Wexford All-Ireland winner Jack Harding dies aged 87

Full forward’s career was brief but burned brightly as he helped shock Tipp in 1960

Wexford hurling great Jack Harding has died aged 87. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Wexford hurling great Jack Harding has died aged 87. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

The death has taken place of Jack Harding, from Curracloe, full forward on the Wexford team that shocked Tipperary in the 1960 All-Ireland hurling. His county career was brief but burned brightly, having made his debut in that season's NHL.

Just a week beyond his 87th birthday, news of his death on Tuesday was posted “with a heavy heart” by his club Shelmaliers.

A mainstay on the 1960 team, which deprived Kilkenny of what would have been Leinster’s first four-in-a-row hurling success, he was an orchestrator at full forward, winning ball and laying it intelligently off to others in the attack.

In the All-Ireland final, favourites Tipperary were according to PD Mehigan in these pages, “outplayed, outsped and out-hurled by as grand a Wexford team as ever won a title”.

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Jack Harding was predeceased by his wife Mary in 2005 and survived by their eight children.

His funeral is subject to current HSE restrictions but the celebration of requiem Mass via the parish webcam, will be on the link Castlebridge Screen Curracloe Parish facebook page at 12pm on Saturday.

Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times