Martin Aherne

A special function was held in Aherne’s Lounge Bar, Bunkey on Friday 20th December to mark the centenary of Martin Aherne bringing the first All-Ireland medal to Newport. A presentation of a framed case with a team photo and some of Martin’s medals was made by Newport GAA Club to the Aherne family. Martin Aherne was a member of the Tipperary team which won the 1924 All Ireland Junior Hurling title. Tipperary, captained by Phil Purcell, swept aside all teams, scoring 25 goals in 4 outings, defeating Kerry, Cork and Limerick before accounting for Galway in the All Ireland Final which was not played until 31st August 1925. Martin went on to play with the Tipp seniors and won a National Hurling League medal in 1927, which incidentally was the second year of the League’s existence and saw no final played, with Tipperary declared winners when topping the table after 8 group games.

Martin Aherne was the anchor of the Newport defence which achieved a number of significant firsts during his playing career. The first North Tipp title came to Newport in 1924, when they defeated Curreeney in the Junior Hurling final. Newport reached their first North Senior Hurling final in 1927, only to lose to Toomevara. They played in West Tipp in 1931 and lost the Senior Final to Clonoulty. Returning to the North in 1932, Newport were declared North Senior Hurling champions, for the first time, when Toomevara refused to play the final. Effectively, Newport was rated as one of the top teams in the area and proved their worth in numerous tournaments in Tipperary and Limerick in the late twenties and early thirties. Tournament games often aroused greater interest than championships and many stories are told of fiercely-contested encounters for the Donnellan Cup, Sweet Afton Cup, Thomond Feis Cup, etc. Michael Bourke, immortalised in song one of Newport’s famous victories over a star-studded Ahane team in a local tournament game in aid of the new church, when he wrote: “Give a cheer for bold Ned Gleeson, O’Connor, Coffeys, Ryans; Rainsfords, Crowe, Aherne, Close, in future days will shine; Delaney, Lee and Boland, in the front were always seen; And their splendid shots from mid-field often raised the flag of green.”

Martin Aherne was renowned as a commanding figure in the Newport rearguard. His powerful frame, strength and forceful style dominated opponents and led his team to many victories. He left a legacy of which his family and club are immensely proud.