Billy Mackesy

William "Billy" Mackesy
Personal information
Sport	Dual player
Football Position:	Forward
Hurling Position:	Forward
Born	8 April 1880; Buttevant, County Cork, Ireland
Died	12 November 1956 (aged 76); Cork, Ireland
Occupation	Publican
Club(s)
Years	Club
	Blackrock; Lees
Club titles
	Football
Cork titles	7
Inter-county(ies)
Years	County
1903–1912; 1901–1912	Cork (H) ; Cork (F)
Inter-county titles
	Football
Munster Titles	3
All-Ireland Titles	1

William Mackesy (8 April 1880 – 12 November 1956) was an Irish dual player of Gaelic games, a hurler and a footballer. At club level he played with Lees and Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior teams in both codes. Mackessy is one of only fifteen players to have won All-Ireland medals in both codes.^[1]

Career[edit]

Mackesy first came to prominence playing with Cork city-based clubs Blackrock and Lees. In a 12-year span from 1902 to 1914 he won a combined total of 13 County Championship medals across both codes including three hurling-football doubles. Mackesy first appeared on the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork senior football team in 1901. His debut season with the Cork senior hurling team two years later ended with him claiming a winners' medal after a defeat of London in the All-Ireland final. Mackesy became Cork's first dual All-Ireland medal-winner in 1911 when he lined out with the Cork senior footballers in their All-Ireland final defeat of Antrim. After making 43 championship appearances he retired from inter-county duty in 1912, by which time Mackesy had also claimed six Munster Championship medals across both codes.^[2]^[3]

Personal life[edit]

Mackesy was born in Buttevant, County Cork but began his business career after moving to Kinsale. He later worked as a draper in the Munster Arcade in Cork city before opening his first licensed premises in 1912. He opened a second on Oliver Plunkett Street six years later. Mackesy married Anne Glavin, who died during childbirth. The baby’s name was Aidan. He then married Eileen Sullivan and had 6 children.

Mackesy died at the Bon Secours Hospital in Cork on 12 November 1956. He had been in a ill health for a number of years with diabetes.^[4]

Honours[edit]

Blackrock

Cork Senior Hurling Championship: 1903, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913

Lees

Cork Senior Football Championship: 1902, 1903, 1904, 1907, 1908, 1911, 1914

Cork

References[edit]

^ Breheny, Martin (28 August 2001). "Teddy sounds warning to dual chasing Kerins". Irish Independent. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
^ "Senior hurling". Munster GAA website. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
^ "Senior Football". Munster GAA website. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
^ "Obituary of Billy Mackesy". Finbarr J. Connolly website. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.

[1] Breheny, Martin (28 August 2001). "Teddy sounds warning to dual chasing Kerins". Irish Independent. Retrieved 26 August 2021.

[2] "Senior hurling". Munster GAA website. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 20 August 2021.

[3] "Senior Football". Munster GAA website. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 26 August 2021.

[4] "Obituary of Billy Mackesy". Finbarr J. Connolly website. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.

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