. Tipperary beat Limerick in the Munster semi final and faced Cork in the final. The match was fixed for the Athletic Grounds, Cork. Over 26,000 people paid in. Spectators were almost on the pitch. After 16 minutes the match was abandoned as the spectators were constantly spilling onto the pitch. Tipperary were leading by 1-2 to no score. The replay took place in Thurles. It was the first Gaelic Match to be broadcast. It ended in a draw Cork 4-1 Tipperary 3-4. The second replay was also played in Thurles. After ten minutes Tipperary mid fielder Martin Mockler was sent off. From then on Tipperary were fighting a rear guard battle. Cork were the winners on a scoreline of 3-6 to 2-4.

Neither brother was to win another All Ireland medal. Mick continued his association with hurling through U.C.D. where he was a trainer and selector for many years. He became private secretary to Dan Morrissey, a fellow Nenagh man in the second inter-party government ’54-’57. When Dan Morrissey retired from politics to form a highly successful auctioneering business, he retired from the Civil Service to join him. He died in Dublin in 1964. Jack Darcy continued to work for Cork Corporation and became City Engineer. He married a Clare woman, Ivy Hannan from Newmarket on Fergus. He died in Cork in 1972.