 Former Clare hurling legend, Jimmy Smyth has died, aged 82. Smyth, without doubt the greatest hurler never to win an All-Ireland medal, was once described by his close friend, the late great Christy Ring as “the best hurler bar none”. Clare County Board Chairman Michael McDonagh paid this tribute to the Ruan native: “Jimmy Smyth is synonymous with Clare and with hurling and was a true legend of the game who would stand tall in any generation.” “He played the game at the highest level from the 1940s to the late 1960s, playing with and against some of the greatest who played the game like Christy Ring, the Rackards, and John Doyle. He was on a par with them and they recognised him as a great, great player. “That says it all about Jimmy really and he will be sorely missed in Clare, because apart from all his hurling, he was a great, great Clare man and a past-president of Clare GAA,” McDonagh concluded. Smyth represented Clare on some 146 occasions between 1948 and 1967. In the GAA’s Centenary Year – 1984 – he was chosen at right corner forward on the ‘Team of the Century’ though during a barren period for the Banner County sadly Smyth’s only county honours was an Oireachtas Cup winners medal in Clare’s 1954 win over Wexford. He was later selected - in the same position – on Munster’s Hurling team of the Millennium. The Ruan native was a ‘permanent fixture’ on the Munster team in Railway Cup competitions winning eight Interprovincial medals, the first in 1952. He again helped Munster win in 1955, then a five- in- a row 1957/1961 and his last winner’s medal in 1963. With his native Ruan he won his first County senior title in 1948, at the tender age of 17, and again in 51, 59, 60 and 61 – since his retirement from the game Ruan have won but one Clare title – an Intermediate championship crown. Jimmy was educated at that great hurling nursery, St Flannan’s College in Ennis whom he helped to win three Harty Cup crowns and three All-Ireland Colleges titles during the forties. After retiring from the game, he became President of the Clare GAA as later joined Croke Park as an Executive Officer, which post he held until 1988. After his retirement from Croke Park he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree at Trinity College in 1993, with a thesis based on the songs, poems and recitations linked to Munster GAA history. On the field of play, one of Smyth’s finest hours, was against local rivals Limerick against whom he shot 6-4 in their 1953 Munster Championship encounter. ================================================================================================ Graveside Oration by Ruan's All Ireland Senior medal holder Cyril Lyons on behalf of C.L.G Ruadháin 12-02-2013. Jimmy Smyth Oh when I am away from you, you will always call me home To come and stray on my native clay and o’er your field to roam. A gentle voice will whisper low ‘twas here it all began The love of Clare and it’s balmy air and your own fair place Ruan. Jimmy Smyth loved ballads and this verse is from his favourite local one simply titled “Ruan”. ‘Twas here in the village just over 82 years ago that it all began for him. Growing up with his parents, three brothers and a sister, he would have witnessed at first hand all the activities that that took place on a daily basis, from farming to bringing water from the well to the shoeing of horses in the forge. Porte Hill here in front of us was, as he said himself, his home and his playground. Jimmy’s education began at at Kells N.S where his mother taught and then continued at St. Flannan’s College. He first worked with the Clare County Council before taking up an Executive position with the GAA in Croke Park and moving to Dublin in 1964. He worked here until his retirement in 1988. Jimmy then went back to College, graduating with a degree in Philosophy followed by a Masters degree from U.L. on “The Poems, Songs and Recitations of the GAA in Munster.” He was consumed by the game of hurling from an early age. In many ways hurling became his life. This field adjoining us here was where all the underage hurling was played. Hazel sticks called “spocks” were used when hurleys were not available as were sponge balls, canisters and torn leather balls, picked up here and there on the quiet. Of Ruan’s first winning senior championship team, 10 players learned their hurling here with Jimmy. He often remarked in later life that, such was the level of activity there, that the corpses here in the graveyard were never lonely. As a measure of greatness in competitive sport, full names were often considered unnecessary and so it was with Jimmy Smyth. Here in Ruan and throughout the county he was simply known as “Smyth”. He put this parish, village and club on the map. His contribution to all the teams he was to play on was immense. Throughout his long career he left an indelible mark on those who saw him play on the hurling fields of Ireland. He was powerfully strong and was blessed with a marvellous pair of hips. He had dashing speed, great ability to break a tackle and a bullet of a shot. Jimmy played five years on the St. Flannan’s College senior hurling team winning three Harty Colleges’ medals and three All Ireland Colleges’ medals. Such was his size, physique and strength then, that he was secretly known as "Gulliver" among the other students in the college! His inter county career began at 14 years of age lining out with the Clare minors and continued for the next 23 years at all levels. Of the 156 adult matches he played he scored an incredible 149 goals and 323 points. His record score of 6-4 in the Munster championship of 1953 still stands. One of his most outstanding performances was in the 1954 Oireachtas Final victory over Wexford - Míchéal ÓMuircheartaigh remarked that the goal he scored in this match was one of the greatest he ever saw, - “He ploughed through several of them and had nothing in his mind but a goal” - was his colorful description of it. While his greatness as a player was not dependent on it, he never tasted championship success with Clare It frustrated and disappointed him and so the success of the 90's for Clare brought him great joy. He understood that the breaking of the psychological barrier was the key to glory. He believed that the hurlers of his era were equally as good but they had no Loughnane! In his victory speech on that famous September day, Anthony Daly's acknowledgement of the heroic efforts of past teams to bring success to Clare, or as Jimmy himself described it; his "genuflection to history" touched him deeply. Jimmy's performances for his county meant he was selected for Munster for twelve years, winning eight interprovincial medals, this, at a time when these competitions were second only to the championship in stature. He was also honoured by the Irish selectors on six occasions during this period. Selection on both County and Provincial teams of the Millennium were further evidence of his great hurling ability. It's no coincidence, that Ruan’s most successful period in its club history, went hand and hand with that of Jimmy’s adult career. A strong and successful club career compensated for the lack of success at county level. Between ’48 and ’62 Ruan contested eight senior championship finals winning on five occasions. He started out as the boy wonder at 17 winning his first championship and finished up as captain and Commander in Chief, fourteen years later. To a man, his teammates would testify to his greatness as both a player and leader and when all other things were equal, Jimmy was the difference. He was as highly regarded for the manner in which he played the game as he was for his achievements on the pitch. He passionately believed that hurling should be played in a sporting manner and had no time for foul or indisciplined play. If you could not shake hands with your direct opponent after the match the game was all the poorer for it. At the official opening of Páirc na nGael Ruan in 1971 an exhibition game was played between a Clare and an All Star selection. While the game itself was unimportant the fact that so many of the games greatest players of the 50’s and 60’s , including Christy Ring, Ollie Walsh and John Doyle, lined out was an enormous tribute to Jimmy and his standing in the game among his peers. In 2008 Ruan GAA acknowledged both his greatness as a player and his contribution to the club with the unveiling of a sculpture in his honour in the village. In erecting the sculpture, the club also committed to keeping his memory and achievements alive and sowed the seeds that others would be inspired to follow in his legendary footsteps. Led by the Tulla pipers, players representing seven decades of club and county marched with Jimmy, his family, friends, teammates and supporters to the Móinin field for a fitting tribute to him. To be so honoured in his own parish by his own people was for Jimmy the ultimate tribute. Jimmy’s introduction of ballads began at an early age. The Lovely Back Roads to Dromore a hurling ballad written by Mickey Kelly, a local shoemaker, was known and sung by everybody. For him ballads express a love and pride of place and people and give us a sense of importance. It was this background that motivated him to complete his thesis and publish his collections of ballads. His own personal favourite, which you heard sung as his remains left the church was "The Ballad of Tommy Daly" written by Bryan Mc Mahon. According to Jimmy it is the greatest GAA ballad written and was his party piece for as long as I can remember. He never forgot or failed to acknowledge the contribution that his fellow club players made. He believed that the club was the inspiration to the longevity of his own great career at county and provincial level. The regard he had for his teammates was in later years clearly shown with his attendance at the funerals of all those that predeceased him. Without fail, he would travel from Dublin, lead the guard of honour and give the graveside oration for a deceased teammate. This practice he began in the late ‘80s and continued until recently when failing health prevented him from doing so. On his visits home, he continued to call to families of former club members. In Dublin he made it his business to visit Ruan people hospitalised there. For Jimmy it never ended with the fields, it went way beyond the fields. We started with a verse of his favourite local ballad and we’ll finish with the last one from the same song. And when this mortal life is o’er and I’m standing at the Heavenly door I hope I’ll hear St. Peter say “Tar isteach a stor” You know we’ve been expecting you, Come join the Dalcais clan For you’ll get a rousing welcome when they hear you’re from Ruan.
Ar Dheis Lámh Dé go raibh tú, a Shéamais. Cyril Lyons.  Paddy Leahy, the only remaining member of Ruan's Co winning side of 1948, presents the flag to Vera Smyth =================================================================================================
Cyril Lyons fulfilled Jimmy Smyth’s dream for Clare when he was a member of the All-Ireland winning side in 1995 – a victory he had hungered for all his hurling life, writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh. “Many people are due many thanks so that today might become a reality. I think first and foremost at this time of the many great Clare teams who were never as fortunate as we were. Now we accept the Liam McCarthy Cup on behalf of all of those teams who ever wore the Clare jersey.” Cyril Lyons was on the steps of the Hogan Stand to hear Anthony Daly’s words, having played his part out on the field. Jimmy Smyth was in the stand and along with other past-masters had played his part – it’s what Anthony Daly was talking about. It’s one of Cyril Lyons’ great reflections on Jimmy Smyth and his hurling life. Ruanman. Clareman. How important it was for him, in life and in hurling to have seen Clare finally reach the promised land. “Two things were huge to Jimmy,” says Lyons. “To see Clare in Croke Park and to see them win an All-Ireland – you couldn’t quantify what it meant to him. The second thing was the acknowledgement that Anthony Daly made in his speech about all the players who had gone before the players of ’95 and had strived for success and kept the flame alive and the dream alive. It was absolutely massive.” ============================================================================================= Friendship of greats worth more than medals to Smyth By Jim O’Sullivan Irish Examiner |
