The Bonnar Team
Magical Tipperary: The Best of Ireland 1989, p 44
The Bonnars are known the length and breadth of Ireland as a result of their exploits with the Tipperary senior hurling team during 1989. What may not be known is that Cormac, Colm and Conal come from a large family of thirteen children and that the rest of them, boys and girls, have also made notable contributions to the games of hurling and football , camogie and handball.
Their father and mother, as well, have played games with distinction. Pierce won a Donegal junior football medal with Red Hughs in 1947 and Maureen achieved distinction with Crossroads camogie team in 1948. The following is an attempt to introduce you to all the members of the team, to line them out as they might have played together and to inform you of their important achievements.
Pierce: County Donegal junior football medal 1947
Brendan: 3 minor county medals and 3 west senior hurling medal
Niamh: 4 in a row camogie county finals
Triona: 3 All-Ireland Community Gold Medals in Handball, 3 All-Ireland Tailteann Games Gold Medals in Handball
Cormac: 2 All-Ireland Under 21 medals in 1979 and 1980. All-Ireland senior hurling medal 1989
Maureen: Camogie medal with Crossroads, Donegal in 1948
Conal: Minor, Under 21 and Senior Munster hurling medals, Under 21 and Senior All-Ireland Medals, All Star Award 1989
Colm: Eight Munster Hurling medals in 8 years, 3 All-Irelands and 1 All-Star Award
Eithne: 4 All-Ireland Schools Camogie medals in 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978
Kieran: Won football medal in Gaeltacht
Nuala: 1977 National Camogie League medal with Tipperary
Mary: Three under-16 county camogie medals
Ann: Two Anne Frazer Cup Medals in camogie
Ailbe: Two county minor hurling medals in 1988 and 1989
Philomena: County gymnastics, basketball and camogie medals