Galballymen who have played for Limerick
John Kiely
In this evenings programme, John Kiely, is listed as being a member of the Garryspillane hurling club and while this is factual, those who have seen him blossom from an outstanding primary school hurler and footballer to a place on all grades with limerick in both codes associate him with galbally. It's only this year he switched in hurling to Garryspillane anxious to compete at senior level and hoping to improve his hurling, playing at top level.
Son of Tom and Breda Kiely , well known publicans in the award winning "Tidy Town" of Galbally, he was born some 26 years ago. It was on the eve of the opening of their licensed premises that John was taken from the nursing home in Tipperary to grow up in a village steeped in gaelic tradition. He attended the local national school; Abbey CBS; Cork RTC; UCC and University of Limerick. He is now on the teaching staff at Abbey CBS, Tipperary.
Galbally and environs are better known as footballing areas where young boys are introduced to gaelic games from an early age. While football is the dominant sport in the galtee foothills, hurling also enjoys massive support. Galbally in the south/east corner of the county, bounds Tipperary, which leads to intense rivalry when Tipperary and Limerick clash. Making the rivalry more intense is the fact that half of Galbally parish is in County Tipperary. Hurlers and footballers in the Tipperary side of the parish must play with a Tipperary team, a factor which makes inroads into the pool of players available to do duty with Galbally.
Nevertheless, Galbally continues to keep the flag flying. In recent years they have clinched two county senior titles and a county junior B hurling crown. John Kiely has been part of these successes, and was captain of the junior hurling team of 1995. His career commenced at juvenile level and primary school level with Galbally. His graduation to the limerick team was a natural one - possessing a wonderful knowledge of the skills of both codes, enabling him to play at all levels with the county in both hurling and football.
After winning an All Ireland Freshers colleges medal with Cork RTC in 1991 he was an automatic selection for the Limerick team in the 1992 Munster under 21 hurling clash against Waterford. Two years later he was on the Limerick senior panel for two of the munster championship games, but missed out on a munster medal due to illness. He made amends in 1996 when Limerick shocked clare at the Gaelic Grounds.
Garryspillane will claim him this evening, but the "Bouncers" acknowledge that John Kiely is a son of Galteeside and famed Galbally.
This Profile was taken from a March Program for a Game between Limerick and Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds on 24th July 1998. John won a munster medal that night and followed it up with an All Ireland Intermediate Medal later that year.
Michael Quish
Michael Quish, Galbally, the only Limerick footballer to win a Railway Cup football medal, made his intercounty debut against wexford in 1975. He quickly established himself as a midfielder of quality and three years later he was selected on the Munster panel for the inter-provincial competition.
In the semi-final against Connacht he was introduced as a substitute and the selectors had no hesitation in choosing him for the midfield position with Gene McGrath of Tipperary for the final.
The 1978 final at Croke Park on March 17th between Munster and Ulster ended in a draw, but on April 16th, Munster triumphed on a scoreline of 4-12 to 0-19. The team to do duty on that historical occasion was: Billy Morgan(Cork), Brian Murphy(Cork), John O'Keeffe(Kerry), Jimmy Deenihan(Kerry), Paudie O'Shea(Kerry), Tim Keneally(Kerry), Martin Murphy(Clare), Gene McGrath(Tipperary), Michael Quish(Limerick), Pat Spillane(Kerry), Mike Sheehy(Kerry), Ger Power(Kerry), Jimmy Barry Murphy(Cork), Sean Walsh(Kerry), John Hennessy(Waterford).
Michael Began his career with the De LaSalle School in Hospital, County Limerick. In 1975 he captained the school which won the under 18 (smaller schools) title beating Caherciveen in the final. He also won a Munster under 18 1/2 colleges title with the school.
Besides his prowess on the football field, Michael is no mean wielder of the caman, having played in all grades of hurling with Garryspillane and junior with Galbally. In 1978 he played with the Garryspillane junior hurling team which captured county honours.
Down the years he has been a loyal servant of the Galbally Club and along with PJ Cussen could be classed as one of the greatest ever to wear the black and white.
Michael is still active at club level, and only late last year, starred on the team which beat Galtee Gaels in the south final.
Finally it would be unfair to call Michael parochial minded-but he does regard his fellow parishoner Timmy Cummins a current member of the Limerick squad a player of exceptional skill and ability.
This Profile was taken from a March Program for a Game between Limerick and Kerry at the Gaelic Grounds on 21st June 1992. Michael has since retired and now lives near Limerick City. He is no longer the only Limerick footballer to win a railway cup medal. That feat was equalled in 1999 by John Quane of neighbouring club Galtee Gaels who played midfield on the Munster team that beat Connacht in the final. Quane also played underage hurling with Galbally.
These are just two of the many Galballymen to play for Limerick in recent years. Others from the club to play for Limerick in recent years are Martin Dineen, Fergal Finnan, Eddie Scully, Jeremy Staunton, Timmy Cummins, Johnny Cummins, Ger Fahy, Colm Finnan, Seamus Morrissey, Aidan Carew, Mike Sheehan and Declan Wallace. Dessie Hayes has also some limited intercounty experience, but it was in the green and gold of Kerry that he made his name, scoring a goal for them on one occasion.

Timmy Cummins is now living and working in Dublin and plays football for St. Sylvesters, Dublin.Colm Finnan is now living and working in Monaghan and plays football for a Monaghan Club side. Aidan Carew has since retired and no longer plays football.
Sadly Jeremy Staunton has retired as he bids to become an Irish Senior International Rugby Player. We wish him well, and hope when he retires from international rugby in years to come that he will return to play for us. All of the others continue to play Senior Football for Galbally and will be hoping to win another County Championship this Year
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