Jimmy Humphrys, the Irish captain,
pictured at the
Ireland-America hurling match, Tailteann Games, Dublin, 1924.
Colorised extract of the
full picture.
Colorised by Yann Blake.
Jimmy Humphrys, of Glenstal,
born 10 Feb 1894.
See Wikipedia.
He
registered his grandmother's death 1909,
even though only age 15.
He was present at death.
Limerick GAA hurler:
He was a
prominent Co.Limerick GAA hurler
(as his older first cousin
Tim Lloyd had been).
He played mid-field.
At club level he played for
Cappamore GAA club.
At least once he played for a Cappamore-Murroe team.
Later he played for
Claughaun GAA club.
At county level he
played for Limerick county.
He won the All-Ireland twice, runner-up once.
Summary of his career playing hurling for Limerick:
Limerick beat Tipperary
in a tense Munster semi-final, held in Cork, 8 Aug 1920.
The
War of Independence
was raging,
Cork was under martial law, and
the British authorities had banned the match.
The GAA moved the match just outside the city,
kept it secret from the authorities as long as possible,
and it passed without incident.
Limerick lost to Cork in 1920 Munster final.
This match was originally fixed for Aug 1920, but was postponed repeatedly because of the troubles,
finally played 2 Apr 1922.
Limerick beat Cork
in 1921 Munster final, played 28 May 1922.
Limerick beat Dublin
in 1921 All-Ireland final.
This was delayed by the
Civil War,
finally played 4 Mar 1923.
Joseph O'Mara, the opera singer,
threw in the ball.
Limerick lost to Tipperary in 1922 Munster final.
First match 1 July 1923 was a draw.
Replay 12 Aug 1923 had 30,000 spectators (biggest Munster match ever).
Limerick lost to Tipperary in 1924 Munster final, 5 Oct 1924.
Other career (apart from Limerick county):
He was captain of Irish hurling team to New York 1921.
Tailteann Games:
He captained Ireland and Munster
in hurling in the new
Tailteann Games, Dublin,
1924.
In the trials before the games he
was captain of the Munster team that beat
Leinster in
the inter-provincial final trial,
27 July 1924.
See Irish Times,
July 28, 1924,
and Nenagh Guardian,
August 2, 1924.
In the Tailteann Games itself,
Jimmy was
captain of the Irish team that beat America in the final
to win the first ever
International Hurling Competition
(between Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales and America),
10 Aug 1924.
See Irish Times,
August 11, 1924.
He was presented with the cup by veteran Fenian
John Devoy
who had come over from America.
Devoy made a rousing speech, as did organiser
J.J. Walsh.
He was also captain of the Munster team in the games,
and this time (reversing the result in the trials)
Leinster beat them in the inter-provincial final,
17 Aug 1924.
See Irish Times,
18 Aug 1924.
At club level, his club
Cappamore never got to the
Limerick club final
while he was there.
But when he joined Claughaun,
his team won the 1926 Limerick club championship.
Final played 17 Oct 1926.
He was in
IRA
in
War of Independence
1919-21.
He was in flying squad of North Tipperary / East Limerick IRA.
At mar he is farmer, of Glenstal House.
He mar 14 Aug 1923 to Margaret O'Dwyer [Margaret Mary O'Dwyer,
Gretta, born 10 Feb 1903].
She was dau of John O'Dwyer, farmer, of Corelish House, Corelish,
W of New
Pallasgreen, Co.Limerick
(near Co.Tipperary border,
see map).
Margaret was born at Corelish.
See birth cert
from here.
She said to be born
at "Dromkeen".
This means Corelish.
Dromkeen itself is close by.
They mar at Nicker RC church, SE of Corelish and
SW of New Pallasgreen.
See mar cert
from here.
She is of Corelish.
Mar wit by "Daniel Humphreys"
and Evelyn O'Dwyer.
Jimmy inherited the family farm at
Glenstal, Co.Limerick.
(His father eventually died 1934.)
There is a story that, shortly after the monks arrived at
Glenstal Castle in 1927,
Jimmy was out shooting in Glenstal.
Unknown to him, one of the monks was also out shooting
(Dom Winoc Mertens, the first monk to arrive in Glenstal).
Both shot the same deer, discovered each other's existence,
argued over who had shot it.
In the end they divided it.
He owned greyhounds for
coursing.
Won many events.
His dog "Comrade Kiwi"
won the Irish Cup at
Cloonanna
(or Clounanna),
Croom par,
Co.Limerick, 22 Nov 1929.
See Irish Times,
23 Nov 1929.
He ran dog breeding kennels in Co.Limerick.
He brought the English coursing dog
"Whistling Coon"
(named after a song)
to Ireland for breeding.
He apparently spelt name "Humphrys" to the end of his life.
But he is "Humphreys" on grave.
Children are all "Humphreys".
It was said the "e" was put into the surname by the school in the 1930s.
In old age Margaret was in nursing home in Castleconnell,
Co.Limerick.
She died 23rd Mar 1998, age 95 yrs.
She was
bur Abington, Co.Limerick.
Jimmy and Margaret
had issue:
Timmy Humphreys.
David Humphreys.
May Humphreys, mar Sean O'Donnell and had issue:
Statia O'Donnell, mar Allen Tuckley and had issue:
Rachel Tuckley.
Philip Tuckley.
Rory O'Donnell, mar Denise ----.
Frances Humphreys.
She mar Peter Marshall
and had issue.
Evelyn Humphreys, mar Sean Kennedy and had issue:
William Kennedy, mar Barbara ---- and had issue:
Megan Kennedy.
Bobby Kennedy.
Brian Kennedy, mar Catherine Blassi.
Noreen Kennedy, mar Eddie Calisto and had issue:
Matthew Calisto.
Julia Calisto.
James Humphreys, mar Margaret O'Connell and had issue:
David Humphreys.
Michael Humphreys, mar Kitty O'Connell
and had issue:
Alan Humphreys, mar Lyn Maheux and had issue:
Chloe Humphreys.
Rachel Humphreys.
Michael Humphreys.
Carol Humphreys, mar Paul Kearney and had issue:
Kate Kearney.
Aoife Kearney.
John Humphreys.
Anthony Humphreys.
Willie Humphreys, mar Philomena Daly and had issue:
Paul Humphreys, mar Carmel Bateman and had issue:
Áine Humphreys.
Ciarán Humphreys.
Róisin Humphreys.
Martina Humphreys, mar Mike Boland.
Niamh Humphreys.
John Humphreys, mar Joanne ----.
Pauline Humphreys, mar Michael Carey and had issue:
Ireland-America hurling match, Tailteann Games, Dublin, 1924.
Jimmy Humphrys, the Irish captain (right)
shaking hands with the American captain.
See larger
and full size.
Posted by NLI.
Ireland-America hurling match, Tailteann Games, Dublin, 1924.
Jimmy Humphrys would be the first Irish player to the right of the American captain.
From INDH545
at [NLI].
"Anoch Tailteann Continues" (1924)
by British Pathe news.
On the Tailteann Games, Dublin, 1924.
From 0:13 to 1:25 there is video of the Ireland-America hurling match.
Search for more.
2006 documentary from TG4 on the Tailteann Games, Dublin, 1924.
From 15:09 to 16:02 there is video of the Ireland-America hurling match.
References
"Jimmy Humphreys of Murroe",
by Séamus Ó Ceallaigh,
in the series
"Great Limerick Sportsmen",
Limerick Leader, Jan-Feb 1957.
This was in seven parts:
5 Jan,
12 Jan,
19 Jan,
26 Jan,
9 Feb,
16 Feb,
23 Feb.
Sources yet to be consulted
Photo of the Tailteann Games team at Jimmy's house, Glenstal.
Printed in Limerick Leader.
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