The only man to win both All Ireland senior hurling and football medals playing for Galway was Leonard McGrath in 1923 and 1925 and his collection of medals, which includes both Celtic Crosses, goes up for on-line auction next week. McGrath was born in Australia in 1899 but returned to Galway with his parents as a child. After attending Shragh National School and later “The Pines” secondary school in Ballinasloe, McGrath qualified as a teacher from St. Patrick’s College in Drumcondra in 1918. He subsequent secured his first appointment at Loughrea National School and later Cappataggle NS. He made the Galway hurling team in 1922 and, a year later, was part of the team that beat Kilkenny 5-4 to 2-0 in the semi final and Limerick 7-3 to 4-5 in the final to win the county's first All Ireland senior title. That hurling team (pictured above) included: Inset: N. Gilmartin, Mick Gill, Junior Mahony. First row: -, Fr. Larkin, Tom Kenny. Second row: Jack Berry, Paddy Hurney, Berney Gibbs, Mick Dervan, Dick Morrissy, “Staff” Garvey, Jim Power. Third row: Andy Kelly, Jim Morris, Mick Kenny (capt), Martin King, Tom Flenning. Front row: Leonard McGrath, Ignatius Harney.
Two years later in 1925, Leonard was part of the Galway football team that were crowned All Ireland champions in bizarre circumstances. The Connacht Football Championship was only at the first round stage by the time Kerry, Wexford and Cavan had qualified from their respective provincial campaigns, so Mayo were nominated to represent Connacht. In the All-Ireland semi-finals, Kerry defeated Cavan and Mayo defeated Wexford, but after an objection by Cavan and counter-objection by Kerry, both of those counties were disqualified and Mayo were declared champions. The Connacht final was then played, with Galway defeating Mayo at Parkmore, Tuam by 1-5 to 1-3, and the Central Council of the G.A.A. declared Galway the All-Ireland champions. And in a special provincial winners’ tournament, run in January 1926, Galway defeated Cavan in the final, by 3-2 to 1-2, after earlier eliminating Wexford; Kerry refused to participate.
The unique collection which is estimated to be worth between €15,000 to €20,000, which his decedents have held since his death, are up for grabs as part of a timed online auction from Monday, April 27 to May 5 with Fonsie Mealy auctioneers who are based in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny.
