Edward Michael Joseph "Ned" Byrne (born 14 September 1948)[1] is a former Irish Gaelic footballer and rugby player.
He played hurling with his local club James Stephens and the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1970s, and between 1977 and 1978 represented Ireland at rugby union.
Immediately following the 1972 All-Ireland hurling final victory Byrne joined Blackrock College and he soon started to make the Leinster team for representative matches.
That tour remains famous for Ollie Campbell taking over Tony Ward’s out-half spot, however, for Byrne it was memorable for quite a different reason.
A group of players were coming back from a race meeting one night when, standing on a path waiting to cross the road, he was hit by a car which didn't stop.