Jimmy Kirkwood (field hockey)

Jimmy Kirkwood (born 12 February 1962) is a former field hockey player from Northern Ireland who represented both Ireland and Great Britain at international level. He represented Great Britain at the 1988 Summer Olympics when they won the gold medal. He also represented Ireland at the 1990 Men's Hockey World Cup. Kirkwood was also an Ireland cricket international.

Jimmy Kirkwood
Personal information
Full name James William Kirkwood
Born 12 February 1962 (1962-02-12) (age 61)
Lisburn, Northern Ireland
Height 182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 80 kg (176 lb)
Playing position Forward
Senior career
Years Team
19xx–1986 Queen's University
198x–198x Belfast YMCA
198x–199x Lisnagarvey
198x–19xx → Ulster
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1995 Ireland (Note 1)
1987–19xx Great Britain (Note 2)
Medal record
Representing  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1988 SeoulTeam
Representing  Ireland
EuroHockey Junior Championship
Silver medal – second place 1978 DublinTeam

Early years, family and education

Kirkwood was educated at Friends' School, Lisburn[1][2] and Queen's University Belfast where he studied Economics.[3][4] In his youth, in addition to playing field hockey and cricket, Kirkwood also included played rugby union, playing for Friends' School, Lisburn in the Ulster Schools' Cup.[1]

Field hockey

Domestic teams

At senior club level, Kirkwood played for Queen's University, Belfast YMCA and Lisnagarvey.[3][5][6][7] During his club career he won ten Irish Senior Cup winners medals. He won his first with Queen's in 1981 and his second with Belfast YMCA in 1985. Then between 1987–88 and 1993–94 he was an ever-present in the Lisnagarvey team that won the cup for seven successive seasons. He won his tenth medal when Lisnagarvey won the cup in 1996–97.[7][8][9][10]

International

Ireland

Kirkwood was a member of the Ireland team that were silver medallists at the 1978 EuroHockey Junior Championship. Other members of the team included Martin Sloan, Billy McConnell and Stephen Martin.[11] He made his senior debut for Ireland at the age of 18 in 1981.[2] He subsequently represented Ireland at the 1987, 1991 and 1995 Men's EuroHockey Nations Championships. He also represented Ireland at the 1990 Men's Hockey World Cup.[7] During the latter tournament, during a match against Canada, Kirkwood sustained a horrific injury when he felt the full force of an opponent's stick in his face. He was taken to hospital and missed the rest of the tournament.[12] In 2014 Kirkwood was inducted into the Irish Hockey Association Hall of Fame.[7][13]

Great Britain

Kirkwood made his debut for Great Britain at the 1987 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy tournament.[2] He subsequently represented Great Britain at the 1988 Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal.[6][14][15][16][17]

Tournaments Place Team
1978 EuroHockey Junior Championship[11]2nd place, silver medalist(s) Ireland
1981 Intercontinental Cup Ireland
1985 Intercontinental Cup Ireland
1987 Men's EuroHockey Nations Championship6th Ireland
1987 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy[2][18]4th Great Britain
1988 Summer Olympics[6][14][15][16][17] 1st place, gold medalist(s) Great Britain
1988 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy ?6th Great Britain
1989 Intercontinental Cup[19] Ireland
1990 Men's Hockey World Cup[12]12th Ireland
1990 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy[18]6th Great Britain
1991 Men's EuroHockey Nations Championship7th Ireland
1993 Intercontinental Cup Ireland
1995 Men's EuroHockey Nations Championship5th Ireland

Source:[7]

Cricket

Kirkwood began playing for Lisburn Cricket Club as a schoolboy. In 1985 his man of the match performance helped the club win the NCU Challenge Cup, defeating NICC in the final. He also represented Ulster Country at senior interprovincial level. Kirkwood represented Ireland at schoolboy, under-19 and under-23 levels before making his senior international debut on 17 August 1983 against Gloucestershire. During the same tour, Kirkwood also featured in matches against Wales and the MCC. Kirkwood made 27 runs at an average of 8.6, with his high score of 27 coming against Gloucestershire,[1][2][20]

Personal life

Kirkwood worked as a banker for HSBC in Belfast.

Kirkwood is happily married with a couple of kids[1][2]

Honours

Field hockey
Great Britain
Ireland
Lisnagarvey
Belfast YMCA
Queen's University

Cricket
Lisburn

Notes
  • ^1 Some sources credit Kirkwood with 130 appearances for Ireland.[2][7] Others credit him with 48.[1][6]
  • ^2 Some sources credit Kirkwood with 40 appearances for Great Britain.[2] Others credit him with 31.[1][6]
  • ^3 Some online sources suggest Kirkwood was married to Carol Kirkwood.[21]

References
  1. "Biography – James William Kirkwood". cricketeurope.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  2. "GB Olympic Champions 1896–2014 – Hockey". gbolympics.co.uk. 19 February 2014. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  3. "Learn more about our Elite Athlete Programme". queensperformancesport.com. 1 March 2019. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  4. "Death in the prime of life". The Irish Times. 3 April 2004. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  5. "Ireland Hockey Team". irishphotoarchive.photoshelter.com. 15 March 1981. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  6. "Jimmy Kirkwood". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  7. "Kirkwood, Menown, McKee and Branagan added to Hall of Fame". hookhockey.com. 19 February 2014. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. "Avoca hope the tide has turned". The Irish Times. 12 April 1996. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  9. "Lisnagarvey are pushed to the wire but they remain supreme". The Irish Times. 28 April 1997. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  10. "Garvey obstacle to all-Cork Cup final". Irish Examiner. 1 March 2003. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  11. "Oral History Interview: Stephen (Sam) Martin". hockeymuseum.net. 28 August 2015. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  12. "Flying with drunken angels, riot police, dodgy curry, potent 7-Up and spotless trainers as Irish play a lament in Lahore". hookhockey.com. 3 August 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. "Hall of Fame honour for Kirkwood". The Belfast Telegraph. 22 March 2014. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  14. "Martin and Kirkwood raise toast to Seoul Olympics joy". The Belfast Telegraph. 9 October 2013. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  15. "Martin and Kirkwood – NI's Olympic golden boys". BBC. 3 October 2018. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  16. "1988 Seoul hockey heroes also deserve honours, says NI star". The Belfast Telegraph. 5 January 2017. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  17. "Council hold reception for Jimmy Kirkwood". lisburntoday.co.uk. 20 November 2013. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  18. "Champions Trophy". sikhsinhockey.com. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  19. "Men's Hockey road to Rio outlined". olympics.ie. 20 December 2013. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  20. "It would have been so different for Lisburn had cricket stars not been taken by other sports". newsletter.co.uk. 3 April 2004. Archived from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  21. "Divorce with Married Husband of 25 Years in 2008, Carol Kirkwood Finally Finds Her Mr. Right. Boyfriend?". liverampup.com. 10 April 2019. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
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