Tipperary hurler Séamus Kennedy has retired from inter-county action at the age of 33, ending an 11-year career in the blue and gold that yielded three All-Ireland senior titles. The Séamus Kennedy retirement was confirmed in a statement released through Tipperary GAA on Tuesday, 3 November.
Séamus Kennedy retirement statement
The Clonmel man said he had decided the time was right to step away after more than a decade on the county panel. Reflecting on his career, he said: “Wearing the blue and gold jersey was a dream come true.” He added that he felt very lucky to have been given the chance, according to RTÉ.
Tipperary GAA paid tribute to his “outstanding commitment and dedication”, The 42 reported, describing him as a central figure in many memorable days for the county.
Three Liam MacCarthy medals
Kennedy made his senior championship debut in 2016 and finished that summer as an All-Ireland winner. He added further Liam MacCarthy Cup medals in 2019 and again in 2025, and was nominated for an All-Star in his first season.
His most recent title carried extra meaning. He came back from a cruciate ligament injury during the 2025 campaign that ended with Tipperary lifting the cup once more, as noted by The 42. His final appearance for the county came in the Munster championship defeat to Limerick in May of this year.
A genuine dual player
Kennedy’s talents were never confined to hurling. He represented Tipperary at minor, under-21 and senior level in both codes and won an All-Ireland minor football title in 2011, when Tipp beat Dublin in the final at Croke Park, the Irish Times reported. His last outing for the county footballers came in 2015.
At club level he has been a mainstay with St Mary’s in hurling and Clonmel Commercials in football. With Commercials he collected several county senior football medals and a Munster club title in 2015, while he helped St Mary’s to county intermediate hurling honours in 2017. He also won a Fitzgibbon Cup with Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, in 2016.
End of an era for Tipp
The announcement means Tipperary lose one of their most experienced panel members ahead of the 2027 season. Kennedy is stepping away from the inter-county game only, and supporters in Clonmel will hope to see plenty more of him in both codes at club level.
For a county that has enjoyed some of its best modern days over the past decade, the Séamus Kennedy retirement closes the book on a player who was there for three of its biggest afternoons.
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Sources: RTÉ, The 42, The Irish Times
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