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Michael Nolan (1946-2008)
He had a long hurling and football life, which stretched over five decades. His first competitive endeavours were with his national school, which was beaten by Roscrea in the final of the schools competition in 1959. His last outing was more successful. In 1991 he won his last medal and played his last game when he came on for the last ten minutes in the ESB All-Ireland final at Athlone. During that short period he set up his nephew, Adrian Hogan of Borrisokane, for the winning score. He had won another ESB All-Ireland in 1980. There were a number of earlier highlights in his hurling career. In 1967 he played on the successful county under-21 team which won the Munster and All-Ireland finals. In the mid-seventies he played on a very successful Moneygall side, which captured two county finals in 1975 and 1976. These victories more than compensated for a number of near misses at club and county level. Whereas his footballing success is not as impressive he still has a respectable tally of achievements. Starting in 1963 he won a divisional junior medal. He followed up in 1964 with divisional and county honours in the same grade. There was mixed luck in 1965. Moneygall were beaten in the county senior football final by Commercials but had the consolation of beating Ardfinnan for the county under-21 title. In 1966, there was defeat in the county senior final but success at divisional under-21 level. The great under-21 squad had a last fling in 1967 with victory in the divison but defeat by Fethard in the county final. Spike won a divisional intermediate title in 1980. Spike's ability with the big ball is reflected in his county achievements. In 1966 he was on the under-21, junior and senior football panels. In 1967 he was on the under-21 panel. In that year, as mentioned above, he won the hurling All-Ireland. Spike also made his name as a referee, the high points of which were the refereeing of the senior hurling final in 1984 and the senior football finals in 1985 and 1986. His older brother, Tom , was a well-known referee and county football selector, who unfortunately has been invalid since 1983. Spike is also noted as an administrator. In the early eighties he represented Moneygall at divisional board level and was elected registrar of the board in 1982 for three years. At the end of that period he was elected treasurer, a post he held for a further three years. Having completed his term he was elected county treasurer in 1991 and remained in that position until the end of 2000, when he was elected county treasurer once again. At club level Spike's involvement in the Moneygall club was major. as an enthusiastic member of the Development Committee he was involved in the construction of the sports complex in 1976/1977. When he transferred to the Kildangan club in the early eighties he threw himself energetically into the clubs activities, helping out at all levels of activity and contributing in no small way to the success of the club. He was chairman from 1997-1999. Another innovation at his instigation was the first Tipperary G.A.A yearbook. His crowning glory, however, must surely have been Feile na nGael, which arrived on the scene in 1971 and which has become probably the most significant youth development in G.A.A. He was chairman of the Feile committee up to 1986, when he bowed out to be succeeded by Paddy McFlynn. A carpenter by trade, Spike worked for thirty years with the ESB in Ardnacrusha. He is married to Margaret and they have six children. His second love is the G.A.A. He has devoted a huge amount of time to the Association at club, divison and county level and it would be difficult to find a more committed and dediacted individual. - S. J. King
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Michael
Nolan, more commonly known as 'Spike', was born in Cullenwaine, Moneygall in
1946. G.A.A. influences on his life were strong from an early age. As a young
boy he was regaled by his great uncles, Darby and Major Collinson, with
stories of great games they had played for Moneygall and with great tales of
the Toomevara Greyhounds and Tipperary. He went to school to another great
G.A.A man, Seamus O Riain, at Dunkerrin N.S