In a glittering, honours-laden career that spanned three decades, Jimmy Doyle won every accolade that hurling had to offer.
Six senior All-Ireland medals, three minor all-Irelands, seven National Leagues, eight Railway Cups, and five Oireachtas me
dals are testimony to the status of the Thurles Sarsfields man at club, county, provincial, and national level.
There are acknowledgements of his unique status in a game he adorned through the fifties, sixties and seventies, a status that has not diminished with the passing years.
One distinction eluded him however, that is until Friday evening last.
At the Mid Tipperary GAA Board’s Awards Night, that omission was put right when Jimmy was inducted into the board’s Hall of Fame, joining an elite band of hurling greats that includes such household names in Tipperary hurling as Tony Wall, Mickey “Rattler” Byrne, John Doyle, and Pat Stakelum, to mention just a few.
President of Tipperary GAA board, Tommy Barrett, a former team mate with Sarsfields, and county secretary through much of Jimmy’s illustrious career, told the gathering that from an early age, it was clear that Jimmy was destined for greatness. Hurling was his life, and he was forever practicising and developing the skills that made him the special player he was, who thrilled followers of hurling everywhere.
Outlining his accomplishments from his schooldays to his Croke Park successes, Tommy expressed the hope that the spirit, loyalty, dedication, and love of hurling that Jimmy personified, would rub off on today’s players, and that it would carry them to the All-Ireland success that so narrowly eluded them last year.
In thanking the Mid board for selecting him for the Hall of Fame Award, Jimmy confided that it was an honour he had always hoped to achieve. “It is a big thing to win the Hall of Fame in Mid Tipperary where there have been so many great hurlers,” he said.
Jimmy added that while he was always a Sarsfields man, he would still support any Mid team playing in the county championship. He thanked his family for all their support, and also his many team-mates in the various teams because without them he would not have received awards like that being presentend to him, and he was accepting it on their behalf.
Board chairman, Mattie Ryan of Drom-Inch, also made a presentation to Tom Maher of Moyne-Templetuohy, who was secretary of the board for five years and treasurer for four years, in recognition of his contribution to its affairs. Tom is now Assistant Secretary of the County Board.
A bouquet of flowers was presented to Tom’s wife, Aine.
Former Assistant Secretary, Miceal Egan, also received a presentation in recognition of his service to the board.
The chairman thanked both men for their efforts on behalf of the board.
