Jim Langton

Infobox GAA player
code= Hurling
sport = Hurling


name = Jim Langton
irish = Séamus Langtún
fullname = Jim Langton
placeofbirth = Gowran
countryofbirth = County Kilkenny
dob =
dob =
height =
nickname =
county = Kilkenny
province = Leinster
club = Éire Óg
clposition = Half-forward
clubs =
clyears =
clapps(points) =
clcounty =
clprovince=
clallireland =
counties = Kilkenny
icposition = Half-forwrad
icyears = 1938-1954
icapps(points) = 43
icprovince = 7
icallireland = 2
allstars =
clupdate =
icupdate =

Jim Langton (1918-1987) was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Éire Óg and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1939 until 1954. Langton's inclusion on the GAA Hurling Team of the Millennium mark him out as one of the greatest players of all-time.

Playing career

Club

Langton played his club hurling with his local Éire Óg club. He enjoyed much success with the club in the county championship, winning his first county title in 1939. It was the first time ever that Éire Óg had won the county final. Langton won three more county hurling medals in 1944, 1945 and 1947.

Inter-county

Langton first came to prominence on the inter-county hurling scene in the mid-1930s. He won a Leinster minor championship medal in 1935 before later converting this into an All-Ireland medal. He repeated this feat in 1936 and added two more Leinster and All-Ireland medals to his collection. Langton quickly joined the Kilkenny senior hurling team, however, it would be 1939 before he won his first senior Leinster title. Kilkenny subsequently played Cork in what has become known as the ‘thunder and lightning’ All-Ireland final. A huge thunder storm interrupted the game half-way through, however, Kilkenny went on to win by a point and Langton collected his first senior All-Ireland medal.

In 1940 Langton was captain of the Kilkenny team. That year he collected a second Leinster title, however, his team were beaten by Limerick in the All-Ireland final. The next few years proved difficult for Langton, as Kilkenny were not allowed to play in the championship because of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. The team returned in 1945 with Langton collecting a fourth Leinster title. Unfortunately, his side were later defeated by Tipperary in the All-Ireland final. 1946 saw Langton win a fifth provincial medal, however, for the second year in-a-row Kilkenny were beaten in the championship decider, this time by old rivals Cork. In 1947 Langton added a sixth Leinster title to his collection and once again Kilkenny qualified to play Cork in the All-Ireland final. The prospect of losing three consecutive All-Ireland finals was a daunting one, however, in a game described as the greatest of all-time, Kilkenny beat Cork by a point and Langton collected his second All-Ireland medal.

It was 1950 before Langton won his seventh Leinster title, however, Kilkenny were beaten by Tipperary in the All-Ireland final. He retired from inter-county hurling in 1954.

Jim Langton died aged 69 on April 18, 1987.

Teams

External links

* [http://www.anfearrua.com/story.asp?id=582 Jim Langton Would Turn in His Grave…..]

ee also

* List of people on stamps of Ireland