This was the team that travelled to America in 1931, having won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship the previous year, in 1930.
Front Row L-R; P Cahill (Holycross), M. McGann (Thurles), T. Leahy (Boherlahan), T. Butler (Boherlahan), T, Treacy (Templemore), J. Harney (Thurles). Middle Row L-R; J. Maher, T. O’Mara (Toomevara), J.J. Callanan (1930’s All Ireland Final Winning Capt., Thurles), T. Butler , M. Kennedy (Capt. Toomevara), J. Lanigan (Thurles), J. McKenna. Back Row L-R; M.Ryan (Thurles), J. Stapleton, J. O’Loughlin (Vice-Captain Thurles), P. Purcell (Moycarkey), P. McKenna (Ballingarry), M.F. Cronan (Lorrha), T.Connolly, J.Leahy (Manager).
The 1931 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 45th staging of this event, since it had been establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1887. The championship that year began on May 10th 1931 and ended on November 1st 1931.
Co. Tipperary were defending champions, however, they were defeated in the provincial series of the games and Co. Cork would eventually go forward to win the title, following a 5-8 (23 pts) to 3-4 (13 pts) victory over Co. Kilkenny, in a second replay of the final that year.
Tipperary hurlers however sailed from Cobh, Co. Cork on September 8th 1931, to visit America as All-Ireland champions. With Johnny Leahy as manager, and accompanied by Rev. J. J. Meagher, C.C., chairperson of the Tipperary County Board and Rev. M. J. Lee, Diocesan Inspector; they played a total of seven games; three in New York city and one each in the cities of Boston, Detroit, Chicago and San Francisco. In the opening game in New York, Tipperary defeated a hand picked team, representing the USA, by ten points. In Boston, and in front of a reported 30,000 in attendance, here this same Tipperary selection defeated a Massachusetts selection by 4-4 (16 pts) to 2-3 (9 pts).
By the then standards of that period, as sportsmen, the Tipperary Team would have been the most widely travelled of any sporting group, having in previous years, also toured London and Liverpool.
A LOVELY PICTURE GEORGE
The J. Lanigan, middle row, second from right, is my uncle James (“Jim”) Lanigan R.I.P., late of Cuchulain Road, Thurles. Thanks for posting this historic photo, George.