Paddy Ahern

Infobox GAA player
code= Hurling
sport = Hurling


name = Paddy ‘Balty’ Ahernd
irish = Páidí Ó hEachtairn
fullname = Patrick Ahern
placeofbirth = Ballintemple
countryofbirth = Cork
bday=23
bmonth=10
byear= 1900
dyear=1971
dday=2
dmonth=10
height =
nickname = Balty
county = Cork
province = Munster
club = Blackrock
clposition = Half-back
clubs =
clyears =
clapps(points) =
clcounty =
clprovince=
clallireland =
counties = Cork
icposition = Half-back
icyears = 1919-1931
icapps(points) =
icprovince = 7
icallireland = 5
allstars =
clupdate =
icupdate =

Paddy 'Balty' Ahern (23 October 1900 – 2 October 1971) was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1920s.

Early life

Paddy 'Balty' Ahern was born Ballintemple, Cork in 1900. He was educated at Crab Lane National School and was quickly seen as a hurling player of note. On the school team he played with his brother, Mick 'Gah' Ahern, and their reputations as fine hurlers were seen once again in the School Shield competitions. Ahern later played club hurling and had much success with his local team Blackrock. He also had great success with the Cork senior hurling team in the 1920s.

Hurling career

Club

Ahern was one of the key members of the great Blackrock team of the 1920s. He played in the forward line and was joined by other greats of the game such as his brother Mick, Seán Óg Murphy, Eudie Coughlan and many more. Ahern won seven Cork County Championship titles in all. His first win came in 1920. Four years later Ahern was successful with Blackrock yet again, winning back-to-back county titles in 1924 and 1925. A single championship title was captured in 1927 before completing a hat-trick of county titles in 1929, 1930 and 1931.

Inter-county

Ahern first came to prominence with the Cork senior hurling team in 1919 when he won his first Munster Championship medal. This was later converted into his first All-Ireland following an emphatic victory over Dublin. The final was the first time that Cork wore their now famous red jerseys. Ahern won his second Munster title, however, Dublin gained revenge for the previous year’s defeat by beating Cork. Cork faced a barren spell for the next few years but they returned with a winning streak in 1926 claiming National Hurling League, Munster and All-Ireland honours. Ahern was instrumental in attack in the final against Kilkenny. It was the beginning of a glorious era for Cork hurling. Ahern captured his fourth Munster medal in 1927, however, Dublin once again accounted for Cork in the All-Ireland final. Ahern had earlier won a Railway Cup medal with Munster.

He added a second Railway Cup title at the start of 1928 before later winning his fifth Munster title. In the All-Ireland final against Galway Ahern scored 3 goals to clinch victory and claim his third All-Ireland medal. In 1929 he captured his fourth Munster medal in-a-row, his sixth overall, before later playing in his fourth All-Ireland final in-a-row. Cork’s opponents in the final were Galway once again and Ahern scored Cork’s fourth goal to seal the victory. It was his fourth All-Ireland medal. Cork had no little success in the championship of 1930, however, Ahern won his second National League medal. In 1931 Cork were back under the captaincy of Eudie Coughlan. Ahern won his seventh Munster title and once again qualified for the All-Ireland final, this time against Kilkenny. It took two replays to separate the two sides with Cork eventually emerging as the victors. It was Ahern’s fifth All-Ireland medal. He retired from inter-county hurling shortly after.

Records

Ahern set several records in Gaelic Athletic Association history. He was the first Cork player to win five senior All-Ireland medals. He held this record between 1931 and 1946 when Jack Lynch won his sixth medal. The record was later equalled by many Cork players and was surpassed by Jimmy Barry-Murphy who won six All-Ireland medals and Christy Ring who won eight All-Ireland medals. Ahern was also the first person in GAA history to win senior All-Ireland medals on the field of play in each of three decades. This record was later equalled by many players.

Balty, as he was generally known, was regarded as a tough, uncompromising hurler. He was left-handed with an unpredictable swing of the hurley and was very difficult to mark by all accounts.

Paddy 'Balty' Ahern died on 2 October, 1971.

Teams