Ollie Walsh

Ollie Walsh, full name Patrick Oliver Walsh, was an Irish hurler and hurling manager who lived from 1937 to 1996. He began with the Thomastown club, joined the Kilkenny minor team at fifteen in 1953 and won a Leinster minor title in 1955, and was promoted to the Kilkenny senior team in 1956. From his debut he was the ever-present goalkeeper, making 42 championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 1972. In that time he was part of five All-Ireland Championship-winning teams, in 1957, 1963, 1967, 1969 and 1972, and he also collected ten Leinster medals and two National Hurling League medals. After retiring as a player he worked as a manager, gaining experience with the Carlow senior hurling team, guiding his Thomastown club to the Kilkenny Intermediate Championship in 1983 and later winning All-Ireland titles as a manager with Kilkenny.