Paddy Larkin

Patrick Larkin (26 July 1905 – 19 September 1976) was an Irish hurler who played as a full-back for the Kilkenny senior team.

He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of twenty when he first linked up with the Kilkenny senior team in various tournament games, before later lining out with the junior side.

As a representative on the Leinster inter-provincial team for much of his inter-county career, Larkin won three Railway Cup medals in 1932, 1933 and 1936.

At club level he won five championship medals with James Stephens, Tullaroan and Éire Óg.

The third game of the series took place in the first week of November, however, on this occasion there would be a winner as Cork sealed the victory by 5–8 to 3–4.

In a close and exciting match Kilkenny took the lead thanks to goals by Matty Power, Lory Meagher and Martin White.

Clare fought back, however, Kilkenny hung on to win the game by 3–3 to 2–3 giving Larkin his first All-Ireland medal.

In another tight game Kilkenny sealed the victory with a 1–7 to 0–6 score line giving Larkin his second consecutive All-Ireland title.

Limerick were coming into their prime at this stage and gained revenge for the defeats of 1933 and 1935 by trouncing 'the Cats' on a score line of 5–6 to 1–5.

The All-Ireland final pitted Kilkenny against Tipperary in the unusual venue of FitzGerald Stadium in Killarney.

Larkin was appointed captain of Kilkenny for the second time in 1938, however, Dublin accounted for his team in the Leinster final.

In spite of this the team bounced back in 1943 with Larkin adding a ninth Leinster medal to his already impressive collection.

The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final provided what was regarded as the time as the biggest shock in the history of the championship.