Brian Cody, the greatest manager in the history of gaelic games, has today called time on his memorable reign as manager of the Kilkenny senior hurling team after 24 incredible years.
Speculation began to mount Monday evening about whether Cody would continue in the role in the aftermath of Sunday's All-Ireland final defeat to Limerick.
Cody was appointed to the job in 1998. Under his time in charge, the Cats won 11 All-Irelands and competed in 17 All-Ireland finals. Brian Cody won the national league 10 times and Leinster title 18 times. He also won three All-Irelands as a player.
His retirement from coaching was confirmed in a statement this afternoon that read:
Brian Cody has informed Kilkenny County Board that he is stepping down as Kilkenny Senior Hurling Team Manager. Appointed in November 1998 Brian has led the Kilkenny team to unprecedented provincial and national success and is regarded as the greatest manager in the history of hurling. As manager, his teams have won eleven All Ireland Hurling Championships (including a record-equalling four in a row between 2006 and 2009), eighteen Leinster Championships, ten National Hurling League titles, seven Walsh Cup titles and an Oireachtas Tournament title. In achieving all of this success Brian has created an unbreakable spirit among his players and teams which has come to define Kilkenny hurling.On behalf of Kilkenny people everywhere, Kilkenny County Board extends sincere gratitude to Brian for his life time of contribution to the county and the commitment and passion he brought as a player and as manager, working tirelessly with a single aim, to do what was best for Kilkenny hurling. The Board would also like to acknowledge the bond Brian helped create between Team Management, Players, County Board, Clubs and Supporters Clubs as all worked seamlessly together in preparing our teams while organising and promoting our games.We are aware of the huge debt we owe Brian for the wonderful successes and occasions we have enjoyed as we watched the teams he created play and succeed. Wherever and whenever our games are discussed in the future, Brian Cody’s achievements will be the benchmark managers will be measured by.
We wish Brian all the best in the future.Brian, Go raibh míle maith agat, guimis gach rath ort as seo amach.
Brian Cody, the greatest GAA manager of all time
Brian Cody's Kilkenny side famously had a stranglehold on the game of hurling between 2006 - 2015, when they won eight of 10 All-Irelands.
Cody coached some of the greatest and most skilful players to play the game - DJ Carey, Henry Shefflin, TJ Reid - but his teams were all imbued with a mettle and steel that for many years seemed literally unconquerable. Their rare defeats - the 2009 All-Ireland final, the 2012 Leinster final - felt like freak events and were celebrated thusly by neutrals, before the natural pecking order was soon restored again.
The same uncanny Kilkenny mixture of outrageous skill and grit was on display at Croke Park on Sunday when a young, unheralded Kilkenny side pushed Limerick to the brink and more than contributed to the majestic spectacle that was the 2022 All-Ireland hurling final.
"I have never been prouder of a team than I was leaving Croke Park on Sunday," Cody said at the Kilkenny homecoming at Nowlan Park on Monday.
"They fought to the bitter end. They refused to break and refused to lie down."
Brian Cody turned 68 last week, and the rousing performance at the weekend had given some hope that - after a somewhat embattled season - he would carry on and make it a quarter century in charge. All good things do come to an end. An era of excellence the likes of which Irish sport will never see again is now ended.
