Michael Crotty (29 September 1946 – 11 October 2024) was an Irish

hurling Hurling (, ') is an outdoor Team sport, team game of ancient Gaelic culture, Gaelic Irish origin, played by men and women. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goa ...

selector and player. At club level he played with James Stephens, and was also a member of the

Kilkenny senior hurling team The Kilkenny county hurling team represents County Kilkenny, Kilkenny in hurling and is governed by Kilkenny GAA, the County board (Gaelic games), county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the three major annual inte ...

Early life

Born and raised in

Kilkenny Kilkenny ( , meaning 'church of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech'). is a city in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region and in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinst ...

, Crotty was the son of

Patrick Crotty Patrick Joseph Crotty (23 November 1902 – 26 November 1970) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency from 1948 to 1969. He was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1948 general ...

, who served as a

Fine Gael Fine Gael ( ; ; ) is a centre-right, liberal-conservative, Christian democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil Éireann. The party had a member ...

TD for Carlow–Kilkenny between 1948 and 1969. His brother,

Kieran Crotty Kieran Crotty (20 August 1930 – 22 July 2022) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency from 1969 to 1989. Crotty was first elected to the Dáil following the 1969 general e ...

, succeeded their father as a TD following his retirement, and remained in that role until 1989. Crotty first played

to a high standard as a student at

St Kieran's College St Kieran's College (Coláiste Chiaráin) is a Roman Catholic secondary school, located on College Road, Kilkenny, Ireland. History St Kieran's College was founded in Kilkenny, in the diocese of Ossory in 1782, after the passing of the Cath ...

, however, his tenure ended without silverware. He later studied at

University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) () is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork (city), Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of three Queen's Universit ...

and won back-to-back

Fitzgibbon Cup The Fitzgibbon Cup () is the trophy for the premier hurling championship among higher education institutions (universities, colleges and institutes of technology) in Ireland. The Fitzgibbon Cup competition is administered by Comhairle Ard Oideac ...

medals in 1971 and 1972.

Club career

While his brother had enjoyed success with Dicksboro, a period of decline in the 1960s resulted in Crotty joining the nearby James Stephens club. He had his first club success when James Stephens beat

Fenians The word ''Fenian'' () served as an umbrella term for the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) and their affiliate in the United States, the Fenian Brotherhood. They were secret political organisations in the late 19th and early 20th centurie ...

by 8-05 to 2-07 in the delayed 1969 Kilkenny SHC final. Crotty simultaneously lined out with

in the Cork SHC and claimed a winners' medal in 1970 after scoring a goal in the 2-12 to 0-15 defeat of

Muskerry Muskerry () is a central region of County Cork, Ireland which incorporates the baronies of Muskerry West final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...

. After losing SHC finals in 1970 and 1973, James Stephens claimed the SHC title once again in 1975, with Crotty collecting his second winners' medal. A successful Leinster Club SHC campaign was followed by a 2-10 to 2-04 defeat of

Blackrock BlackRock, Inc. is an American Multinational corporation, multinational investment company. Founded in 1988, initially as an enterprise risk management and fixed income institutional asset manager, BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager ...

in the 1976 All-Ireland club final. Crotty won a third Kilkenny SHC in 1976 when James Stephens retained the title after a seven-point defeat of Rower–Inistioge. Crotty added a fourth and final Kilkenny SHC medal to his collection following a 2-10 to 0-08 win over

in the 1981 final. A subsequent defeat of Faythe Harriers secured his second Leinster Club SHC medal. Crotty added a second All-Ireland Club SHC winners' medal to his collection after a 3-13 to 3-08 defeat of Mount Sion in the 1982 All-Ireland club final. He brought his club career to an end after

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

ing James Stephens to a 2-14 to 1-08 defeat by

Ballyhale Shamrocks Ballyhale Shamrocks is a Gaelic games club located in the parish of Ballyhale in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is a member of the Kilkenny branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Founded in 1972, the club was a amalgamation of three team ...

in the 1983 Kilkenny SHC final.

Inter-county career

Crotty began his inter-county career with

as a member of the minor team that lost the 1963 Leinster MHC final to

Wexford Wexford ( ; archaic Yola dialect, Yola: ''Weiseforthe'') is the county town of County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the ...

. His inter-county career stalled for a period following this, and it was 1969 before he earned a call-up to the senior team. Crotty's debut was a winning one as Kilkenny claimed the

Oireachtas Cup The Oireachtas Cup was an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association between 1939 and 1999 for the top inter-county teams in Ireland. The series of games were usually played in the autumn months after the completion ...

after a defeat of

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

. He became a regular member of the team during the 1969-70 National League and was

for the 1970 Leinster final defeat by Wexford. Crotty was dropped from the team in 1971 but spent a period of time playing

Gaelic football Gaelic football (; short name '')'', commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA, or football, is an Irish team sport. A form of football, it is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score ...

with the

Kilkenny senior football team The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (Kilkenny GAA) () is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at ...

. He was recalled to Kilkenny's senior hurling team in 1972 and won the first of four consecutive Leinster SHC medals before claiming an All-Ireland SHC medal after a 3-24 to 5-11 defeat of Cork in the 1972 All-Ireland final. An All-Ireland final defeat by

Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...

in 1973 was reversed a year later, with Crotty claimed a third All-Ireland winners' medal in four seasons after

Galway Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...

were beaten in the 1975 All-Ireland final. His performances during th 1974 season earned him an

All Star An all-star team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and has been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry. Sports "All-star" as a sport ...

. Kilkenny's sequence of championship success was broken in 1976, however, Crotty added a

National Hurling League The National Hurling League is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition featuring teams from Ireland and England. Founded in 1925 by the Gaelic Athletic Association, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation within the l ...

medal to his collection. He claimed a fifth Leinster SHC winners' medal in 1978, however, Kilkenny lost out to Cork in the subsequent All-Ireland final. Crotty won a sixth and final provincial medal when Kilkenny retained the title a year later. A 2-12 to 1-08 defeat of Galway in the 1979 All-Ireland final gave him a fourth winners' medal in that competition. Crotty brought his inter-county career to an end after a defeat by

Offaly County Offaly (; ) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in honour of Philip II of Spain ...

in the 1980 Leinster final.

Inter-provincial career

Crotty's performances at inter-county level during his All Star-winning season resulted in his selection for the

Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...

team. Be was a substitute when they claimed a record fifth successive title after a 2-09 to 1-11 defeat of

Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...

in the 1975 Railway Cup final.

Coaching career

Crotty first became involved in inter-county coaching in November 1982 when he became a selector with the Kilkenny senior hurling team. Success was immediate with Kilkenny retaining their

title. Championship successes followed with Kilkenny claiming the Leinster SHC title before beating Cork in the 1983 All-Ireland final. Crotty's services as a selector were retained for a further two years without success.

Death

Crotty died at home in

on 11 October 2024, at the age of 78.

Honours

Player

;University College Cork *

: 1971, 1972 *

Cork Senior Hurling Championship The Cork Premier Senior Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier Senior Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Cork PSHC) is an annual club hurling competition organised by the Cork County B ...

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 1970 Tonghai earthquake, Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli ...

;James Stephens *

All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship, known simply as the All-Ireland Club Championship, is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-coun ...

1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...

1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...

Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the AIB Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Leinster GAA, Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Associa ...

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...

Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship The Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the St Canice's Credit Union Senior Hurling Championship and abbreviated to the Kilkenny SHC) is an annual hurling competition organised by the Kilkenny County Board of ...

1969 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1969th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 969th year of the 2nd millennium, the 69th year of the 20th century, and the ...

;Kilkenny *

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship, known simply as the All-Ireland Championship, is an annual Inter county, inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest-tier competition for ...

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship The Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship, known simply as the Leinster Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-county hur ...

1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...

: 1975-76 ;Leinster *

Railway Cup The GAA Interprovincial Championship () or Railway Cup (''Corn an Iarnróid'') is the name of two annual Gaelic football and hurling competitions held between the provinces of Ireland. The Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster GAA teams are co ...

Management

;Kilkenny *

1983 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...

: 1982-83

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crotty, Mick 1945 births 2024 deaths UCC hurlers James Stephens hurlers James Stephens Gaelic footballers Kilkenny inter-county hurlers Kilkenny inter-county Gaelic footballers Leinster inter-provincial hurlers All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship winners Hurling selectors 20th-century Irish sportsmen