John Barrett (1 January 1911 – 16 February 1979) was an Irish hurler, selector and

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. His career included All-Ireland Championship victories as a player and later as a selector with the

Cork senior hurling team The Cork county hurling team represents Cork in hurling and is governed by Cork GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the three major annual inter-county competitions; the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Cha ...

Playing career

Kinsale

Barrett first played for the Kinsale club at adult level in the late 1920s. He claimed his first major silverware with the club in 1930 when Kinsale defeated Tracton by 6-04 to 3-03 to secure the South East Junior Championship. After surrendering the title to Passage the following year, Barrett won a second divisional championship winners' medal in 1933 after a 5-04 to 1-02 victory over Rochestown. He subsequently claimed a County Junior Championship title after lining out in the 5-04 to 0-01 defeat of Skibbereen. Barrett also lined out with divisional side Carrigdhoun in the County Senior Championship.

Cork

Barrett first played for Cork when he was drafted onto the junior team during the 1932 Munster Junior Championship. He made his debut on 8 May 1932 when he lined out at left wing-back in Cork's 8-06 to 1-02 defeat of Waterford and later claimed a Munster Championship medal after being switched to right wing-forward for the 1-04 to 1-02 victory over

Clare Clare may refer to: Places Antarctica * Clare Range, a mountain range in Victoria Land Australia * Clare, South Australia, a town in the Clare Valley * Clare Valley, South Australia Canada * Clare (electoral district), an electoral district * Cl ...

in the final. Barrett's performances at junior level brought him to the attention of the senior selectors and he was drafted onto the team during the 1934 Munster Championship. He made his championship debut on 10 June 1934 in a 7-05 to 5-06 defeat of Tipperary. After five years as a first team regular, Barrett claimed his first Munster Championship medal after a 4-03 to 3-04 victory over Limerick in the 1939 Munster final. On 3 September 1939, he lined out as midfield partner to team captain

Jack Lynch John Mary Lynch (15 August 1917 – 20 October 1999) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1966 to 1979, Leader of the Opposition from 1973 to 1977, Minister ...

when Cork suffered a 2-07 to 3-03 defeat by

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in the "thunder and Lightning" All-Ireland final. Barrett collected his first national silverware when Cork defeated Tipperary by 8-09 to 6-04 to win the 1939-40 National League title. He was selected at left wing-back when Cork surrendered their provincial title to Limerick in the 1940 Munster final. After winning a second successive National League medal after a 4-11 to 2-07 victory over Dublin in the 1941 league final, Barrett lined out in the second All-Ireland final of his career on 28 September 1941 when he again partnered Jack Lynch at midfield against Dublin. He ended the game with an All-Ireland medal after the 5-11 to 0-06 victory. Barrett ended the season by lining out in Cork's 5-04 to 2-05 defeat by Tipperary in the delayed Munster final. He brought the curtain down on his inter-county career following this defeat.

Munster

Barrett had yet to make his championship debut for the Cork senior team when he was selected for the

Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...

inter-provincial team in advance of the 1934 Railway Cup final. He won his first

Railway Cup The GAA Interprovincial Championship ( ga, An Corn Idir-Chúigeach) or Railway Cup (''Corn an Iarnróid'') is the name of two annual Gaelic football and hurling competitions held between the provinces of Ireland. The Connacht, Leinster, Munster ...

medal as a non-playing substitute after Munster's 6-03 to 3-02 defeat of Leinster. After defeats in

1935 Events January * January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude Franco-Italian Agreement of 1935, an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims. * ...

and

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

, Barrett claimed his second winners' medal as a non-playing substitute after a 1-09 to 3-01 victory over Leinster in the 1937 Railway Cup final. It was the first of four successive Railway Cup titles for Barrett, with the subsequent victories all coming on the field of play.

Coaching career

Barrett was added to the selection committee of the Cork senior hurling team in advance of the 1952 Munster Championship. The campaign was a successful one with Cork claiming the title after a 1-11 to 2-06 defeat of Tipperary. Cork subsequently claimed their first All-Ireland Championship in six years after a 2-14 to 0-07 defeat of Dublin in the final. Barrett was retained as a member of the selection committee for the following two seasons, with Cork securing three successive All-Ireland victories after defeats of Galway in

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito i ...

and Wexford in

1954 Events January * January 1 – The Soviet Union ceases to demand war reparations from West Germany. * January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting. * January 7 – Georgetown-IBM experiment: The fir ...

Administrative roles

In retirement from playing Barrett became involved in the administrative affairs of the Gaelic Athletic Association. In 1954 he became vice-chairman of the Cork County Board. He served in that capacity for five years until 1959. That year Barrett was elected chairman of the Munster Council. He served in that post until 1962. Four years later Barrett was back as chairman of the Cork County Board. He served in that capacity until 1971, however, he returned for a second stint from 1973 until 1974.

Death

On 16 February 1979, Barrett died suddenly age 68 while inspecting cattle at a farm just outside Midleton. He was survived by his wife Breda, four daughters and two sons. After the news of his death, leading figures from the world of hurling paid tribute to him. GAA president Con Murphy described him as "a tremendously sporting and determined player, full of ability strength and courage."

Honours

Player

;Kinsale * Cork Junior Hurling Championship (1): 1933 * South East Junior A Hurling Championship (2): 1930, 1933 ;Cork *

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship, known simply as the All-Ireland Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-county hurling competition i ...

(1):

1941 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January–August – 10,072 men, women and children with mental and physical disabilities are asphyxiated with carbon monoxide in a gas chamber, at Hadamar Eu ...

Munster Senior Hurling Championship The Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship, known simply as the Munster Championship, is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition organised by the Munster GAA, Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the h ...

(1):

1939 This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Third Reich *** Jews are forbidden to ...

National Hurling League The National Hurling League is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition featuring teams from Ireland and England. Founded in 1925 by the Gaelic Athletic Association, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation within the l ...

(2): 1939-40, 1940-41 * Munster Junior Hurling Championship (1): 1932 ;Munster *

(5):

1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...

1937 Events January * January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua. * January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into Fe ...

1938 Events January * January 1 ** The Constitution of Estonia#Third Constitution (de facto 1938–1940, de jure 1938–1992), new constitution of Estonia enters into force, which many consider to be the ending of the Era of Silence and the a ...

1940 A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January *January ...

Selector

;Cork *

(3):

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, becomes m ...

(3):

(1): 1952-53

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrett, Jack 1911 births 1979 deaths Kinsale hurlers Carrigdhoun hurlers Cork inter-county hurlers Munster inter-provincial hurlers All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship winners Hurling selectors People from Kinsale