St. Patricks GAA Club

We extend sympathy to Josephine and Nora sisters of the late Ned Barnable Clonyhea, Drangan who passed away on Friday January 5. Apart from farming, Ned’s main interest in life was the GAA which he served as a player, selector, club administrator and historian.

Ned first came under notice in 1952 when as a 14-year-old he was a member of the St. Patricks minor football panel who defeated the 13^th Battalion in the South Tipperary championship but suffered a one-point defeat in a replay against a star studded Fethard side in the second round. Ned continued to line out in the following years and in 1955 was one of nine St. Patricks players who helped Killenaule to victory in the South Tipperary minor hurling final. In 1956 Ned and four other St. Patricks players again helped Killenaule to reach the South final where they were defeated by Carrick Swans. Also in 1956 Ned was one of six St. Patricks players who helped Mullinahone to victory in the South Tipperary minor football final.

In the years that followed Ned continued to line out for St. Patricks Junior Hurling and Football teams and for Fionn McCumhaill Senior Football team which was a combination of Grangemockler and St. Patricks. In 1963 Ned won South Tipperary Junior Football and Hurling championships with St. Patricks when he captained St. Patricks to win their first ever Junior Hurling championship from full forward. In 1967 Ned won South Tipperary Intermediate Football and Co. Junior Football Finals. Ned played at full back for the South victory.

When his playing days were over Ned helped many of the younger players as a selector for various teams and in 1991 Ned was a selector when St. Patricks won the South Tipperary Junior A Hurling Final. Ned also served as Club Vice Chairman and was a member of the committee which developed Anner Park and was Chairman of the first Club Finance Committee. Ned had a great knowledge of GAA history and if anyone was in any doubt, he usually produced a programme or team list to back up his memory of matches. Ned travelled far and wide to support Tipperary Hurling teams and had accumulated a great collection of match programmes.

When Ned’s coffin draped in his beloved black and amber arrived at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Drangan it was met by a guard of honour of many of his colleagues from the 1950s, 60s and 70s as well as many of the players he had guided to victory in 1991, and many younger players who came out in great numbers to honour a legend of St. Patricks GAA Club. At Ned’s funeral mass the hurley used by Ned in his last match for St. Patricks took pride of place at the altar.

May the soul of Ned Barnable rest in peace.