2018 guest speaker

John Kiely
Limerick Senior Hurling Manager

John Kiely is the current Limerick Senior Hurling Team Manager and this season led the county to their first All Ireland Senior Hurling Title in 45 years. Born in Galbally, Co. Limerick, and educated at The Abbey School, Tipperary, Kiely went on to study a Batchelor of Arts in Economics and Mathematics at University College Cork (UCC), followed by a Higher Diploma in Computer Science also in UCC, completing his studies in the University of Limerick (UL) with a Graduate Diploma in Education Business.

While he was still in school, Kiely made his minor inter-county hurling debut, aged 17, and went on to represent Limerick at under-21 and senior level in both football and hurling, achieving county title success in both codes with his clubs, Garryspillane (hurling) and Galbally (football). Kiely also has a Munster Senior Hurling medal, following Limerick’s success over Tipperary in 1996.John was a selector on the Limerick under-21 Munster winning side of 2011 and Limerick Senior Munster winning team of 2013. He subsequently went on to manage the Limerick under-21 hurling team to Munster and All Ireland titles in 2015.

It was Limerick’s incredible success in Croke Park in August 2018, however, that is unquestionably Kiely’s GAA career highlight. It was only Kiely’s second season in charge that saw The Treaty end their long wait for a Liam McCarthy victory, amid jubilant scenes around the county. As GAA is an amateur sport, Kiely’s profession is Principal of Abbey CBS secondary school in Tipperary. He has worked in the school since 1997, first as a teacher, before being appointed school Principal in 2013.

John Kiely was the Guest Speaker at the 2018 Award Ceremony