Sonny Maher – by Caoimhe Maher

Primary Children's Competition

Sonny Maher.

My granddad’s name was Sonny Maher. He comes from one of the foremost sporting families in our parish (the Mahers of Nodstown).

His uncle Mikey Maher led Tubberadora to three All-Ireland successes and won a grand total of five All-Ireland medals in all. His father Jack Maher won an All-Ireland in 1898 while still only a young teenager.

Sonny’s hurling career began in 1934 when he was a member of the Ballytarsna team which won the initial Rural Juvenile hurling final in Tipperary. Seven years later in 1941 Sonny was a member of the Boherlahan senior team which won the County final in that year.

Eight years later in 1949 he was a member of the Tipperary team that won the All-Ireland, and that team went on to win three-in-a-row in 1949, 1950 and 1951. Sonny played at full forward in all three finals. He also won the National League finals and Munster finals in those three years.

In 1996 at a reception in Thurles he was given the Hall of Fame Award, and on the same night his nephew Liam Maher was chosen as Mid Player of the Year.


Caoimhe Maher, 6th class, Little Flower N.S. Ballytarsna.