Herbert, Mick
June 24, 2006
The late Mick Herbert
Ahane GAA are mourning the passing of one of its greatest sons, Mick Herbert.
He celebrated his 80th birthday last year (2005) among his family and hurling and political friends.
In the political arena he served his country as a TD and MEP. But in his native Castleconnell he will forever be remembered for his hurling deeds with famed Ahane. It was 1944 when he won his first county senior hurling medal, playing in the full back line. Mick Mackey was captain of the team which included Paddy Enright who chatted with Mick Herbert when Paddy celebrated his 80 a few months back.
Mick claimed county senior medal in 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947 and 1948.
Mick's hurling career came to an abrupt ending in 1949 as a result of a serious injury. His inter-county campaign was short lived because of this injury, but he took part in many Munster hurling championship games and one of these was in 1947 when Tipperary fell at the first round. He narrowly missed out on a Munster medal in 1949 when Tipperary were victorious by a single goal.
His crowning moment in national competition was in 1947 when he won a NHL medal with Limerick. Some of the men who played in that 1947 campaign included Jim Sadlier, Thomas O'Brien, John Mulchay, Mick Dooley, Sean Herbert, Jackie Power, Paddy Collopy, Dick Stokes and Paddy Fitzgerald.
The Herbert name is a household word around Castleconnell and Ahane. The Herberts have dominated the hurling scene around this pretty place in the east of the county for many a year and today they carry on the tradition. Tony Herbert won an All Ireland medal with Limerick in 1940 an honour which was replicated by many more Ahane men.
Mick kept the proud name to the fore in the 1940s as his beloved Ahane and Limerick did battle for hurling glory and club and national level. Mick made an entry to the folklore of his native place long before he was called to the sporting fields in heaven. (HG)
Courtesy of Limerick Leader
24 June 2006
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