Frankie Walsh facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Prionsias Breathnach | ||
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Left half-forward | ||
| Born | 1936 Waterford, Ireland |
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| Died | 28 December 2012 (aged 76) Waterford, Ireland |
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| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Occupation | Welder | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
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1955–1974
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Mount Sion | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Football | Hurling | ||
| Waterford titles | 3 | 12 | |
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
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1956–1970
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Waterford | 31 (10–84) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Munster titles | 3 | ||
| All-Irelands | 1 | ||
| NHL | 1 | ||
Frankie Walsh (born 1936 – died 2012) was a famous Irish hurler. Hurling is a fast and exciting sport played with a stick (a hurley) and a small ball (a sliotar). Frankie played as a left wing-forward for the Waterford county team.
He first joined the Waterford team in 1956 and played regularly until he retired in 1970. During his time, he won one All-Ireland medal, which is the biggest prize in Irish hurling. He also won three Munster medals and one National Hurling League medal. In 1959, Frankie was the captain when Waterford won the All-Ireland title.
For his club, Mount Sion, Frankie had a very long and successful career. He won an amazing twelve county club championships with them.
After he stopped playing, Frankie became involved in coaching. He trained the Waterford senior hurling team in the early 1970s. Later, in the early 1990s, he managed the Mount Sion senior hurling team.
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Frankie Walsh's Early Life
Frankie Walsh was born in the city of Waterford in 1936. He was inspired by famous hurlers like John Keane, who was a distant relative. John Keane was part of the team that won the All-Ireland Championship in 1948.
The year after that big win, Frankie started playing hurling with Mount Sion CBS. He played in the local "street leagues" in Waterford city. These were informal games played in the streets. He won his very first medal that same year, beating a team called Roanmore in the street league final.
In 1953, Frankie was part of the Mount Sion school team that played in the Dr Harty Cup. This is a special competition for school hurling teams. Mount Sion won the title by defeating St Flannan's College from Ennis. Later in life, Frankie worked as a welder in his hometown of Waterford.
Playing Career: Club and County
Frankie Walsh played both hurling and football for his club, Mount Sion. He had a very successful career that lasted for three decades, which is 30 years!
Club Success with Mount Sion
Frankie won a county minor championship medal in 1953. Minor means for younger players. In 1954, he joined the Mount Sion senior hurling team. Senior means for adult players. That year, his club won the Waterford Senior Hurling Championship. However, Frankie was a substitute and didn't play in the final, so he didn't get a medal.
By 1955, Frankie was a regular player for Mount Sion. He won his first championship medal on the field that year. Mount Sion beat Abbeyside, and this win started an amazing run. Frankie won seven county championships in a row with Mount Sion! They were the best club in Waterford for many years.
During this time, Frankie also played for the Mount Sion senior football team. In 1956, he won his first Waterford Senior Football Championship medal. He won two more football championships in 1959 and 1961.
Mount Sion tried to win ten hurling championships in a row, but they lost in the 1962 final. However, they bounced back the next year, beating Ballygunner. This win started another great period of success. Mount Sion won three more championships in a row, completing a "hat-trick" of titles.
In 1969, Mount Sion won the championship again, with Frankie earning his eleventh medal. Three years later, in 1972, Frankie was nearing the end of his club career. Mount Sion reached the final again and won, giving Frankie an incredible twelfth championship medal!
Playing for Waterford County
Frankie first played for the Waterford minor hurling team, but he didn't win any major titles at that level. He then made his debut for the senior county team in a league game. His first championship game was against Cork in 1956. This game was tough, and Frankie even got a fractured skull from a hurley!
Despite his injury, Frankie was back playing in 1957. That year, he played in his first Munster final against Cork. Waterford were not expected to win, but they did! Frankie earned his first Munster medal. After this, Waterford played Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final at Croke Park. Over 70,000 people watched. Waterford were leading, but Kilkenny scored late goals and won by just one point.
Waterford lost their Munster title in 1958. But in 1959, with Frankie as captain, they won it back, beating Cork again. Then, they faced Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final once more. It was a very close game, and a late goal from Séamus Power meant it was a draw. The replay was also exciting. Waterford scored three goals early on, and Frankie scored a great point. Waterford won the replay, 3–12 to 1–10. This was Frankie's first and only All-Ireland medal. As captain, he had the honour of lifting the famous Liam MacCarthy Cup.
In 1963, Frankie won a National Hurling League medal. He then won his third Munster title, beating a very strong Tipperary team. For the third time, Waterford played Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. Waterford fell far behind, but they fought back. However, Kilkenny, led by their star player Eddie Keher, won the game.
Frankie continued to play for Waterford until 1970, showing great dedication to his county.
Playing for Munster Province
Frankie also played for Munster in the inter-provincial hurling competition, known as the Railway Cup. This competition sees teams made up of players from different counties within each province.
He first played for Munster in 1957 and won a Railway Cup medal when Munster beat their rivals, Leinster. In 1960, Frankie was captain of the Munster team that won the Railway Cup again. This was the first of two wins in a row for Munster and for Frankie. After a loss in 1962, he won two more Railway Cup medals in 1963 and 1966.
Achievements and Honours
As a player
- Mount Sion C.B.S
- Dr Harty Cup (1): 1953
- Mount Sion
- Waterford Senior Club Hurling Championship (12): 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1972
- Waterford Senior Club Football Championship (3): 1956, 1959, 1961
- Waterford
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (1): 1959 (c)
- Munster Senior Hurling Championship (3): 1957, 1959 (c), 1963
- National Hurling League (1): 1962–63
- Munster
- Railway Cup (5): 1957, 1960 (c), 1961, 1963, 1966
