Shem Downey

James "Shem" Downey (5 January 1922 – 22 December 2013) was an Irish hurler who played as a midfielder for the Kilkenny senior team.^[1]

James "Shem" Downey

Personal information
Irish name	Séamus Ó Dúnaigh
Sport	Hurling
Position	Midfield
Born	(1922-01-05)5 January 1922 Conahy, County Kilkenny, Ireland
Died	22 December 2013(2013-12-22) (aged 91) Ballyraggett, County Kilkenny, Ireland
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Occupation	Butcher
Club(s)
Years	Club
	Tullaroan
Club titles
Kilkenny titles	1
Inter-county(ies)*
Years	County	Apps (scores)
1946-1954	Kilkenny	19 (7-26)
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles	3
All-Irelands	1
NHL	0
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 12:48, 27 December 2013.

Born in Conahy, County Kilkenny, Downey first arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked up with the Kilkenny minor team. He made his senior debut in the 1946 championship. Downey went on to play a key part for Kilkenny over the following eight years, and won one All-Ireland medal and three Leinster medals.^[2][3] He was an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions.^{[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.^{[citation needed]}

Honours

Team

Tullaroan

• Kilkenny Senior Hurling Championship (1): 1948

Kilkenny

• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (1): 1947
• Leinster Senior Hurling Championship (7): 1947, 1950, 1953
• Leinster Minor Hurling Championship (1): 1939