A light goes out in Upperchurch-Drombane's proudest week

Keith Ryan has captained the club’s hurlers to a historic visit to Croke Park for Saturday’s All-Ireland club intermediate final. But this week a central figure in the community, Niamh Kinnane, has died.

AIB ambassador Keith Ryan (Upperchurch Drombane) ahead of the AIB All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Final between Tooreen and Upperchurch Drombane. A historic club championship season, defined by thrilling encounters and unprecedented journeys, culminates in eagerly anticipated AIB GAA Hurling Intermediate and Junior club finals taking centre stage on Saturday January 10th. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

A cloud hung low this week over Upperchurch-Drombane’s idyllic winter. A central figure in the community, Niamh Kinnane, has died. A publican — Paddy Kinnane’s famed place that draws them from all over — but so much more. 

In a beautiful tribute on Tipp FM, John G O’Dwyer put it like this: “A light has gone out in all our lives. She got so many things done for Upperchurch. Made it a model of how communities should develop.” 

Keith Ryan has captained the club’s hurlers to a historic visit to Croke Park for Saturday’s All-Ireland club intermediate final with Mayo’s Tooreen, but at Wednesday’s preliminaries his mind was on Niamh’s funeral. “There will be a huge crowd. A great woman. She was fierce well-known around the place. Kinnane’s is at the heart of the village. We were back there after a few of the wins. It’s very tough on everyone.” 

Upperchurch-Drombane is a rural parish in Mid Tipp’s Slieve Felim hills. Small places rely on big ambition and Niamh Kinnane was stuck deep in nearly every local mission.

A Macra na Feirme stalwart, kingpin of the district development. The historical society, the walking festival, the active retired, housing for elderly, the IT centre, the community fitness hub.

Besides all of that, a noted storyteller and all-round gas woman. 

The pub, opened by her father Paddy in 1927, who died when Niamh was three, is renowned for its welcome and her sister Siobhán’s cooking. She and Siobhán were honoured earlier this year at a council civic reception for services to Tipperary.

“In Upperchurch, you found all the best of rural Ireland,” said John G O’Dwyer.

In a lovely interview with Tipp FM a few years ago, Niamh Kinnane explained the spirit of the hills.

“Hill people have always had to rely on each other. Because we’re proud to be hill people and we’ve supported each other. In our development, our logo has been, 'Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine'. Under the shadow of people we live.” 

Keith Ryan took up that theme.

“There’s a real sense of community within the parish. If anything ever goes wrong, everyone rows in behind each other. Everyone is there with open arms if you are ever in need. And it’s no different on the hurling field.

“If there’s fundraisers or anything that needs to be done down in the hurling field, there’s numerous people showing up to give a hand out. There’s a state-of-the-art clubhouse now, a second pitch. We have been so grateful for the support.” 

A call to back the All-Ireland final mission brought generous response on GoFundMe. “I’d expect it from a place like Upperchurch. Everyone rows in behind each other. We’re a very good club that way.“ 

Paul Ryan, Upperchurch Drombane, clearing the Sliotar against Kevin Maguire, Ballinhassig in the AIB Munster GAA Hurling Intermediate Club Championship Semi Final in Semple Stadium

On the field, the club has mirrored wider progress, enjoying the best run in its history — across hurling and football — over the past decade or so. The double tilt in 2022, beaten senior finalists in football, semi-finalists in hurling, was arguably its best season. Though the following year brought shock relegation for the hurlers from Tipp’s top flight.

A setback you could now recast as a springboard? 

“You could look at it that way," accepts Keith. "At the time when we were relegated we didn’t see it that way at all. We were hugely devastated.” 

A semi-final defeat by Cashel prevented instant rebound. But in 2025, Carrick Swans were beaten in the Tipperary Premier Intermediate final. “That was our main goal at the start of the year, to get back to senior hurling where we think we belong.” 

Since has come a first ever Munster title and now a first Croke Park trip.

“The journey we’ve been on has been unbelievable since the end of July. You can see the savage support we’re getting from everyone in Upperchurch and Drombane. Young lads of five or six going to matches in full Upperchurch kit, putting smiles on their faces is a privilege for us.” 

But in the highest profile week the club has ever enjoyed, the parish has been still. The Lotto draw was postponed. The Ireland Lights Up community walk was put back. The 45 game in the hall didn’t go ahead. Instead they came together for Niamh on Wednesday and Thursday.

And they will come together again on Saturday. The whole place will be in Croke Park.

Keith rewinds to that first day, five or six himself, carrying a hurley through the gates of the Drombane pitch. "You love it straight away. And to think 20 years or so later you’re going out on an All-Ireland final day with your club with some of your best friends, your brother, your cousins, it’s unreal. It's the stuff of dreams. You have to take it in your stride and enjoy every minute of it because you don’t know if this opportunity will come again.” 

They will travel proudly in the shadow of hill people.