Tommy Daly : Short Biography

Tommy Daly was one of Ireland's greatest goal keepers in Irish hurling. 

He was born in Tulla village in 1894.  He attended local schools, playing hurling locally until his acceptance at University College, Dublin (UCD).  

Tommy Daly won his first medal in 1914 at junior level.  He continued his hurling with the Collegians, the UCD team as goalkeeper and the team won the Fitzgibbon Cup in 1915.  The Collegians went on to win the cup in 1916, 1917, 1923, 1924 & 1927.   In addition, Tommy Daly played for Dublin and won three county titles for them in 1917, 1918, and 1919.   

After his graduation from UCD where he received a degree in medicine, he practiced as a doctor in London.  However, he continued to maintain a key interest in the game and came back to Ireland for matches as often as possible.  In 1930, he again played at the Inter-County level as the rule barring non-residents from playing was set aside.    Dr Tommy Daly played with Tulla from that time up until 1933 where Tulla won the County final.  He retired shortly after, however continued his interest in the game becoming a much respected referee.

In 1935, he participated at the Senior Hurling Final between Limerick and Kilkenny.  Dr. Tommy Daly was tragically killed in an automobile accident in Tuamgraney in 1936.

The main GAA pitch in Tulla is named after him.

Bryan McMahon, the famous poet from County Kerry (1909-1998) wrote the following famous poem.

Lament for Dr. Tommy Daly

On the wind'swept Hill of Tulla

Where the Claremen place their dead

Four solemn yews stand sentinel

Above a hurler's head,

And from the broken north lands

From   Burren   bleak and bare,

The dirge of Tommy Daly

Goes surging  on  through Clare.

No more shall limewhite  goalposts

Soar tapering and tall

Above the greatest goal man

That ever clutched a ball.

Nor yet heﾒll rouse the echoes

Of  ash in native air.

Nor heed the throbbing thousands

Tense with pride of Clare.

But wherever Clare does battle

And whoever guards the goal,

Wheneﾒer  the citadel is saved

The proud, the noble soul

Of sterling Thomas Daly

They shall recall and say

God rest you Thomas Daly

On your  windﾒswept  hill to-day

To think that never once again

Heﾒll don with lightsome air

The claret-gold of Tulla

Nor the blue and gold of Clare.

Perhaps theyﾒll pray when feasts are high

And healed the wounds of fiht,

God rest you Thomas Daly

On  your  windﾒswept  hill to-night

The years shall silver temples

Of hurlers young and free

Til blows the long, long whistle

Of the eternal referee,

Then up the hillside lonely

They're borne with funeral  tread

To the wind swept Hill of Tulla

Where the Claremen   place their dead.

Beyond this place of toil and tears

Beyond this plain of woe,

There is a bourne in Paradise

Where all the hurlers go,

And there in prime they're goaling

And race across the sod

And thrill our dead forefathers

On the  level  lawns of God.

On the windﾒswept Hill of Tulla

Within whose breast so deep

With dreams of Resurrection Morn

A thousand hurlers sleep,

And with them Tommy Daly

Four yews above his head

On the wind swept Hill of Tulla

Where the Clareme place their dead.

Source:  www.clarecountylibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/literature/lament_for_daly.htm

An  Raithneachan, Gaelic Quarterly Review, No. 3 December 1936 (National Library)

Musical Air :  Down Erin's Lovely Lee or She Lives Beside the Anner