NINE-TIME KILKENNY All-Ireland senior hurling winner Jackie Tyrrell has announced his retirement from the inter-county game.
In a statement released to The42 this morning, the James Stephens man outlined his reasons for bringing the curtain down on a glittering career with the Cats. He is set to continue playing hurling for his club.
He reflected on ‘the privilege of playing with and against some of the greatest sportsmen of our time’ while also paying tribute to Brian Cody, who he described as ‘the greatest GAA manager of all time’.
The 34 year-old made his senior championship debut in 2005 for Kilkenny against Offaly in a Leinster clash in Croke Park. As well as winning nine All-Ireland senior medals, he captained Kilkenny to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 2006.
In recent seasons he battled injuries with his last championship appearance coming in the 2015 Leinster final win over Galway. The defender was part of the Kilkenny squad that lost out in September’s All-Ireland final against Tipperary.
He has enjoyed a remarkable career, winning a huge array of titles with different teams.
Kilkenny
- 9 All-Ireland SHC – 2003, 2006-09, 2011-12, 2014-15
- 10 Leinster SHC – 2003, 2005-11, 2014-15
- 6 National League – 2005-06, 2009, 2012-14
- 4 All-Stars – 2007-10
- 4 Walsh Cup – 2005-06, 2012, 2014
- 1 All-Ireland U21HC – 2003
- 1 Leinster U21HC – 2003
- 1 Leinster MHC – 1999
James Stephens
- 1 All-Ireland Club SHC – 2005
- 1 Leinster Club SHC – 2004
- 3 Kilkenny SHC – 2004, 2005, 2011
- 1 Féile na nGael – 1996
- 2 Kilkenny SFC – 2003, 2008
- 1 Kilkenny JHC – 1999
- 2 Kilkenny U21HC – 2000, 2002
Leinster
- 4 Railway Cup – 2006, 2008-09, 2012
St Kieran’s
- 1 All-Ireland Colleges SHC – 2000
Limerick IT
- 2 Fitzgibbon Cup – 2005, 2007
The full statement reads:
“After careful consideration and reflection I have decided that now is the right time for me to announce my retirement from inter county hurling with the Kilkenny senior hurling team.
“I am making this decision comfortable in the knowledge that I never settled for anything less than giving it my very best. I fought to the end and I never gave up until the contest was over.
“Being part of the Kilkenny senior hurling panel for the past fourteen years has been an unbelievable journey that has given me endless fulfilment, satisfaction, enjoyment and happiness. I have had the privilege of playing with and against some of the greatest sportsmen of our time.
“I cherish the friendships I have made all over the country. There were many challenges along the way but these became my opportunities and motivation to strive even harder to achieve my very best.
“My parents, my sisters and brother and my girlfriend, Clare, have been my greatest inspiration and encouragement on my journey and no words can express my gratitude to them.
“I consider myself lucky to have played under the greatest GAA manager of all time, Brian Cody. I thank him and his management teams for their confidence in me right up to the present time. I wish them and the Kilkenny panel the very best in the future.
“I also wish to thank Ned Quinn and the Kilkenny County Board, the Kilkenny Supporters Club, the GPA and the countless Kilkenny fans, each who in their own way encouraged me every step of the way during my intercounty career.
“My employer, Glanbia, have accommodated me in every way possible over the years and for that I am very grateful.
“I also wish to acknowledge and thank Br. Damien Brennan for his role in my development as player and as a person. He challenged me to embrace my talents in order to bring my best to every situation and achieve things I would have never thought possible.
“I now intend to dedicate myself and the rest of my playing career to my beloved James Stephen’s. It was there that my desire to play the game that I love at the highest level was nurtured and developed.
“Today is not the end but the continuation of a journey, a new beginning, which I intend to fully embrace knowing now that any realistic dream can become a reality.”
Jackie Tyrrell.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
Legend of the game. Good luck in retirement and the rest of your club years
@Sean Minogue: So apart from that list above, he didn’t win too much, right???
Joking aside, there were few better and tougher defenders and yet I don’t recall a dirty stroke. Hard and fair.
Good luck Jackie.
HA… But yeah I actually can’t think of much more he could’ve won… Shinty maybe!
He probably won that if you look closely!
Some warrior
Sad to see the “island ” retire, great no nonsense defender.
A proper hurler. Good luck to him from a Tipp man. I’m not convinced he was treated all that well this year, kk fans might disagree. He surely should have come on in the final. Still, one of the greats.
Hurling legend. All the best for the future from a Tipp woman.
Kilkenny will always be there or thereabouts. Anyone who says any different is foolish.
Jackie says it was a privelaged to play for Kilkenny and it gave him endless enjoyment and satisfaction. Well Jackie, I saw you play and win all of those Leinster and All-Ireland and you gave me all of those things and more. A true warrior right up to the last whistle of every game you played in, none more so than the inspiration you gave when the going got tough. Not just saying this because of your special occasion today but, in the position you played you are the best I have ever seen. Thanks for making many a September Sunday a memory I and thousands of others can keep as well as yourself. Enjoy the days ahead with your club. Thanks again.
Can see Michael Fennelly following him too. Cody can’t stay on much longer either. Tipp easily dismissed them this year and a more experienced Waterford side would have knocked them out in the semi too. Some decent new players but none who hold a candle to the likes of Tyrell, Delaney, Hogan, Shefflin or Fennelly. Murphy, Hogan and Reid only ones who would have started on the Kilkenny team 8 years ago.
Never write off the Cats. This coming from a Dub Cody will have a plan.
pretty sure that similar comments about the future of Kilkenny hurling were made in 2001, 2005, 2010 & 2013. so how did that work out?
Write off the cats at your peril from a long suffering wexford fan. Cody has retired from teaching so arguably he has more time to be involved in hurling with Kk and James Stephens underage now. Everyone thought the same in 2004, look what followed thereafter. He’s a fantastic coach to consistently get the most from what he has currently or coming through and they won’t be far off next year yet again.
Waterford had two stabs at Kilkenny and historically we have seen supposedly good Waterford sides struggle come late August. There is no point in talking about Waterford untill they actually win. Tipperary wanted it more and again this seams to do Tipp to win one evey once ina while but that’s jt for them. I wouldn’t be suprised if KK where climbing the steps of the hogan stand next september
Thanks Jackie for the memories u gave us ur all in Kilkenny . A ledge. A TRUE WARRIOR. Kilkenny are just having a lil break this year, will b back in force in 2017. U cannot keep thoroughbred Cats down. KILKENNY ABU. MOONCOIN woman living in Tipp.
@Flanagan Margaret: Not sure Kilkenny will settle for a break, why should they?, they lost an All Ireland before, the world didn’t cave in on them, camr back even more determined than before, beware!
By all accounts was “very” annoyed after this years final. killkenny full back line tore apart and Coady did not think he was worth a run???? Still very good defender hope he enjoys his retirement.
Great hurler, should have got game time in this year’s final. Retirement was inevitable when he didn’t get a run. BIG pity
Had some barnstorming performances from the back when the Kilkenny forwards were not doing the business, he was one of arguably the greatest backline that ever played hurling?
@Currag Bill, Everyone always remembers the Henrys, the DJ’s Fast Eddies but imo without a backline like Kavangh, Hickey, Tyrell, Walsh, Hogan, JJ, those players could never shine, the unsung heroes of a great hurling team!.
Jackie that is a career of remarkable achievement from Feile to Nowlan Park and through to Croke Park. Well done on it and enjoy the fact that you got the very best out of yourself for your own benefit and to the joy of the many many hurling fans who greatly admire you
As a cork supporter there was many a time we wished him & scheflin were playing for our county, they might have won us a game seemingly as we have’t won since 2005! Jackie was an outstanding player for kilkenny & will be missed on the field
Now he can go back to being Harvey Spector, the lawyer in Suits