Michael Kelly (24 September 1929 – 26 October 2011) was an Irish hurler who played as a left wing-forward for the Kilkenny senior team from 1952 until 1960.
This allowed Kelly's side to advance directly to the championship decider where Waterford provided the opposition.
A 4–10 to 3–12 victory gave Kelly an All-Ireland medal and the honour of collecting the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
One of eleven children, Michael Kelly was born in the townland of Killarney, Thomastown, County Kilkenny.
After attending the local national school he was sent, as a boarder, to St. Francis' College, run by the Capuchin Friars at Rochestown in Cork.
He left at the age of sixteen and returned to live near the village of Bennettsbridge where he combined farming with a job in Mosse's flour milling company.