Jimmy Phelan (hurling)

Infobox GAA player
code= Hurling
sport = Hurling


name = Jimmy Phelan
irish =
fullname = Jimmy Phelan
placeofbirth = Ballyragget
countryofbirth = County Kilkenny
dob =
height =
nickname =
county = Kilkenny
province = Leinster
club = Tullaroan
clposition = Forward
clubs =
clyears =
clapps(points) =
clcounty =
clprovince=
clallireland =
counties = Kilkenny
Carlow
icposition = Left corner-forward
icyears = 1930s-1940s
1940s
icapps(points) =
icprovince = 2
icallireland = 1
allstars =
clupdate =
icupdate =

Jimmy Phelan (1918-2006) is former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Tullaroan and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1930s.

Early & private life

Jimmy Phelan was born in Ballyragget, County Kilkenny in 1918. He was educated in Waterford, and twice he tasted success the in the Harty Cup, the Munster colleges championship. He joined the Irish Sugar Company in Carlow in 1937. By the time of his retirement in 1982 Phelan had attained the position of chief accountant.

Playing career

Club

Phelan played most of his club hurling with the famous Tullaroan, however, he never had the pleasure of winning a senior county title. After moving to Carlow Phelan became a founding member of the Carlow Town hurling club. He also had an association with the Pearses hurling club in town.

Inter-county

Phelan first came to prominence on the inter-county scene with Kilkenny in 1939 and he quickly won his first Leinster title. He later lined out against Cork in one of the most famous All-Ireland finals of all-time. The game has been referred to as the ‘thunder and lightning final’ because the climax of the game was played during a raging thunder storm. Phelan contributed 2-1 of his team’s total score of 2-7 and collected his first All-Ireland medal. He won a second Leinster title in 1940, however, Kilkenny were later defeated by Limerick in the championship decider. Kilkenny’s hurling fortunes took a downturn over the next few seasons due to a number of reasons including a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Phelan’s move to Carlow saw him join the county team there.

Post-playing career

In retirement from playing Phelan became involved in team management. He coached the Carlow team to a junior All-Ireland title in 1960 and, two years later 1962, his team collected an All-Ireland intermediate title.

Jimmy Phelan died in Carlow in January 2006. He was the last surviving member of the Kilkenny team that won the All-Ireland title in 1939.

Teams