On the day that Nenagh Éire Óg's Sam O’Farrell captained Tipperary to All Ireland U20 success, we would like to pay homage to his Na Piarsaigh roots, in that of his father Paul and his uncles Nicky and Noel. Sam also captained Tipperary to All Ireland minor success in 2022.

Paul O'Farrell was a great clubman who gave brilliant service to Na Piarsaigh. He was an outstanding hurler and footballer, first captaining Na Piarsaigh U12 hurlers to the clubs first county hurling championship in 1981.

Paul would go on to lead that team  to our first  U14 Feile na nGael in 1983 where we were beaten in the semi-final 5-03 to 4-01 by Kilkenny representatives St. Patricks, who won the National title the following day. He captained the Na Piarsaigh team to the county championship later that year.

Paul  also featured in U15 and U16 football winning teams during a period of great underage club success in the 1980's.

As he moved onto adult hurling Paul played a key role in winning County Championships. U21 in 1989, Junior in 1990 and captaining the intermediate team in 1994, which obtained senior status for the club.

Paul represented Limerick at minor, U21 and senior and was the first Na Piarsaigh man to play senior inter-county Championship hurling in 1991.

Paul moved to Scotland in the mid 90's to further his medical studies and is currently a GP in Nenagh.

Paul's brothers Nicky and Noel also gave great service to the club. Nicky won an All Ireland U21 in 1987 followed by a National Hurling League with Limerick in 1992.

Sam played with Nenagh Éire Óg in our annual Conal O'Cahalane Cup in 2015. The late Conal was a former team mate of Paul and Nicky.

Thank you to Seoirse Laffan for this wonderful piece on Paul and the O’Farrells.