The 25th April 2024 marked the 40th anniversary of the passing of Tom Barry, one of Carrigtwohill’s most decorated hurlers and greatest servants.  Many of our current members and supporters probably do not know the story of Tom Barry.

Tom was reared on his father’s farm in Gurranes, two and a half miles north of Carrigtwohill. His eldest brother Jim, after whom our playing field, Páirc Séamus de Barra is named, won a senior county championship in 1918 before becoming one of the club’s key drivers at a time when the club was one of the major forces in Cork senior hurling. Jim was also the first vice-chair of the East Cork Board which this year marks its centenary.

Playing alongside his brothers John (“the Runner”) and Din, Tom was the undoubted star of a team that bristled with Cork hurlers and reached four county senior finals in the 1930s. He was a renowned long striker of the ball in the air and on the ground. Tom never wavered from the view that Carrig’s place should be at the top table and the club’s ambition should match that.

Having first appeared for the club in 1923 he was called up to the county side three years later. During a long intercounty career, Tom won Munster Championships and All-Irelands in 1928, 1929 and 1931 as well as a National League medal in 1930. The 1931 All-Ireland Final against Kilkenny went to two replays and is often credited with having brought hurling to the attention of the nation with much increased media coverage and a then new record crowd of over 33,000 spectators to watch the second instalment. 

After retiring from the playing field, Tom continued to serve the club. For the remainder of his life he was a fixture at Carrig games. He was a selector on many teams, a long time trustee and, over a combined period of 16 years, had two terms as club chairman. During his second term, he provided the cash strapped club with the money required to purchase the original playing field at West End when he put up an interest free loan. Shortly before his death, Tom had the pleasure of seeing the contract for purchase of the new playing field signed under the aegis of a Development Committee lead by his brother-in-law, Willie O’Brien from Ballyvodock.

After Tom’s passing, his widow Nora took up the mantle and did invaluable work on the compilation of the club history. His son, Tom, a solicitor is the club’s legal advisor on a free gratis basis for decades and has been the main organiser of events in Dublin for Cork GAA including team banquets on All-Ireland final day. His daughter, recently retired and well-known GP, Dr. Mary Barry was the Carrig team doctor for a number of years.

Tall for the time, off the field Tom was quiet-spoken and the antithesis of attention seeking. A non-drinker and non-smoker, he was a daily communicant. As a young man he travelled the length and breadth of the country through his involvement in the family cattle dealing business. Later he owned the well known Barry Bros shop (now Vincent’s) on Main Street. Aside from hurling his other sporting interest was horse racing. At a time of much change and loosening familial ties an interesting side note is that several of Tom’s relatives, through the Barry/Grey/Fouhy line, also had distinguished Carrig and Cork careers.

The story of Tom Barry is one that is well worth telling. 

Go mbeidh cuimhne fada air.

(Míle buíochas to Tom Barry’s son, Tom for helping to compile this piece.)