References
Ireland | VIEW SOURCE |
Tommy Daly was one of Ireland's greatest goal keepers in Irish hurling.
He was born in Tulla village in 1894. He attended local schools, playing hurling locally until his acceptance at University College, Dublin (UCD).
Tommy Daly won his first medal in 1914 at junior level. He continued his hurling with the Collegians, the UCD team as goalkeeper and the team won the Fitzgibbon Cup in 1915. The Collegians went on to win the cup in 1916, 1917, 1923, 1924 & 1927. In addition, Tommy Daly played for Dublin and won three county titles for them in 1917, 1918, and 1919.
After his graduation from UCD where he received a degree in medicine, he practiced as a doctor in London. However, he continued to maintain a key interest in the game and came back to Ireland for matches as often as possible. In 1930, he again played at the Inter-County level as the rule barring non-residents from playing was set aside. Dr Tommy Daly played with Tulla from that time up until 1933 where Tulla won the County final. He retired shortly after, however continued his interest in the game becoming a much respected referee.
In 1935, he participated at the Senior Hurling Final between Limerick and Kilkenny. Dr. Tommy Daly was tragically killed in an automobile accident in Tuamgraney in 1936.
The main GAA pitch in Tulla is named after him.
Bryan McMahon, the famous poet from County Kerry (1909-1998) wrote the following famous poem.
Lament for Dr. Tommy Daly
On the wind'swept Hill of Tulla
Where the Claremen place their dead
Four solemn yews stand sentinel
Above a hurler's head,
And from the broken north lands
From Burren bleak and bare,
The dirge of Tommy Daly
Goes surging on through Clare.
No more shall limewhite goalposts
Soar tapering and tall
Above the greatest goal man
That ever clutched a ball.
Nor yet heメll rouse the echoes
Of ash in native air.
Nor heed the throbbing thousands
Tense with pride of Clare.
But wherever Clare does battle
And whoever guards the goal,
Wheneメer the citadel is saved
The proud, the noble soul
Of sterling Thomas Daly
They shall recall and say
God rest you Thomas Daly
On your windメswept hill to-day
To think that never once again
Heメll don with lightsome air
The claret-gold of Tulla
Nor the blue and gold of Clare.
Perhaps theyメll pray when feasts are high
And healed the wounds of fiht,
God rest you Thomas Daly
On your windメswept hill to-night
The years shall silver temples
Of hurlers young and free
Til blows the long, long whistle
Of the eternal referee,
Then up the hillside lonely
They're borne with funeral tread
To the wind swept Hill of Tulla
Where the Claremen place their dead.
Beyond this place of toil and tears
Beyond this plain of woe,
There is a bourne in Paradise
Where all the hurlers go,
And there in prime they're goaling
And race across the sod
And thrill our dead forefathers
On the level lawns of God.
On the windメswept Hill of Tulla
Within whose breast so deep
With dreams of Resurrection Morn
A thousand hurlers sleep,
And with them Tommy Daly
Four yews above his head
On the wind swept Hill of Tulla
Where the Clareme place their dead.
Source: www.clarecountylibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/literature/lament_for_daly.htm
An Raithneachan, Gaelic Quarterly Review, No. 3 December 1936 (National Library)
Musical Air : Down Erin's Lovely Lee or She Lives Beside the Anner
Additional Information | ||
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Date of Birth | 1st Sep 1894 | VIEW SOURCE |
Date of Death | 1st Sep 1936 | VIEW SOURCE |