Remembering Dr Jim Young: Cork and Glen Rovers hurlers legend

One of Cork’s notable sports figures of the 20th century, Dr Jim Young, was recognised at a function at the Glen Rovers Club on Friday night.

The highlight of the evening will see Paul Young, son of Jim Young, present the club with the miniature replica of the Liam MacCarthy Cup that Jim Young received in 1944.

The silver Liam MacCarthy Cup miniature replicas were presented to the eight Cork players who started in all four winning All-Ireland finals between 1941 and 1944: Young, Willie Murphy, Batt Thornhill, Din Joe Buckley, Jack Lynch, Christy Ring, John Quirke and Alan Lotty.

“The miniature has had pride of place in the Young family house for the past 80 years,” said Paul Young. “My family have always been very proud of our father’s achievements with Glen Rovers and Cork, and it has been great to have this fantastic memento.

"The miniatures were presented to my father, and the other players, to mark their remarkable achievement of playing in and winning four in a row All-Irelands titles. We, as a family, feel now is a good time to present the miniature to the club. 

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"We hope that it will be on display and help to inspire the present and future generations of Glen players to practice hard, develop their skills and contribute to keeping Glen Rovers and Cork to the forefront of hurling."

As part of the ceremony, Diarmuid O’Donovan, an expert in the history of Cork GAA, will give a talk on Jim Young, his sporting life and his contribution to sport on Leeside.

Young was born in Dunmanway in 1915. His father, Jack, won an All-Ireland senior football medal with Cork in 1911, as did his younger brother, Eamonn, who is considered one of the greatest to ever wear the red geansaí, in 1945. 

Having completed his primary school education in Dunmanway, Jim moved to St Finbarr’s Farranferris, where he developed his hurling skills. He then spent a number of years in Maynooth before returning to UCC, where he studied medicine.

He played minor hurling for Cork in 1933 and made his senior hurling championship debut in 1937. That season he also won two senior county medals, lining out for the Glen in hurling and Carbery in football.

He played his first senior All-Ireland final in 1939 when Cork lost to Kilkenny but went on to great success from there in a golden era for the Rebels. 

He won his first of five All-Ireland hurling medals two years later, with Cork retaining the title from 1942 to '44 and lifting Liam MacCarthy again in '46.

He also won a Munster football title with Cork in 1943. 

In 1948, he captained Cork to win the league and Glen Rovers to the county before he retired after the 1949 season.

After that, he took up tennis and won numerous Munster titles up to the 1960s. In 1968, he was Ireland’s non-playing captain in the Davis Cup. 

He was also a notable golfer, hunter, and served as a medical officer to the Cork Boxing Association.