Cork's oldest All-Ireland winning hurler, centenarian Jimmy Lynam, passes away 

The oldest surviving Cork All-Ireland hurling medal winner, Jimmy Lynam, has passed away at the age of 100.

Mr Lynam was a member of the 1952 All-Ireland winning panel that included such hurling greats as Christy Ring and Wille John Daly, coming on as a sub for Liam Abernethy, as the Rebels defeated Dublin by 2-14 to 0-7.

He then won his second a year later, when Cork beat Galway by 3-3 to 0-8.

Mr Lynam also won a total of seven Cork county senior hurling championship winners medals with Glen Rovers between 1944 and 1954, and one Cork senior football winners medal with St Nicholas in 1954. On and off the pitch, Mr Lynam was the definition of a club stalwart, giving sterling service as an administrator with both Glen Rovers and St Nicholas.

Liam Martin, chairperson of Glen Rovers, told The Echo that Mr Lynam set high standards, was meticulous in everything that he did, and the overall impact he made on the club was profound.

“His legacy will be significant in terms of his contribution on the field in both codes at the very highest levels.

“He continued to make a contribution afterwards serving on committees. Anything that had to be done to help the club, he was always one of the first there to contribute,” said Mr Martin.

An unassuming gentleman

“His input into Glen Rovers and St Nick’s can’t be measured really but it was highly significant. Given what he achieved on the field and just as much so afterwards.

“He was a contributor to the club in so many ways. I can remember Jimmy was on finance committees raising money, and I worked with him as well. He was a gentleman to deal with in every aspect and totally unassuming,” he added.

“He lived a long, happy, and fruitful life. He was a great individual, and unfortunately, they don’t make them like that anymore.” 

While still actively involved as a player, Mr Lynam was a member of the Glen Rovers committee that purchased and built the old Glen Hall in the heart of Blackpool in the early 1950s.

He also became treasurer of St Nick’s in 1964, a position he held until stepping down in 1985, where he was meticulous in terms of dealing with all aspects of the club finances.

Diarmuid O’Donovan, chairperson of the Glen Rovers underage section, said the late Mr Lynam holds a special place in the hearts of all associated with Glen Rovers and St Nick’s.

A leader and tremendous athlete

“He was a man that set very high standards for himself and everybody else. He treated everybody the same. He was a leader just by the way that he went about his business every day. Anything that he ever got involved in, he was very thorough about his he did it.

“He was a tremendous athlete as a player, exceptionally fast and quick to cover ground.

“One of his main attributes, apart from being a fierce competitor, was that he was such a gentleman.” 

Speaking last year to The Echo to mark Jimmy Lynam’s 100th birthday, his son Kieran, said: “Am I proud of him? Absolutely. The GAA gave him a purpose when he was young and it gave him friends for life.”