John ‘Blondie’ Horgan takes his final bow

Blackrock and Cork legend John Horgan, who died yesterday, was a member of the three-in-a-row All-Ireland winning senior hurling team of 1976-78 and was also an All-Ireland winner in his first season in 1970.

Also the winner of All-Ireland medals at minor, under-21 and club, he played in five successful Rockies teams in the county championship and was captain in the finals of 1971, ’73 and ’78, also leading them to All-Ireland club victories in each of those seasons.

Sometimes known as ‘Blondie Horgan’ but more so as ‘Hoggie’, he moved from the Passage club to Blackrock in 1968. Born in the city, he grew up in Rochestown. Author Declan Hassett in the club history ‘The Rockies’, points out that as a boy of six, his father - — who hurled with Blackrock — took him to the 1956 county final.