Blackrock National Hurling Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club located on the southside of Cork City, Ireland. The club was founded in 1883 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling. No other Cork-based GAA club has won more Senior County Hurling titles or All-Ireland Club Championships.[2] The club is sometimes known as 'The Rockies'.[3]
History
Blackrock Hurling Club was officially founded in 1883, one year before the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association itself. It is therefore the oldest hurling club in Cork.[4] Until 1888 the club was known as Cork Nationals, when it changed its name to National Hurling Club of Blackrock, and later in the same year to Blackrock National Hurling Club.[1]
Blackrock won eight of the first nine Cork Senior Hurling Championship titles and, in the early years of the All-Ireland Championship when the winning clubs represented the county, subsequently claimed the All-Ireland titles for Cork in 1893 and 1894.[5] Blackrock once again claimed the All-Ireland hurling title for Cork in 1903, and were such a dominant force in Cork hurling that up until the 1930s, that many Blackrock players made up the county team in that period.[5]
In subsequent years, Blackrock's dominance in Cork hurling was challenged by Glen Rovers and St. Finbarr's, however, Blackrock have consistently been at the top of the Roll of Honour.[6][7] The team had a successful spell in the 1970s, winning All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship titles in 1972, 1974 and 1979, along with five Munster titles in the same decade.[7]
Blackrock's most recent Senior County Championship was in 2020 when they defeated Glen Rovers in the final.[citation needed]
Bernard Hurley; Pat Casey, Paddy Geary, John Horgan (Capt.); Simon Murphy, Frank Cummins, Frank Norberg; Michael Murphy, Pat Kavanagh; Donie Collins, Ray Cummins, Pat Moylan; Brendan Cummins, John Rothwell, Dave Prendergast.
Tim Murphy; John Rothwell, Paddy Geary, John Horgan (Capt.); Frank Cummins, C. O’Brien, Frank Norberg; Jack Russell, Pat Moylan; Pat Kavanagh, John O’Halloran, Donie Collins; Dave Prendergast, Ray Cummins, Éamonn O’Donoghue. Subs: S. Kearney, D. Buckley. (Note: Brendan Cummins played in the drawn game.)
Tim Murphy; Frank Nornerg, C. O’Brien, John Horgan (Capt.); Dermot Mca Curtain, Frank Cummins, Andy Creagh; Tom Cashman, J. O’Grady; Pat Moylan, Tom Lyons, Donie Collins; Éamonn O’Sullivan, Ray Cummins, Éamonn O’Donoghue. Subs: D. Buckley.
^ ab"History". blackrockhurlingclub.com. Blackrock Hurling Club. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015.
^"The Rockies - About". blackrockhurlingclub.com. Blackrock Hurling Club. Archived from the original on 20 October 2018. Blackrock National Hurling Club was founded in 1883 and is situated on Church Road in Blackrock, Cork City. No team in Cork has won more Senior County Championships, Munster Championships or All-Ireland Championships.
^"Players take on Murphy's law". Irish Times. 7 December 2002. Retrieved 2 November 2018. Blackrock hurling club, which was founded in 1883 [..] is officially the oldest club in Cork
^ abcdT.M. Mhic Chonbhui (2017). Cork: A History In the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Volume One 1887-1949. Lulu Press. ISBN9781326881245.
^Richard Henchion (2005). East to Mahon, The Story of Blackrock, Ballintemple, Ballinlough, Ballinure and Mahon. Dahadore Publications. p. 162. ISBN0-9541293-2-6. Ever since the foundation of the GAA in 1884 Blackrock has shared with St. Finbarrs and Glen Rovers the honour of being among the three most consistently successful senior hurling clubs in the county
^ abEamonn Sweeney (2012). O'Brien Pocket History of Gaelic Sport. O'Brien Press. ISBN9781847175212. Over the years [Blackrock's] hegemony was challenged by Glen Rovers and St Finbarr's, but Blackrock have always been close to the top. They enjoyed a golden spell in the 1970s with All-Ireland club titles in 1972, 1974 and 1979
^ abc"All-Ireland Club Hurling - Martin Breheny's top 25". Independent News & Media. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2018. [Blackrock] won three All-Irelands in 1972, '74 and '79 with such famous names as John Horgan, Ray Cummins, Pat Moylan, Eamon O'Donoghue, Frank Norberg and Kilkenny's Frank Cummins anchoring a powerful squad