The late Tom Hogan Tom Hogan of Ballycallan died on March 1, 2007. Tom pre-deceased his school-mate Dan Maher by only a few months. Like all the boys of Ballycallan, Tom travelled to Shipton to hurl with the late Tommy Dunne as organiser. Davy Maher, National Teacher in Kilmanagh, trained the teams of that time with great success. Tom played right half forward in the 1944 schools final only to be beaten by Bennettsbridge. He played a star game in the final of 1945 in the same position against St John's in which he and his teammates won by 15 points. He followed his captain, Dan Maher, with the cup in that famous parade from Nowlan Park to the Metropole Hotel. Tom played and won a famous once-off tournament known as the Frisby Tournament. Tom Frisby was made president of the Irish National Teachers Association in 1945. He donated a lovely set of medals for to honour the occasion. The schools board decided to make four divisional teams, The City, The South, The North and the West which was our area made up of Dunnamaggin(from where hailed the great Tom Ryan), Callan, Tullaroan and the rest from Ballycallan/ Kilmanagh. The locals beat the North in the Freshford by a big score. Egan's bus to from Callan brought the team to the match only to break down a mile from Tullaroan. All the players and teachers got out and walked the four miles to Freshford. In the final the locals beat the the south but not by a big score. Tom won two medals: a County Final in 1945 in which he walked down the down after winning to the presentation, and the Frisby medal which he walked four miles to play for and win the semi-final. Tom played his hurling with Ballycallan in later years. He farmed at his home in Ballycallan up to the time of his death. He loved the cattle and organisation in his yard was second to none. Calling to load cattle with tom was a pleasure. The first man there would be tom Fitzpatrick and standing at the back before the driver got out was Billy Butler-two great friends of Tom's. Tom was very friendly man whom everyone liked to meet whether it be down at his farm, after a hurling match or down in Gowran Park Races. Tom predeceased his brothers Sean and Michael (who played in goal in the school final of 1947), Jim and his sisters Nancy Burke in New York and Mary Brennan, Damma. To Tom, thanks for some wonderful memories. Courtesy of the Kilkenny People July 11th, 2008 Tweet

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