Pat Stakelum
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| Native name | Pádraig Steaclúm (Irish) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 6 May 1927 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 4 April 2008 (aged 80) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | C&C employee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Hurling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre-back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Patrick Stakelum (6 May 1927 – 4 April 2008) was an Irish hurling selector, administrator and player. At club level, he played with Holycross–Ballycahill and Young Irelands and at inter-county level was a member of the Tipperary senior hurling team from 1947 to 1958. Stakelum captained Tipperary to the All-Ireland SHC title in 1949.
Early life
Stakelum played hurling at all levels during his time as a student at Thurles CBS and was a mainstay of the school's Dr Harty Cup team. His performances in that competition resulted in his inclusion on the Munster Colleges team that defeated Leinster Colleges in consecutive All-Ireland finals in 1945 and 1946.[1][2]
Club career
Stakelum played his club hurling with Holycross–Ballycahill. He won four Mid Tipperary SHC medals between 1947 and 1954. Stakelum claimed his first Tipperary SHC medal in 1948, following a 4–10 to 2–04 win over Lorrha in the final. He won further Tipperary SHC honours in 1951 and 1954, after respective defeats of Clonoulty and Roscrea.[3]
Inter-county career
Stakelum first appeared on the inter-county scene with Tipperary in 1945, as captain of the minor team that won the Munster MHC title after a 32–point win over Clare.[4] He subsequently captained Tipperary to a defeat by Dublin in the 1945 All-Ireland MHC final.[5]
After immediately progressing to the junior team, Stakelum made his senior team debut in 1947. Success at club level resulted in him being appointed team captain for the 1949 season. That year, Stakelum was part of the Tipperary side that won the National Hurling League, as well as the Munster SHC title after a 1–16 to 2–10 win over Limerick.[6] He captained the team from wing-back when Tipperary later beat Laois by 3–11 to 0–03 in the 1949 All-Ireland SHC final.[7]
The following year, Stakelum, who was now moved to centre-back, won a second consecutive National League medal. He later won a second consecutive Munster SHC medal, following a 2–17 to 3–11 win over Cork. Stakelum ended the year by claiming a second consecutive All-Ireland SHC medal, following Tipperary's a one-point win over Kilkenny in the 1950 All-Ireland SHC final.[8]
Stakelum claimed a third successive Munster SHC medal in 1951, as Cork were once again beaten in the final. He later won a third successive All-Ireland SHC medal, again lining out at centre-back, in the 7–07 to 3–09 win over Wexford in the 1951 All-Ireland SHC final.[9] Stakelum won further National League honours in 1952, 1954, 1955 and 1957, before retiring from inter-county hurling in 1958.[10]
Inter-provincial career
Stakelum's performances with Tipperary resulted in his selection for the Munster inter-provincial team. As a mainstay of the team for eight consecutive years between 1950 to 1957, he won six Railway Cup medals.[11]
Post-playing career
Stakelum moved into the administrative side of the GAA folloiwng his retirement from inter-county activity. He served as secretary of the Tipperary County Board in 1961 and 1962, a period which saw Tipperary win consecutive All-Ireland SHC titles. Stakelum was a founder-member of the Dúrlas Óg juvenile club in Thurles in 1979 and served as president for nearly 40 years.[12] He also spent two years as a selector with the Tipperary senior team in 1985 and 1986.
Personal life and death
Stakelum was born in Holycross, County Tipperary. He worked at Dwan's Mineral Waters for many years, a company which later became C&C.[13] His wife, Nancy Finn, was known locally as a violinist in an orchestra, and the couple had five children.[14] Stakelum's nephews, Richard and Conor Stakelum and Bobby and Aidan Ryan, were also All-Ireland SHC-winners with Tipperary. His grandnephew, Declan Hannon, is an All-Ireland-winning captain with Limerick.[15][16]
Stakelum died after a period of ill health on 4 April 2008, at the age of 80.[17][18]
Honours
- Holycross–Ballycahill GAA
- Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship: 1948, 1951, 1954
- Mid Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship: 1947, 1948, 1951, 1954
- Tipperary
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: 1949 (c), 1950, 1951
- Munster Senior Hurling Championship: 1949 (c), 1950, 1951
- National Hurling League: 1948–49 (c), 1949–50, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1956–57
- Munster Minor Hurling Championship: 1945 (c)
- Munster
References
- ^ "Munster Colleges' grip on title". Irish Independent. 12 March 1945. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
- ^ "Colleges title for Munster". The Cork Examiner. 25 March 1946. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
- ^ Dundon, Noel (19 June 2021). "Home of former all-Ireland winning Tipp senior hurling captain up for sale". Tipperary Live. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ^ "Minor hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ "Preview: MHC final - Dublin v Tipperary". Hogan Stand. 7 September 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ "Senior Hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "A history repeat 50 years on". Irish Independent. 11 September 1999. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Finals down the years". Irish Independent. 18 August 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ^ "Tipperary profile". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ^ "Pat Stakelum". Hogan Stand. 9 April 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Railway Cup Hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Pat Stakelum". Hogan Stand. 31 May 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Pat Stakelum". Hogan Stand. 12 April 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Tipperary launch of 'Pat Stakelum - Legend of the Ash' in Ballycahill Hall". Irish Independent. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Stakelum clan reflect on hurling pedigree for launch of Dundon biography". Irish Examiner. 14 October 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Family ties: Kilkenny and Limerick guaranteed to be a family affair". Irish Examiner. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Death of Tipp great Stakelum". Irish Independent. 5 April 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Tributes pour in for Tipp legend Stakelum". Irish Examiner. 5 April 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2025.