W.J. Spain

William J. Spain (3 September 1865 - 09 April 1936) was a famous Irish hurler and Gaelic footballer. He was the first player to win All Ireland hurling and football medals. He played Gaelic football with Commercials and with the Limerick senior inter-county team in the 1880s. Spain also played hurling with the CJ Kickhams club and with the Dublin senior inter-county team in the 1880s. Spain was the first player to score a goal in an All Ireland football final and the first player to score a hat-trick of goals in an All Ireland hurling final.

Spain was born in Moanfin in the parish of Cloughjordan, County Tipperary, and may have initially played hurling and football with the local Rapla team. The GAA club in Cloughjordan parish is now Kilruane MacDonaghs. He was the youngest son in a family of four boys and six girls. Spain began working in the drapery trade in Limerick and first came to prominence as a Gaelic footballer with the Commercials club in Limerick. The club enjoyed much success in the infant years of the Gaelic Athletic Association. Spain captured a senior county title with the club in 1887.

Spain later moved to Dublin and joined the famous CJ Kickhams (now known as Ballymun Kickhams). Here he enjoyed further success, however, this time it was on the hurling field. He won a senior county title with that club in 1889.

In 1887 the very first All-Ireland championship took place in football. Limerick beat Meath, Kilkenny and Tipperary to qualify for the All Ireland final against Louth. The game itself was a close, low-scoring affair. Spain turned out to be the hero of the game. Eleven minutes into the second-half he scored a goal after a long dribbling run from his own 21-yard line. Limerick won the game by 1-4 to 0-3 and Spain collected his first All-Ireland title. Spain was the first player to score a goal in an All Ireland football final.

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