Derry Beckett

Jeremiah Christopher Derry Beckett (1919 to 1959) was an Irish dual player who won All-Ireland medals with Cork in both Gaelic football and hurling. Born in Cork on 24 December 1919 and raised in nearby Glanmire, he studied medicine at University College Cork, where he won two Sigerson Cup and three Fitzgibbon Cup medals. He played club hurling with Sarsfields and then St Finbarr's, winning Cork senior hurling titles with St Finbarr's in 1942 and 1946. For the Cork hurlers he collected All-Ireland medals in 1941 and 1942 during the county's four-in-a-row, and he is credited as the first player to wear protective headgear in a hurling game. He later joined the Cork footballers and scored the decisive goal in the 1945 All-Ireland final win over Cavan. After qualifying as a doctor he worked in Wales, studied in Canada and practised in Macclesfield, and he died on 28 August 1959 at the age of 38.