Henry Shefflin
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Henry Shefflin (born 11 January 1979) is an Irish
hurling Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...
and former player who is the current manager of the
Galway senior hurling team The Galway county hurling team ( ) represents Galway in hurling and is governed by Galway GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the three major annual inter-county competitions; the All-Ireland Senior Hu ...
. In his playing career he was nicknamed "King Henry" because of his directive style, dominance, competitive spirit and leadership on the field. A versatile forward who started out in the corner, Shefflin made his name in more commanding positions as a centre or full-forward. He is widely regarded to be one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, with many former players, commentators and fans rating him as the number one player of all time. Raised in
Ballyhale Ballyhale () is a village in the south east of Ireland. Located in the south of County Kilkenny, south of the city of Kilkenny and roughly halfway to Waterford city. The sport of hurling is popular in the area, and the local Gaelic Athletic ...
,
County Kilkenny County Kilkenny ( gle, Contae Chill Chainnigh) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the South-East Region. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. Kilkenny County Council is the local authority for the cou ...
, Shefflin served an obligatory but underrated hurling apprenticeship at
St Kieran's College St Kieran's College (Coláiste Chiaráin) is a Roman Catholic secondary school, located on College Road, Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, Ireland. History St Kieran's College was founded in Kilkenny, in the diocese of Ossory in 1782, after the pas ...
. He joined the
Ballyhale Shamrocks Ballyhale Shamrocks is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Ballyhale in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland. The club was founded in 1972 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling. Ballyhale Shamrocks are the ...
senior team as a goalkeeper at the age of 17 in 1996 and spent the next 21 years as one of the club's key outfield players. He is one of only a handful of men to have won the All-Ireland Club Championship as a player and as a manager. Shefflin's association with Kilkenny began as a member of the minor team in 1996. He progressed through the under-21 and intermediate ranks before making his senior debut in 1999. Shefflin brought his 18-season association with the black and amber jersey to an end when he announced his inter-county retirement on 25 March 2015. Shefflin is one of the most decorated players of all time. During his time with Kilkenny, he won 10 All-Ireland Championship titles – more than any other player in history, 13 Leinster Championship titles, six
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 ...
titles and six Walsh Cup titles. Kilkenny,
Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
and
Tipperary Tipperary is the name of: Places *County Tipperary, a county in Ireland **North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh **South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel *Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...
are the only teams in hurling history to have won more All-Ireland titles than Shefflin. Shefflin captained Kilkenny on several occasions, particularly in the 2007 season when he captained the team to All-Ireland honours. Shefflin also has many personal achievements. He remains the only player to have won three Hurler of the Year awards (2002, 2006 and 2012), while he also claimed 11 All-Stars. His 16-season senior career saw him make a record 71 championship appearances for Kilkenny. He is also the all-time leading scorer for Kilkenny with 27–484 which itself was a national record until surpassed by
Joe Canning Joseph Canning (born 11 October 1988) is an Irish hurling, hurler who plays for club side Portumna GAA, Portumna and previously at inter-county level with the Galway county hurling team, Galway senior hurling team. Often considered one of the g ...
in 2021. Shefflin was named as
RTÉ Sports Person of the Year The RTÉ Sports Person of the Year Award is the titular award of the RTÉ Sports Awards ceremony, which takes place each December. The winner is the Irish sportsperson (from the island of Ireland) judged to have achieved the m ...
in 2006 and has been repeatedly named on teams of the greatest players of all time, including the Etihad 125 Dream Team in 2009.


Biography


Early years

Shefflin was born at the Regional Hospital
Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
to Henry and Mae Shefflin (née Fitzgerald). One of a family of four boys and three girls, he was born into a household that had a strong sporting background, particularly in the game of hurling. Shefflin was educated at St Patrick's national school in
Ballyhale Ballyhale () is a village in the south east of Ireland. Located in the south of County Kilkenny, south of the city of Kilkenny and roughly halfway to Waterford city. The sport of hurling is popular in the area, and the local Gaelic Athletic ...
where his hurling skills were first noted and honed by the local headmaster, Joe Dunphy. As a child he saw his two older brothers line out with the Kilkenny hurlers at various grades. John Shefflin won an
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
winners' medal in the minor grade in 1990, while Tommy Shefflin won an
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
winners' medal in the under-21 grade that same year. A younger brother,
Paul Shefflin Paul Shefflin (30 June 1980 – 4 March 2022) was an Irish hurler who played at club level with Ballyhale Shamrocks and at inter-county level with the Kilkenny senior hurling team. He usually lined out at wing-back or corner-back. Career Sh ...
, also won Leinster minor medals in the late 1990s. Shefflin later attended
St Kieran's College St Kieran's College (Coláiste Chiaráin) is a Roman Catholic secondary school, located on College Road, Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, Ireland. History St Kieran's College was founded in Kilkenny, in the diocese of Ossory in 1782, after the pas ...
in
Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...
, before studying electronics at the
Waterford Institute of Technology The Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT; ga, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Phort Láirge) was an institute of technology, located in Waterford, Ireland. The institute had six constituent schools and offered programmes in business, engineerin ...
(WIT). Shefflin later changed course and decided to study both
business studies Business studies, often simply called business, is a field of study that deals with the principles of business, management, and economics. It combines elements of accountancy, finance, marketing, organizational studies, human resource management, a ...
and financial services.


Personal life

Shefflin currently works with New Holland Finance, a subsidiary of
Bank of Ireland Bank of Ireland Group plc ( ga, Banc na hÉireann) is a commercial bank operation in Ireland and one of the traditional Big Four Irish banks. Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, the Bank occupies a unique position in Iris ...
. His main area of responsibility is in the agri-business side of matters, handling the finance for all the New Holland tractor sales in the locality. His region of responsibility takes in the south-east of the country, including
Tipperary Tipperary is the name of: Places *County Tipperary, a county in Ireland **North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh **South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel *Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...
,
Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...
,
Wexford Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 N ...
,
Carlow Carlow ( ; ) is the county town of County Carlow, in the south-east of Ireland, from Dublin. At the 2016 census, it had a combined urban and rural population of 24,272. The River Barrow flows through the town and forms the historic bounda ...
and
Kildare Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 8,634 making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. The town lies on the R445, some west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional cen ...
. On 30 March 2007, Shefflin married Deirdre O'Sullivan, a native of
Callan Callan is a given name and surname of Irish and Scottish origin. It can derive from Ó Cathaláin, meaning ''descendant of Cathalán''. Callan can also be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Allin or Mac Callin. Notable people with the name includ ...
, County
Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...
and a
camogie Camogie ( ; ga, camógaíocht ) is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and worldwide, largely among Irish communities. A variant of the game of hurling (which is played by men onl ...
player of note in her own right. Just over a year later in April 2008 the Shefflins celebrated the birth of their first child, a daughter named Sadhbh. On 30 October 2009 Henry Michael Shefflin, the couple's second child and first son, was born. A third child, Siún, was born in March 2011, while the Shefflin's youngest boy, Freddie, was born in April 2014.


Playing career


Colleges

During his schooling at
St Kieran's College St Kieran's College (Coláiste Chiaráin) is a Roman Catholic secondary school, located on College Road, Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, Ireland. History St Kieran's College was founded in Kilkenny, in the diocese of Ossory in 1782, after the pas ...
in
Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...
, Shefflin established himself as a key member of the senior hurling team. In 1996 he won his sole
Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
medal as
Good Counsel College St Augustine's and Our Lady of Good Counsel College (''Coláiste na Dea Comhairle''), New Ross, known as "Good Counsel College" by its students and residents of the local area, is an all-boys secondary school in County Wexford, Ireland, whic ...
were narrowly defeated by 1–7 to 1–6. St Colman's College provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland decider. A 1–14 to 2–6 victory gave Shefflin an
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
medal.


University

During his studies at the
Waterford Institute of Technology The Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT; ga, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Phort Láirge) was an institute of technology, located in Waterford, Ireland. The institute had six constituent schools and offered programmes in business, engineerin ...
, Shefflin was an automatic inclusion on the college hurling team. In 1999 he was at full-forward as WIT faced
University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of ...
in the final of the
Fitzgibbon Cup The Fitzgibbon Cup ( ga, Corn Mhic Giobúin) is the trophy for the premier hurling championship among higher education institutions (universities, colleges and institutes of technology) in Ireland. The Fitzgibbon Cup competition is administered ...
. Two goals from
Declan Browne Declan Browne (born 16 June 1978) is an Irish Gaelic football coach and player who competed at inter-county level for Tipperary county football team, Tipperary for 11 years. He currently plays his club football for Moyle Rovers GAA, Moyle Rove ...
in a six-minute spell before half-time gave WIT a commanding lead. Neil Ronan bagged a fourth goal straight after the interval which helped WIT to a 4–15 to 3–12 victory. Shefflin lined out in a second successive Fitzgibbon Cup decider in 2000.
University College Dublin University College Dublin (commonly referred to as UCD) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland ...
were the opponents on that occasion, however, a 2–10 to 1–6 victory gave WIT the victory. It was Shefflin's second Fitzgibbon Cup medal.


Club

Shefflin played his club hurling with
Ballyhale Shamrocks Ballyhale Shamrocks is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Ballyhale in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland. The club was founded in 1972 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling. Ballyhale Shamrocks are the ...
and has had much success with the club. When he was fourteen years-old he failed to make the club's under-16 team, however, Shefflin later became a key member of the Ballyhale minor team. He won a championship medal in that grade in 1997 following a 2–18 to 2–5 defeat of James Stephens. That same year Shefflin was a key member of the Ballyhale intermediate team. A 4–12 to 3–7 defeat of Graiguenamangh, with Shefflin top scoring with 1–6, secured promotion to the senior grade and gave Shefflin a
championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this system ...
medal. Success at senior level was slow in coming for Shefflin and Ballyhale. In 2004 it was even rumoured that he was moving clubs to play in
Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
with
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, however, this rumour proved to be unfounded. Two years later he was deployed at centre-forward as Ballyhale faced
O'Loughlin Gaels O'Loughlin Gaels is a Gaelic Athletic Association club situated in the St. John’s parish of Kilkenny city, County Kilkenny, Ireland. History The club was founded in 1969, replacing the St. John’s Hurling Club that started back in 1887. O ...
in the senior decider. An impressive 1–22 to 2–11 victory gave Shefflin his first
championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this system ...
medal. He later added a
Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
medal to his collection when Ballyhale secured a comprehensive 1–20 to 1–8 defeat of Birr to take the provincial title for the first time in seventeen years. On 17 March 2007 Ballyhale Shamrocks faced
Loughrea Loughrea ( ; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town lies to the north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains, and the lake from which it takes its name. The town's cathedral, St Brendan's, dominates the town's skyline ...
in the All-Ireland decider. On a day when Shefflin and
James "Cha" Fitzpatrick James "Cha" Fitzpatrick (born 31 January 1985) is an Irish hurler who played as a midfielder for the Kilkenny senior team. Born in Knockmoylan, County Kilkenny, Fitzpatrick first played competitive hurling during his schooling at St. Kiera ...
were held scoreless, the three Reid brothers contributed 3–7 from play. A 3–12 to 2–8 victory gave Shefflin an
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship, known simply as the All-Ireland Club Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-county club hurlin ...
medal. Injury resulted in Shefflin missing Ballyhale's second successive championship victory in 2007, however, he was back on the starting fifteen as Ballyhale Shamrocks made it three-in-a-row in 2008. A 2–11 to 0–12 defeat of James Stephens gave Shefflin a second championship medal on the field of play. He later won a second Leinster medal as the Shamrocks defeated reigning champions Birr by 2–13 to 1–11. Shefflin won a third championship medal in 2009, as Ballyhale claimed a record-equaling four-in-a-row following a 1–14 to 1–11 defeat of James Stephens once again. The subsequent provincial decider saw Ballyhale hit fifteen wides, however, Shefflin still collected a third Leinster medal following a 1–16 to 1–8 defeat of
Tullamore Tullamore (; ) is the county town of County Offaly in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is on the Grand Canal (Ireland), Grand Canal, in the middle of the county, and is the fourth most populous town in the Midland Region, Ireland, midlands reg ...
. On 17 March 2010 Ballyhale faced three-in-a-row hopefuls
Portumna Portumna ( - meaning 'the landing place of the oak') is a market town in the south-east of County Galway, Ireland, on the border with and linked by a bridge to County Tipperary. The town is located to the west of the point where the River Shanno ...
in a "dream" All-Ireland decider. The game failed to live up to the billing, however, 1–19 to 0–17 victory gave Shefflin a second All-Ireland medal. Five-in-a-row proved beyond
Ballyhale Shamrocks Ballyhale Shamrocks is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Ballyhale in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland. The club was founded in 1972 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling. Ballyhale Shamrocks are the ...
, however, the team bounced back in 2012 having lost the championship decider the previous year. A far from vintage 0–16 to 0–12 defeat of Dicksboro gave Shefflin a fourth championship medal. Shefflin won a fifth championship medal in 2014 as the Shamrocks claimed a 1–20 to 1–13 defeat of reigning champions
Clara Clara may refer to: Organizations * CLARA, Latin American academic computer network organization * Clara.Net, a European ISP * Consolidated Land and Rail Australia, a property development consortium People * Clara (given name), a feminine giv ...
. He later collected a fourth Leinster medal and proved the difference in a 0–21 to 1–14 defeat of Kilcormac/Killoughey. On 17 March 2015 Ballyhale faced
Kilmallock Kilmallock () is a town in south County Limerick, Ireland, near the border with County Cork. There is a Dominican Priory in the town and King's Castle (or King John's Castle). The remains of medieval walls which encircled the settlement are sti ...
in the All-Ireland decider. A complete mismatch saw Shamrocks win the game by 1–18 to 1–6, with Shefflin collecting a third All-Ireland medal. Shefflin's final championship appearance was in the 2016 Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship final on 30 October 2016 in
Nowlan Park UPMC Nowlan Park (; ) is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Kilkenny, Ireland. Named after James Nowlan (the longest serving President of the GAA), the stadium hosts major hurling matches and is home to the Kilkenny hurling te ...
in the county final. However victory went to the O'Loughlin Gaels GAA club in a closely fought final on a scoreline of 0–19 to 1–12.


Minor, under-21 and intermediate

Shefflin first played for Kilkenny in 1996 when he joined the minor side. He won his first
Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
medal that year following a 1–16 to 1–11 defeat of
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
. The All-Ireland campaign came to an end at the semi-final stage. Shefflin was eligible for the minor grade again in 1997. A 3–16 to 1–10 defeat of
Offaly County Offaly (; ga, Contae Uíbh Fhailí) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in hono ...
gave him a second successive Leinster medal, however, his quest for an
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
medal came to an end at the semi-final stage. He also played minor football with Kilkenny. While just out of the minor grade Shefflin was drafted onto the Kilkenny intermediate hurling team in 1998. That year he captured a
Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
medal following a 3–13 to 0–11 defeat of
Wexford Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 N ...
. Shefflin later lined out in the All-Ireland decider with
Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
providing the opposition. An interesting game developed between these two sides, however, at the final whistle victory went to Limerick by 4–16 to 2–17. That same year Shefflin was added to the Kilkenny under-21 team. A 2–10 to 0–12 defeat of Dublin in the provincial decider gave him his first
Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
medal in that grade. Shefflin won a second Leinster medal in 1999, following a 1–17 to 1–6 trouncing of Offaly. The subsequent All-Ireland decider was a thrilling affair, with Kilkenny securing a narrow 1–13 to 0–14 defeat of
Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
to give Shefflin his sole
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
medal.


Senior


Unsuccessful beginning

Shefflin made his senior competitive debut for Kilkenny on 21 February 1999 in a 0–14 to 1–9 league defeat by
Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
. That campaign ended at the semi-final stage, however, Shefflin retained his place on the starting fifteen for the subsequent championship, making his provincial debut in a 6–21 to 1–14 semi-final trouncing of
Laois County Laois ( ; gle, Contae Laoise) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medie ...
. Kilkenny later faced Offaly in the provincial final. A huge 5–14 to 1–16 victory over their near rivals and reigning All-Ireland champions gave Kilkenny the win and gave Shefflin a first
Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
medal. The subsequent All-Ireland decider saw Kilkenny face Cork on 12 September 1999. In a dour contest played on a wet day, Cork trailed by 0–5 to 0–4 after a low-scoring first half. Kilkenny increased the pace after the interval, pulling into a four-point lead. Cork moved up a gear and through
Joe Deane Joseph Deane (born 15 November 1977) is an Irish retired hurler who played for East Cork club Killeagh. He played for the Cork senior hurling team for 13 years, during which time he usually lined out as a left corner-forward. Diminutive in size ...
, Ben O'Connor and
Seánie McGrath Seánie McGrath (born 10 June 1975) is an Irish retired hurler who played as a left corner-forward for the Cork senior team. Born in Mayfield, Cork, McGrath first played competitive hurling during his schooling at Mayfield Community School. H ...
Cork scored five unanswered points. Kilkenny could only manage one more score – a point from a Shefflin free – and Cork held out to win by 0–13 to 0–12.


Early successes

In 2000, Shefflin won a second successive Leinster medal following another comfortable 2–21 to 1–13 victory over Offaly. As a result of the so-called "back-door" system both sides later faced off against each other again in the All-Ireland final on 10 September 2000. D.J. Carey capitalised on an Offaly mistake after just six minutes to start a goal-fest for 'the Cats'. Carey scored 2–4 in all, sharing his second goal with Shefflin who also scored a goal in the second-half. At the full-time whistle Kilkenny were the champions by 5–15 to 1–14 and Shefflin collected his first
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
medal. He was subsequently honoured with his first All-Star award. Kilkenny's provincial dominance continued in 2001 and a powerful 2–19 to 0–12 defeat of
Wexford Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 N ...
gave Shefflin a third Leinster medal. Kilkenny bounced back in 2002. Shefflin won his first
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 ...
medal, as a late Brian Dowling free secured a narrow 2–15 to 2–14 victory over Cork. He later collected a fourth Leinster medal as Kilkenny recorded a narrow 0–19 to 0–17 defeat of fourteen-man Wexford. On 8 September 2002 Shefflin lined out in his third All-Ireland decider as Kilkenny faced first-round losers Clare. Shefflin and fellow forward D. J. Carey combined to score 2–13 between them, as Kilkenny secured a 2–20 to 0–19 victory. It was a second All-Ireland medal for Shefflin while he was later honoured with his second All-Star award. He also ended the year by being named Hurler of the Year by
Texaco Texaco, Inc. ("The Texas Company") is an American Petroleum, oil brand owned and operated by Chevron Corporation. Its flagship product is its Gasoline, fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owned the Havoline motor oil brand. Texaco was an Indepe ...
,
Vodafone Vodafone Group Public limited company, plc () is a British Multinational corporation, multinational Telephone company, telecommunications company. Its registered office and Headquarters, global headquarters are in Newbury, Berkshire, England. It ...
and by his peers at the Gaelic Players' Association. In 2003 Shefflin won a second league medal as Kilkenny came back from eight points down to secure a stunning 5–14 to 5–13 extra-time defeat of
Tipperary Tipperary is the name of: Places *County Tipperary, a county in Ireland **North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh **South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel *Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...
. He later won a fifth successive Leinster medal, as Kilkenny defeated Wexford by 2–23 to 2–12. The subsequent All-Ireland final on 14 September 2003 saw Kilkenny face Cork for the first time in four years. Both teams remained level for much of the game, exchanging tit-for-tat scores. A
Setanta Ó hAilpín Setanta Ó hAilpín (born 18 March 1983) is a Fijian-Irish sportsman. He played hurling at senior level for the Cork county team before becoming a professional Australian rules footballer. Ó hAilpín is of mixed Irish and Rotuman backgroun ...
goal gave Cork the advantage, however, a
Martin Comerford Martin Timothy Comerford (born 9 November 1978) is an Irish hurler who played as a centre-forward for the Kilkenny senior team. Born in London, at an early age Comerford went to St. John's Boys' National School in Ballybough Street, Kilkenny ...
goal five minutes from the end settled the game as Kilkenny went on to win by 1–14 to 1–11. It was Shefflin's third All-Ireland medal. He was later honoured with his third All-Star. After facing a shock, last-minute 2–15 to 1–16 defeat by Wexford in the Leinster semi-final in 2004, Kilkenny worked their way through the qualifiers and lined out against Cork in the All-Ireland decider on 12 September 2004. The game was expected to be a classic, however, a rain-soaked day made conditions difficult as Kilkenny aimed to secure a third successive championship. The first half was a low-scoring affair and provided little excitement for fans, however, the second half saw Cork completely take over. For the last twenty-three minutes Cork scored nine unanswered points and went on to win the game by 0–17 to 0–9. In spite of ending the year without silverware, Shefflin later collected a fourth All-Star. Kilkenny were back in form in 2005, with Shefflin winning a third league medal following a 3–20 to 0–15 victory over Clare. "The Cats" later struggled against a wasteful Wexford side, however, a 0–22 to 1–16 victory gave Shefflin a sixth Leinster medal. While a third successive All-Ireland showdown with Cork seemed likely, Galway defeated Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final in one of the games of the decade. In spite of failing to reach the championship decider a fifth All-Star award was quickly added to Shefflin's collection.


Four-in-a-row

In 2006, Shefflin added a third league medal to his collection following a victory over Limerick. He later won his seventh Leinster medal following another facile 1–23 to 1–12 victory over Wexford. On 3 September 2006 Kilkenny faced a Cork team who were presented with the opportunity to become the first side in nearly thirty years to secure three successive All-Ireland championships. Like previous encounters neither side took a considerable lead, however, Kilkenny had a vital goal from
Aidan Fogarty Aidan Fogarty (born 20 July 1982) is an Irish hurler who played as a left corner-forward for the Kilkenny senior team. Born in Urlingford, County Kilkenny, Fogarty first arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of twenty-one when he fir ...
. Cork were in arrears coming into the final few minutes, however, Ben O'Connor scored a late goal for Cork. It was too little too late as the Cats denied Cork on a score line of 1–16 to 1–13. Shefflin collected his fourth All-Ireland medal. He rounded off the year once again by claiming a fifth successive All-Star award, his sixth overall, as well as making a clean sweep of the Hurler of the Year awards. Shefflin collected an eighth Leinster medal in 2007, as Kilkenny asserted their provincial dominance and defeated Wexford by 2–24 to 1–12. On 2 September 2007 Kilkenny faced defeated Munster finalists and surprise All-Ireland semi-final winners Limerick in the championship decider. Kilkenny got off to a flying start with
Eddie Brennan Edward Joseph Brennan (born 2 October 1978) is an Irish hurling manager and former player. His league and championship career with the Kilkenny senior team lasted twelve seasons from 2000 until 2011. Brennan was the manager of the Laois seni ...
Shefflin scoring two goals within the first ten minutes to set the tone. Shefflin later sustained an injury during the game and had to retire at half-time. In spite of losing their captain and star player, Kilkenny still went on to win the game by 2–19 to 1–15 and Shefflin had the honour of collecting a fifth All-Ireland medal and receiving the
Liam MacCarthy Cup The Liam MacCarthy Cup is a trophy awarded annually by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) to the team that wins the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the main competition in the prehistoric sport of hurling. Based on the design of a ...
. It was later revealed that he ruptured a cruciate knee ligament which kept him out of action for his club until the following summer. Shefflin later captured a seventh All-Star award, a record-breaking sixth in succession. After sitting out the league campaign in 2008, Shefflin later collected a ninth Leinster medal following a 5–21 to 0–17 defeat of Wexford. On 8 September 2008 Kilkenny faced
Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...
in the All-Ireland decider for the first time in forty-five years. In a disappointingly one-sided final, Kilkenny produced a near perfect seventy minutes as Waterford endured a nightmare afternoon. A 23-point winning margin, 3–24 from play, only two wides in the entire match and eight scorers in all with Eddie Brennan and Shefflin leading the way in a 3–30 to 1–13 victory. It was Shefflin's sixth All-Ireland medal, while an eighth All-Star quickly followed. Shefflin collected a fifth league medal in 2009, as Kilkenny beat Tipperary by 2–26 to 4–17 after a thrilling extra-time victory. He later won a tenth Leinster medal as new challengers Dublin were bested by 2–18 to 0–18. On 6 September Kilkenny were poised to become the second team ever in the history of hurling to win four successive All-Ireland championships when they faced Tipperary in the decider. For long periods Tipp looked the likely winners, however, late goals from Shefflin (penalty) and substitute
Martin Comerford Martin Timothy Comerford (born 9 November 1978) is an Irish hurler who played as a centre-forward for the Kilkenny senior team. Born in London, at an early age Comerford went to St. John's Boys' National School in Ballybough Street, Kilkenny ...
finally killed off their efforts to secure a 2–22 to 0–23 victory. Shefflin had collected his seventh All-Ireland medal. He later collected a ninth All-Star award.


Continued dominance

In 2010, Kilkenny defeated Galway in an eagerly-anticipated but ultimately disappointing provincial decider. A 1–19 to 1–12 victory gave Shefflin an eleventh Leinster medal. In the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final defeat of Cork, Shefflin had to be substituted after he severed his cruciate ligament. While it was feared that this would rule him out of the All-Ireland decider against Tipperary on 5 September, he made a remarkable recovery and was deemed to fit to start that game. After scoring an early free in the final, his knee again gave out and he was replaced after twelve minutes. Tipperary's
Lar Corbett Laurence Corbett (born 16 March 1981) is an Irish former hurler who played for Tipperary Championship club Thurles Sarsfields. He played for the Tipperary senior hurling team for 15 years, during which time he usually lined out as a left corn ...
subsequently ran riot and scored a hat-trick of goals as Kilkenny fell to a 4–17 to 1–18 defeat. Kilkenny's stranglehold in Leinster continued in 2011. A 4–17 to 1–15 defeat of Dublin gave "the Cats" a record-breaking seventh successive championship. It was Shefflin's twelfth winners' medal overall. Kilkenny subsequently faced Tipperary in a record-breaking seventh successive All-Ireland decider on 4 September 2011. Goals by Michael Fennelly and
Richie Hogan Richard Hogan (born 8 August 1988) is an Irish hurler who plays as a midfielder at senior level for the Kilkenny county team. Born in Waterford in 1988, Hogan is a native of Danesfort, County Kilkenny. Hogan first played competitive hurlin ...
in either half gave Kilkenny, who many viewed as the underdogs going into the game, a 2–17 to 1–16 victory. Shefflin, who collected a record-equaling eighth All-Ireland medal, later collected a tenth All-Star award. Kilkenny were shocked by Galway in the 2012 Leinster decider, losing by 2–21 to 2–11, however, both sides subsequently met in the All-Ireland decider on 9 September 2012. Kilkenny had led going into the final stretch, however,
Joe Canning Joseph Canning (born 11 October 1988) is an Irish hurling, hurler who plays for club side Portumna GAA, Portumna and previously at inter-county level with the Galway county hurling team, Galway senior hurling team. Often considered one of the g ...
struck a stoppage time equaliser to level the game at 2–13 to 0–19 and send the final to a replay for the first time since 1959. The replay took place three weeks later on 30 September 2012. Galway stunned the reigning champions with two first-half goals, however, Kilkenny's championship debutant
Walter Walsh Walter Rudolph Walsh (May 4, 1907 – April 29, 2014) was an FBI agent, USMC shooting instructor and Olympic shooter. Walsh joined the FBI in 1934, serving during the Public enemy era, and was involved in several high-profile FBI case ...
gave a man of the match performance, claiming a 1–3 haul. The 3–22 to 3–11 Kilkenny victory gave Shefflin a record-breaking ninth All-Ireland medal on the field of play. He was later presented with an eleventh All-Star award, as well as becoming the first player to be named Hurler of the Year for a third time. On 1 December 2012, Shefflin went off injured in Ballyhale Shamrocks' defeat by
Oulart the Ballagh Oulart (, formerly ''Ubhallghort'' - ''"the orchard"''), is a small village in the southeastern corner of Ireland. It is situated in County Wexford just off the R741 regional road halfway between the towns of Gorey to the north and Wexford ...
in the provincial club championship. While the problem was initially thought to be just a badly sprained ankle it was later revealed to be ligament damage and a break in his left mid-foot. This injury ruled him out of Kilkenny's successful 2013 National league campaign. A damaged metatarsal delayed his recovery resulting in him missing Kilkenny's opening championship games. Shefflin made his return to hurling when he was introduced for the last five minutes of Kilkenny's 0–20 to 1–14 qualifier defeat of Tipperary. He was included on the starting fifteen for Kilkenny's subsequent All-Ireland quarter-final against Cork. Just before half time Shefflin received a second yellow card and was red carded for the first time in his championship career. Kilkenny went on to lose the game by 0–19 to 0–14. After an appeal to the Central Hearings Committee Shefflin's red card was subsequently rescinded.


Tenth All-Ireland medal

In 2014, Shefflin collected his sixth league medal, as Kilkenny secured a narrow one-point 2–25 to 1–27 extra-time victory over Tipperary. Shefflin subsequently secured a thirteenth Leinster medal, as a dominant Kilkenny display gave "the Cats" a 0–14 to 1–9 defeat of Dublin. On 7 September 2014, Kilkenny faced Tipperary in the All-Ireland decider, however, Shefflin started the game on the bench before making a brief cameo. In what some consider to be the greatest game of all-time, the sides were level when Tipperary were awarded a controversial free.
John O'Dwyer John O'Dwyer (born 17 September 1991) is an Irish hurler who plays for Tipperary Senior Championship club Killenaule and previously played at inter-county level with the Tipperary senior hurling team. He usually lines out as a centre-forward. ...
had the chance to win the game, however, his late free drifted wide resulting in a draw. The replay on 27 September 2014 was also a close affair. Goals from brothers
Richie Richie or Richy is a masculine given name or short form (hypocorism) of Richard. It is also a surname. First name *Richie Ashburn (1927–1997), American Major League Baseball player, member of the Hall of Fame *Richie Benaud (1930–2015), Austra ...
and John Power inspired Kilkenny to a 2–17 to 2–14 victory. It was Shefflin's tenth All-Ireland medal.


Retirement

Following Shefflin's tenth All-Ireland success, speculation began to grow about his possible retirement. After stating in November 2014 that he intended to make a decision after the conclusion of the All-Ireland series of the club championship, Shefflin called a press conference on 25 March 2015 and announced that he was retiring from inter-county hurling. In a statement he said, "When I reflect back over the past 16 years playing the game that I love, at the highest level with Kilkenny, it is impossible to quantify the endless hours of happiness, satisfaction and fulfilment I have enjoyed." In 2015, Shefflin joined
the Sunday Game ''The Sunday Game'' is RTÉ's main Gaelic games television programme. It is shown on RTÉ2 every Sunday during the Football Championship and Hurling Championship seasons. It is one of RTÉ2's longest-running shows, having been on air since 197 ...
as an analyst for their coverage of the 2015 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and he will also feature on
RTÉ Radio 1 RTÉ Radio 1 ( ga, RTÉ Raidió 1) is an Irish national radio station owned and operated by RTÉ and is the direct descendant of Dublin radio station 2RN, which began broadcasting on a regular basis on 1 January 1926. The total budget for th ...
.


Inter-provincial

Shefflin has also lined out with
Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
in the inter-provincial hurling championship. He first played for his province in 1999, however, he had to wait another few years before success in that competition. In 2002 Leinster faced arch rivals
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 ...
in the decider at
Nowlan Park UPMC Nowlan Park (; ) is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Kilkenny, Ireland. Named after James Nowlan (the longest serving President of the GAA), the stadium hosts major hurling matches and is home to the Kilkenny hurling te ...
. The game ended in somewhat controversial circumstances when the referee awarded a free when Munster's
Peter Queally Peter Queally (born February 19, 1989) is an Irish mixed martial artist currently competing in Bellator's Lightweight division. A professional competitor since 2012, he has also competed for Extreme Fighting Championship, BAMMA, Cage Warriors ...
was deemed to have fouled
Jimmy Coogan James Michael Coogan (born 24 April 1978) is an Irish retired hurler who played as a left wing-forward for the Kilkenny senior team. Born in Tullaroan, County Kilkenny, Coogan first played competitive hurling during his schooling at St. Ki ...
. Shefflin pointed the free to give Leinster a narrow 4–15 to 3–17 victory. It was Shefflin's 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. Leinster were back in the decider again in 2003.
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
was the venue with
Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...
providing the opposition. Leinster were nine points in arrears early in the second half, however, the team fought back to secure a 4–9 to 2–12 victory. It was Shefflin's second Railway Cup medal. In 2009 Shefflin was back on the Leinster team once again. His kicked goal five minutes after the restart set up a 3–18 to 1–17 defeat of Connacht once again.


Recognition

Shefflin has come to be regarded as one of the greatest, if not the greatest player of all-time and has received much praise from Irish sportspeople in all fields. Fellow nine-time All-Ireland medallist and former Kilkenny goalkeeper
Noel Skehan Richard Noel Skehan (born 6 December 1944) is an Irish former hurler who played as a goalkeeper at senior level for the Kilkenny county team. Born in Bennettsbridge, County Kilkenny, Skehan first arrived on the inter-county scene at the age ...
said of him in the build-up to the 2012 All-Ireland final: ''"Oh, as it stands, you’re talking about the greatest hurler ever even if he didn’t win on Sunday. He’ll still be the greatest hurler. He’s a fantastic sportsman. What he has achieved up until now, even forgetting the result on Sunday, you’d have to put him well up on top of the ladder. To do it all on the pitch is a great achievement. To start every championship match since he came on the scene, it goes without saying how good that is and I hope to God that he achieves it."'' Six-time All-Ireland dual medallist and All-Ireland-winning manager
Jimmy Barry-Murphy James Barry-Murphy (born 22 August 1954) is an Irish hurling manager and former hurler, Gaelic footballer and association football player. He was the manager of the senior Cork county hurling team from 2011 to 2015, returning a decade after h ...
wrote: ''"He is most certainly the greatest hurler that I have ever seen, and I even saw
Christy Ring Nicholas Christopher Michael Ring (30 October 1920 – 2 March 1979) was an Irish hurling, hurler whose National Hurling League, league and All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, championship career at senior level with the Cork county hurling ...
towards the end of his days. But this guy outshines everything that I have ever seen on a hurling field. His work ethic is amazing, and one that others must aspire to if they are to reach the stars."'' Writing in the ''Kilkenny GAA Yearbook 2012'', contemporary Cork hurler,
Donal Óg Cusack Donald is a masculine given name derived from the Gaelic name ''Dòmhnall''.. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *''Dumno-ualos'' ("world-ruler" or "world-wielder"). The final -''d'' in ''Donald'' is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the ...
, wrote: ''"If there is better to come than Henry, I for one would hope to be around to see him. He is the perfect example for every young player. He doesn’t practice and live his life the way he does because he is Henry Shefflin. He is Henry Shefflin BECAUSE he does those things, and doesn’t stop. He drives on."'' Five-time All-Ireland medallist D. J. Carey regards Shefflin as the ''"greatest forward of all time."'' In the build-up to Shefflin's bid for a ninth All-Ireland medal, former Tipperary hurler and manager
Babs Keating Michael "Babs" Keating (born 17 April 1944) is an Irish former hurler and Gaelic footballer who played as a forward for the Tipperary senior teams. Born in Ardfinnan, County Tipperary, Keating first played competitive Gaelic games during his ...
wrote: ''"If he can do that he can go down as the greatest hurler in every way. If he can do that it is a record that I can't see ever being surpassed."''
Joe Canning Joseph Canning (born 11 October 1988) is an Irish hurling, hurler who plays for club side Portumna GAA, Portumna and previously at inter-county level with the Galway county hurling team, Galway senior hurling team. Often considered one of the g ...
, the player Shefflin pipped to the Hurler of the Year award in 2012, stated: ''"Henry is the best player that has every played and his nine All-Ireland medals speaks for itself. Everybody models themselves on him because he is the ultimate team player and everyone wants to be like him...There is no doubt about it – everybody wants to have him on their team. He is probably the best hurler that has ever played."''
Eddie Keher Edward Peter Keher (; born 14 October 1941) is an Irish former hurler who played as a centre-forward at senior level for the Kilkenny county team. Born in Inistioge, County Kilkenny, Keher first played competitive hurling whilst at school in ...
, a six-time All-Ireland medallist and the man who Shefflin surpassed as the top scorer of all-time, stated: ''"Henry Shefflin is the greatest hurler of all time. He's a most sporting player and he's competitive."'' Contemporary Waterford hurler
John Mullane John Mullane (born 28 January 1981) is an Irish hurler who played as a right corner-forward for the Waterford senior team. Mullane joined the team during the 2001 championship and immediately became a regular member of the starting fifteen. ...
wrote: ''"I can't speak highly enough of Shefflin either. Henry is simply irreplaceable and the measure of the man is his ability to bounce back from serious injuries in recent years to get himself fully fit for the championship."'' When asked who he considers to be Ireland's greatest ever athlete, former
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...
captain
Brian O'Driscoll Brian Gerard O'Driscoll (born 21 January 1979) is an Irish former professional rugby union player. He played at outside centre for the Irish provincial team Leinster and for Ireland. He captained Ireland from 2003 until 2012, and captained the ...
said: ''"That would be the hurler Henry Shefflin, this guy has been an absolute phenomenon for the last 12,13 years. He’s won nine All-Ireland championships with his county and they’re not easy to come by."'' In 2016, Gerry Davis won the Hennesy Portrait Prize and was commissioned by th
National Gallery of Ireland
in 2017 to paint a portrait of Shefflin, which is now displayed in the portrait gallery.


Managerial career


Ballyhale Shamrocks

On 12 December 2017 it was announced that Shefflin would act as co-manager of the
Ballyhale Shamrocks Ballyhale Shamrocks is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Ballyhale in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland. The club was founded in 1972 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling. Ballyhale Shamrocks are the ...
senior team alongside his brother Tommy. The Shamrocks won Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship and
Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the AIB Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association and conte ...
in 2018 before winning the 2019 All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship Final. On 23 January 2020, it was reported that Shefflin had stepped down as manager of the Ballyhale Shamrocks senior team.


Thomastown

In November 2020, Shefflin was appointed manager of the
Thomastown Thomastown (), historically known as Grennan, is a town in County Kilkenny in the province of Leinster in the south-east of Ireland. It is a market town along a stretch of the River Nore which is known for its salmon and trout, with a number of ...
intermediate team.


Galway

On 20 October 2021, Shefflin was announced as the new manager of the
Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
senior hurling team.


Championship appearances


All-Ireland Final scores


Career statistics


Club


Inter-county


Honours


Player

;St Kieran's College * All-Ireland Colleges' Senior Hurling Championship (1): 1996 * Leinster Colleges' Senior Hurling Championship (1): 1996 ;Waterford Institute of Technology *
Fitzgibbon Cup The Fitzgibbon Cup ( ga, Corn Mhic Giobúin) is the trophy for the premier hurling championship among higher education institutions (universities, colleges and institutes of technology) in Ireland. The Fitzgibbon Cup competition is administered ...
(2): 1998–99, 1999–00 ;Ballyhale Shamrocks *
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship, known simply as the All-Ireland Club Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-county club hurlin ...
(3): 2007, 2010, 2015 *
Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the AIB Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association and conte ...
(4): 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014 * Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship (5): 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014 *
Kilkenny Intermediate Hurling Championship The Kilkenny Intermediate Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as Michael Lyng Motors Intermediate Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Kilkenny IHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Kilkenny County Board ...
(1): 1997 ;Kilkenny *
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 ...
(10): 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 *
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship The Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship, known simply as the Leinster Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-county hurl ...
(13): 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014 *
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 ...
(6): 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2014 * Walsh Cup (6): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2014 *
Oireachtas Tournament The Oireachtas Cup was an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association between 1939 and 1999 for the top inter-county teams in Ireland. The series of games were usually played in the autumn months after the completion ...
(1): 1999 *
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship The GAA Hurling Under-20 All-Ireland Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Bord Gáis Energy GAA Hurling Under-20 All-Ireland Championship) is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (G ...
(1): 1999 *
Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship The Leinster GAA Hurling All-Ireland Under-20 Championship known simply as the Leinster Under-20 Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the high ...
(2): 1998, 1999 *
Leinster Minor Hurling Championship The Leinster GAA Hurling Minor Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Electric Ireland Leinster GAA Hurling Minor Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Ass ...
(2): 1996, 1997 *
Leinster Intermediate Hurling Championship The Leinster Intermediate Hurling Championship is an inter county competition between the Intermediate Hurling county teams in the province of Leinster. The Leinster Council organizes the series of games. The winners of the championship each y ...
(1): 1998 ;Leinster *
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 ...
(3): 2002, 2003, 2009


Individual

;Awards *
Texaco Hurler of the Year The Texaco Hurler of the Year was a hurling award, created in 1958, that honoured the achievements of a hurler of outstanding excellence. The award was part of the Texaco Sportstars Awards, in which Irish sportspeople from all fields were honour ...
(3): 2002, 2006, 2012 *
All Stars Hurler of the Year The GAA–GPA All-Star Hurler of the Year is a hurling award presented to the player voted as best in the country by all the players from around Ireland. It began in 1995 and honours the achievements of a hurler of outstanding excellence. ...
(3): 2002, 2006, 2012 *
GPA Hurler of the Year The GPA Hurler of the Year is a hurling award that honours the achievements of a hurler of outstanding excellence. At the end of every All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Hurling Championship the members of the Gaelic Players Association, th ...
(2): 2002, 2006, 2012 *
RTÉ Sports Person of the Year The RTÉ Sports Person of the Year Award is the titular award of the RTÉ Sports Awards ceremony, which takes place each December. The winner is the Irish sportsperson (from the island of Ireland) judged to have achieved the m ...
(1): 2006 * RTÉ Sports Hall of Fame Award (1): 2015 * All-Stars (11): 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 * In May 2020, a public poll conducted by
RTÉ.ie RTÉ.ie is the brand name and home of Irish broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ)'s online activities, located at the URL https://www.rte.ie/. The site began publishing on 26 May 1996. According to RTÉ, it operates on an entirely com ...
named Shefflin in the half-forward line alongside
Joe Canning Joseph Canning (born 11 October 1988) is an Irish hurling, hurler who plays for club side Portumna GAA, Portumna and previously at inter-county level with the Galway county hurling team, Galway senior hurling team. Often considered one of the g ...
and D. J. Carey in a team of hurlers who had won All Stars during the era of ''
The Sunday Game ''The Sunday Game'' is RTÉ's main Gaelic games television programme. It is shown on RTÉ2 every Sunday during the Football Championship and Hurling Championship seasons. It is one of RTÉ2's longest-running shows, having been on air since 197 ...
''. * Also in May 2020, the ''
Irish Independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper and online publication which is owned by Independent News & Media (INM), a subsidiary of Mediahuis. The newspaper version often includes glossy magazines. Traditionally a broadsheet new ...
'' named Shefflin at number one in its "Top 20 hurlers in Ireland over the past 50 years".


Manager

;Ballyhale Shamrocks *
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship, known simply as the All-Ireland Club Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-county club hurlin ...
(2):
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2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
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Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the AIB Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association and conte ...
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2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
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2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
* Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship (2):
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
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2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...


Records

* Only male athlete in the history of
Gaelic games Gaelic games ( ga, Cluichí Gaelacha) are a set of sports played worldwide, though they are particularly popular in Ireland, where they originated. They include Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball and rounders. Football and hurling, the ...
to have won ten All-Ireland senior winner's medals on the field of play. * Only player to score a goal in fourteen consecutive championship seasons (1999–2012). * Joint most Leinster Championship titles (13). * Most Leinster Championship titles (13) on the field of play. * Second-highest scorer in the history of the All-Ireland championship (2010–2021). * Most All-Star awards (11). * Most 'Player of the Year' awards (3) – 2002, 2006, 2012. * Highest scorer from play (24 – 136 = 208 points) in the history of the All Ireland championship (including All Ireland Final replay 2014). * Highest scorer in All-Ireland finals 5–81 (96 pts). * Second-highest scorer from play in All-Ireland finals.


Sources

* Corry, Eoghan, ''The GAA Book of Lists'' (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005). * Donegan, Des, ''The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games'' (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).


References


External links


Profile of Henry Shefflin
at Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA on Hogan Stand

Official Kilkenny Website

Kilkenny Supporters Website

HurlingStats.com

A Career in Pictures
at , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Shefflin, Henry 1979 births Living people All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship winning managers All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship winners All Stars Awards winners (hurling) All Stars Hurlers of the Year Alumni of Waterford Institute of Technology Ballyhale Shamrocks hurlers Bank of Ireland people Gaelic games writers and broadcasters Hurling managers Kilkenny inter-county Gaelic footballers Kilkenny inter-county hurlers Leinster inter-provincial hurlers RTÉ Sports Person of the Year winners 20th-century Irish people 21st-century Irish people Waterford IT hurlers