Saturday’s under-20 final to honour the memory of James Nowlan

2024 is the one hundred anniversary of the death of James Nowlan, GAA President from 1901 to 1921 and an Alderman

on Kilkenny Corporation from 1899 to 1919.

Next Saturday evening in Kilkenny GAA Headquarters, appropriately named Nowlan Park, the 2024 All-Ireland Under 20

Hurling Final will be played between Offaly and Tipperary with the winners receiving the James Nowlan Cup. To

commemorate the one hundred anniversary of Nowlan’s death, Kilkenny GAA County Board received approval from Croke

Park to host this year’s final. The last time the final was played in Kilkenny was in 1992 (it was the Under 21 grade in those

days), with Waterford defeating Offaly after a replay before a bumper attendance on both days.

James Nowlan was the sixth child of Patrick and Catherine Nowlan and was born in Monasterevin in 1862. Patrick had

relocated to the Kildare town for a period to continue his work as a cooper in a local brewery. The Nowlan Family returned

to Kilkenny in 1870 and James resumed his work with Sullivan’s Brewery.

Patrick Nowlan was a close confidant of James Stephens who founded the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). James

Nowlan attended a meeting of the IRB in June 1894 (it was also attended by Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa) and despite his

strong involvement subsequently with the GAA, his loyalty to the IRB remained steadfast.

James Nowlan was a member of the Confederation Hurling Club and acted as Secretary for some years in the 1890s. The

team was beaten in the 1893 All-Ireland Final (not played until 1894), with Nowlan one of the umpires.

In 1895 James Nowlan played for Commercials Football Club in the All-Ireland series against Pierce O’Mahoney’s from

Navan at Jones Road (now Croke Park). This was the only occasion when James Nowlan appears to have played in a

competitive game and he received a bad leg injury. Nowlan refereed the 1898 Kilkenny County Hurling Final despite his

own club being involved.

The GAA experienced many challenges in its early formative years but James Nowlan was widely recognised as being mainly responsible for the revival of GAA activities in Kilkenny in the aftermath of the difficulties in 1887.

Nowlan worked for a period in Smithwick’s Brewery (1890-1895). He received further training in the Guinness Brewery in

Dublin and returned to Smithwick’s in May 1898.

James Nowlan stood as an Independent Labour candidate in the Local Election on the 16/1/1899. He contested the St.

John’s Ward and received the second highest number of votes (359) and thus became an Alderman. He was carried up

the street behind the St. Patrick’s Brass Band of which he was a founding member. He was elected to Kilkenny

Corporation in all subsequent elections until he retired in 1919.

At the GAA Convention of 1899, James Nowlan was elected Vice-President of the Association. Sadly, Nowlan’s mother

Catherine died later that year aged 72.

On the 4/11/1901 the Leinster Council was established (the first such Provincial body) and James Nowlan was elected

Chairman. He remained as Chairman until 1905 when he stood down.

At the Central Council meeting of the 20/1/1901, which Nowlan chaired (in the absence of the President) he signed the

Central Council minutes in his Irish name, the first such time this was stated to have happened.

At a Special GAA Convention held on the 22/1/1901, due to the sudden death of the then President Michael Deering,

(Cork), James Nowlan was elected the new President (two other nominees withdrew to enable Nowlan to be elected).

Incidentally, at that same Special Convention, Luke O’Toole was elected Secretary. Both Nowlan and O’Toole would leave

an indelible mark on the GAA with Nowlan serving 20 years as GAA President and O’Toole serving 28 years as GAA

Secretary.

Nowlan was recorded as having a significant presence at the funerals of James Stephens (on 28/1/1901) and Archbishop

Croke, GAA Patron (on 22/7/1902).

Nowlan’s health was now in decline and he retired from his employment. He moved to Dublin to live with his brother John.

This allowed him to be closer to the GAA administrative HQ in Croke Park.

Nowlan was challenged for the GAA Presidency in 1920 by Dan McCarthy (Dublin), who was then the Leinster Council

Chairman. Nowlan won 33 – 32. However, with his health deteriorating, he resigned as GAA President in 1921 to be

replaced by Dan McCarthy.

On his stepping down as GAA President, Nowlan was accorded a rare honour. He became the first ex-officio member of

Central Council (effectively a lifetime Vice-President). He was given that honour on a permanent basis and allowed to vote

(current GAA Presidents are ex-officio only for one year after they complete their term). It was primarily a ceremonial role,

which involved attending events and occasionally accompanying the GAA President.

On the 30/6/1924 James Nowlan died and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery. The GAA unveiled a special headstone on

Nowlan’s grave ten years ago.

In 1927 Nowlan Park was purchased from a Peter Corcoran for £700. Each Kilkenny club was levied with £1, while

financial assistance was received from W.T. Cosgrave (President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State from

1922 to 1932) and from the Leinster Council. The first games were played at the venue on the 17//1928. They included the

replay of the 1927 Kilkenny Junior Football County Final between Cotterstown and Conahy and this was followed by the

1927 Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship Final between Mooncoin and Dicksboro (Cotterstown and Mooncoin were the

winners of the two games).

Over recent decades, Nowlan Park has continually been upgraded. It was branded as UPMC Nowlan Park in recent years.

The outstanding legacy of James Nowlan continues to live in Kilkenny GAA’s main County Grounds and HQ and in the

naming of the All-Ireland Under 20 Hurling Championship. We fondly remember and honour Kilkenny’s first GAA President

on the one hundred anniversary of his death in 1924.