You are viewing the content for Friday 30 January 2009

Death of former Rebel captain Connie Buckley

GLEN ROVERS and Cork stalwart Connie Buckley, who died earlier in the week, was the Rebel captain for the first of the four-in-a-row hurling sequence of 1941-’44.

His brother Din Joe played in all four winning teams, adding another medal in 1946 and a third brother, Jack, was a medal-winner in 1942.

Aged 93, he first made an impact at colleges level, winning Harty Cup medals with North Monastery in 1934 and ‘35 (when he was captain) and he also won a Munster colleges senior football medal in 1935. He played with Cork from 1936 to 1941 (this included the famous ‘thunder and lightning’ final against Kilkenny in 1939), winning NHL medals in 1939 and 1940 — and then his only senior hurling medal the following year. At club level, he had the distinction of being the only player to line out in all of Glen Rovers’ record eight consecutive county final victories (between 1934 and 1941).

He also won Cork football championship medals with St Nicks in senior (1938 and 1941, winning senior hurling medals the same years) and intermediate in 1937.

Outside of hurling, he was an avid member of the Blackpool Harriers and served as President of the club. Between them, the three brothers annexed seven All-Ireland senior hurling medals, 24 county senior championships in hurling, five in senior football and two in intermediate football.