The death of John O Grady (Culbáire) is a sad occasion in our club community. John’s distinguished service in our club spans the decades from the 1940’s to his recent re nomination as our Club President. Always the ‘Cúlbaire’ one of John’s earliest successes was winning a Dean Ryan medal. John played 12 championship games with the Tipperary Minor Hurling team, losing only once. Captaining the Tipperary Minor team to win the 1949 All Ireland Final John became the first recipient of the Irish Press Cup. His hurling continued in Cork with U.C.C. and the Blackrock club. He joined the Thurles CBS secondary school teaching staff in 1955 and resumed as the ‘Cúlbaire’ for Moycarkey Borris. John was the Tipperary Senior ‘Cúlbaire’ for 1958 as the team defeated Limerick, Cork, Waterford, Kilkenny and Galway to win the Munster and All Ireland titles. After that Final he quit County hurling due to challenges with his eyesight. But special glasses extended his Moycarkey career until 1967. His best championship in these years was in 1962 when the team narrowly lost the County S.H. Final to Sarsfields. John continued to serve and lead the club as Chairman into the 1970’s. In 1971 he proposed the abolition of the Rule 27 ‘ban’ at the County Convention.
‘Cúlbaire’s’ hurling intelligence and writing prowess in the Tipperary Star was treasured by the GAA community everywhere.
Our sincere sympathies to Ann, Martin, Séan, Brian and all the family. May he rest in peace.
— Moycarkey Borris GAA