James "Shem" Downey (5 January 1922 – 22 December 2013) was an Irish hurler who played as a midfielder for the Kilkenny senior team.
[citation needed] Downey was a member of the Leinster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions throughout his career, however, he never won a Railway Cup medal.
At club level he won one championship medal with Tullaroan.
[citation needed] His retirement came following Kilkenny's defeat by Wexford in the 1954 championship.
[citation needed] Downey's daughters, Angela and Ann, are regarded as two of the greatest camogie players of all-time, and won twelve All-Ireland medals with Kilkenny.