Club hurling legend makes fleeting visit back to Kilkenny

On Sunday morning, a hastily convened meeting was arranged for a brief get together with surprise Aussie visitor, Niall Morrissey, in The Hoban Hotel.

Home for a family wedding, Niall rescheduled his plans to meet up for a trip down memory lane with his cousin Liam Tyrrell and former team-mates Mick Crotty and Mick Moore.

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Niall was a star performer in the club’s golden era winning Kilkenny senior championship medals in 1969, ’75 and ’76.

His younger brother, Eamon was also a member of the 1969 and ’76 championship winning teams adding an All-Ireland senior hurling medal to his collection having starred at wing-back in Kilkenny’s 1972 victory over Cork before the family emigrated to Australia.

An uncompromising defender in his day Niall also helped to create club history adding the Leinster and All-Ireland club titles to its honours board in 1976, becoming the first Leinster club to claim the prized Tommy Moore Trophy.

Following his retirement from the game Niall, a talented carpenter by trade was appointed site manager for the clubhouse development being undertaken to replace the fire damaged prefab buildings erected in 1976 in Larchfield.

With the club headquarters completed on schedule Niall and his family emigrated to Australia setting up home in Sydney to start a new adventure.

Naturally, with memories flowing back to that golden era, the hours slipped by before the welcome visitor had to depart to continue his round of visitations.

Earlier in the week, Niall was home just in time to attend the 1959 Kilkenny CBS primary school reunion night in JB’s Bar on John Street.

Among the past pupils in attendance on the night and who enjoyed reflecting on their youth and school days were club stalwarts Sean Brennan (Sheestown) and Eddie Kelly (Ardnore).