Born 100 years ago today, the forgotten Captain Marvel of Cork hurling

ON June 11, 1923 - 100 years ago today - Sean Condon was born in Fuller’s Lane, Greenmount, Cork.

Although he lived all his life within the puck of a ball of his birthplace, he became known across the country for his hurling and football prowess with his club, St Finbarr’s, and his county, Cork.

Sean played his first hurling game for Greenmount in the Parish Leagues. Soon he was playing for Greenmount School and was their captain in 1936.

He had two other highlights that year. He captained a Cork Presentation Schools selection against a Kerry selection in the first ever game at the new Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, and, despite his age - he was just 13 - he played on the first ever St Finbarr’s minor hurling team.

In 1939, when he was 16, the Barr’s won the minor hurling county title for the first time. The club and Condon went on to retain the title in 1940 and 1941.

Not surprisingly, Sean was captain of the Cork minor hurlers in 1941 - arguably Cork’s best ever minor hurling team. As well as Condon - who scored 0-4 from midfield as Cork beat Galway in the All-Ireland final - it featured Barr’s team- mates Tom Mulcahy, Jim Murphy, Mick Kennefick, Denis McCarthy and Jim Morrison. Also in the side were Matty Fouhy, Joe Kelly, Donie Twomey and Michael Murphy, later Bishop of Cork and Ross.

As well as being Cork’s minor captain, Condon played senior hurling with the Barr’s in 1941. He was centre-field against Glen Rovers in the quarter-final of the county championship when a certain Christy Ring made his championship bow.

Glen Rovers won that game, but the tide was turning. Their team that had dominated the senior championship since 1934 was ageing and breaking up. The Barr’s were stacked with talented youngsters and poised to win the 1942 title, and dominate it for years to come.

Events were moving very quickly for Sean Condon. His minor days were barely behind him when the Cork senior hurling team came calling. Just a few days after his 19th birthday, he made his senior championship debut against Limerick in an epic Munster semi-final. Cork won and went on to retain the All-Ireland.

With his first All-Ireland senior medal in his pocket, Condon went on to star for the Barr’s as they beat Ballincollig in the 1942 county final - their first title in nine years. There were great celebrations when the cup returned to Barrack Street.

Sean had now won every medal he must have dreamed of when he started playing hurling only 10 years earlier.

Condon’s St Finbarr’s and Cork teammate, Mick Kennefick, was Cork captain in 1943. They were joined on the team by goalkeeper Tom Mulcahy, a team-mate since their minor days with the Barr’s. Cork won a third successive All-Ireland title and Kennefick became the youngest captain to receive the Liam MacCarthy Cup on behalf of an All-Ireland team.

The Barr’s and Ballincollig met again in the 1943 county final. This time it took a late goal from a Condon free to earn the Barr’s a draw. Four weeks later the Barr’s made no mistake in the replay, 7-9 to 1-1.

In 1944, Condon led Munster to victory in the Railway Cup final against Connacht and also took over the captaincy of the Cork team. It took the Rebels two attempts to defeat Limerick in the Munster Final. Cork nearly fell again to Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final, Condon, however, showed fantastic leadership, scoring 0-8 from midfield to secure a one-point win.

The Rebels secured four All-Irelands in a row with a comfortable win over Dublin. Condon followed in the footsteps of Connie Buckley, Jack Lynch and Kennefick in receiving the Liam McCarthy Cup.

He was a sub on the Cork team that regained the All-Ireland in 1946. In November, however, he gave a captain’s display in the 1946 county final when the Barr’s defeated the Glen 2-3 to 2-1 in what became known as the ‘The Mud Final’.

That meant Condon returned to the Cork team as captain in 1947, and they went all the way to the All-Ireland final, only to be pipped by a late Kilkenny point. Some weeks later, Condon won his fourth senior county medal as the Barr’s landed the county championship, defeating Sarsfields by two points.

Also an accomplished footballer, Condon won an All-Ireland Junior football medal in 1951, and his performances earned him a call-up to the Cork senior team for the National League. Unfortunately, he picked up a serious knee injury against Mayo which effectively ended his glorious career at the age of 28. There was an attempted comeback in the County Final of 1952, which the Barr’s lost to Avondhu.

As Condon never courted the limelight, the transition from hurling star to private citizen came easy to him. He worked at the Cork Harbour Board, and was content to spend his time between home, work and the St Finbarr’s club. He was a familiar figure in the Greenmount, Bandon Road area and always found time to stop to talk about hurling with those he met.

He attended as many games as he could fit into his week, and took up the game of pitch and putt. On Saturdays, he would head out to St Finbarr’s grounds, play a round of pitch and putt then stay on to watch two or three underage games.

He was also a great supporter of the football and hurling teams of Greenmount National School, and would use any excuse to head up there, meet the boys, and talk to them about their games.

Sean Condon passed away in October, 2001. He will be remembered for his outstanding hurling record and as captain of St Finbarr’s, Cork and Munster.

His greatest legacy, however, is not what he achieved on the field of play. It is the way he conducted himself on and off the field, the example he set as he went about his daily life, and the time he gave to listen and to talk to others. He was indeed a true captain.