Mick Gill

Michael Gill (22 September 1899 – 21 September 1980) was an Irish hurler. At club level he played with Ballinderreen and Garda, and also lined out at inter-county level with Galway and Dublin. Gill is the only player to win two All-Ireland SHC medals in a single year.[1]

For other people named Michael Gill, see Michael Gill (disambiguation).

Mick Gill
Personal information
Irish name Mícheál Mac an Ghaill
Sport Hurling
Position Right wing-back
Born (1899-09-22)22 September 1899
Ballinderreen,
County Galway, Ireland
Died 21 September 1980(1980-09-21) (aged 80)
Phibsborough,
Dublin, Ireland
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Occupation Garda Síochána
Club(s)
Years Club
1918-1923
1924-1938
 Ballinderreen
Garda
Club titles
Dublin titles 6
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
1922-1923
1924-1930
1931-1938
 Galway
Dublin
Galway
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles 4
All-Irelands 3
NHL 2

Career

Gill first played hurling at club level with the Ballinderreen club in south Galway. His performances for the club resulted in a call-up to the Galway senior hurling team and he made his debut in the 1922 All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Tipperary. Gill was a member of the Galway team that beat Limerick by 7-03 to 4-05 in the 1923 All-Ireland final, a match that wasn't played until September 1924.[2]

By that stage, Gill had transferred to the Garda club in Dublin, with whom he won six Dublin SHC medal. He also declared for the Dublin senior hurling team in November 1923. Gill won his first Leinster SHC medal in his first season with the team, while he claimed his second All-Ireland SHC winners' medal, just three months after winning his first, when Dublin beat his native Galway in the 1924 All-Ireland final.[3]

Gill was selected for the Leinster team for the inaugural Railway Cup in 1927 and ended the competition with a winners' medal after Leinster's defeat of Munster in the final. Later that season he captained Dublin when he won his second Leinster SHC medal in 1927. Gill claimed a third All-Ireland winners' medal after he captained Dublin to a defeat of Cork in the 1927 All-Ireland final.

Gill won a third Leinster SHC title with Dublin in 1928.[4] Later that year he was selected for the Ireland team that beat the United States in the Tailteann Games. Gill added a National Hurling League medal to his collection in 1929. He won a fourth Leinster SHC medal a year later, however, Dublin were later beaten by Tipperary in the 1930 All-Ireland final.

Gill declared for Galway in 1931 and claimed a second National League title that year. He continued to line out with Galway, and also played with Conancht, until his retirement from hurling in 1938.

Personal life and death

Gill trained as a member of the Garda Síochána, but left the force in 1927 with the intention of emigrating to the United States.[5][6] The Wall Street Crash and the subsequent depression ended this plan an he rejoined the force in 1931. He retired in 1962, having spent 20 years on security duty at Áras an Uachtaráin.

Gill died at the Mater Hospital on 21 September 1980, just one day short of his 81st birthday and just two weeks after the Galway hurlers bridged a 57-year gap to capture their second All-Ireland title.[7]

Honours
Garda
Galway
Dublin
Leinster

References
  1. "Hurling". Ballinderreen GAA website. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  2. "Galway GAA legend's All Ireland medals to go up for auction". Galway Bay FM website. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  3. Ryan, Larry (2 September 2016). "Michael Cleary: We almost felt we were playing for two All-Irelands". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  4. "Leinster Senior Hurling Finalists" (PDF). Leinster GAA website. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  5. "Two Garda greats". Irish Independent. 31 March 2005. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  6. "A salute to the greatest gardaí in Irish sport". The 42. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  7. "Mick Gill, Galway and Dublin". Finbarr J. Connolly website. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
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