Declan Carr

{{Infobox Gaelic games player

| code= Hurling

| sport = Hurling

| image =

| name = Declan Carr

| irish = Déaglán Ó Carra

| feet = 6

| inches = 1

| nickname =

| occupation = Business director

| county = Tipperary

| province = Munster

| club = Holycross–Ballycahill

| clposition = Midfield

| clubs =

| clyears =

| clapps(points) =

| clcounty =1

| clprovince=

| clallireland =

| counties = Tipperary

| icposition = Midfield

| icyears = 1988-1999

| icapps(points) = 16 (1-07)

| icprovince = 3

| icallireland = 2

| nhl = 1

| allstars = 1

| clupdate =

| icupdate =

| birth_date={{Birth date and age|1965|7|30|df=yes}}

| birth_place=Dublin, Ireland

}}

Declan Carr (born 30 July 1965) is an Irish hurling manager and former player. At club level he played with Holycross–Ballycahill and at inter-county level was a member of the Tipperary senior hurling team. Carr captained Tipperary to the All-Ireland SHC title in 1991.

Early life

Born and raised in Dublin, Carr was educated at the King's Hospital where his Tipperary-born father worked as a groundsman.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/former-tipp-star-stakelum-focused-on-dubs-success/26760754.html|title=Former Tipp star Stakelum focused on Dubs success|publisher=Irish Independent|date=10 August 2011|access-date=17 February 2025|first=|last=}} The family moved to Holycross, County Tipperary in 1980. Carr finished his education at Thurles CBS where he captained the school's Dr Harty Cup team. His brother, Tommy, played Gaelic football with Dublin and later managed the team.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/othersport/arid-41392255.html|title=Sport a family affair but Elizabeth Carr taking her own road to Paris|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=11 May 2024|access-date=17 February 2025|first=|last=}}

Club career

Carr began his career at juvenile and underage levels as a dual player with the Holycross–Ballycahill club before eventually progressing to adult level. He won six Mid Tipperary SHC medals between 1985 and 1999.{{cite web|url=https://tipperarystudies.ie/1985-mid-tipperary-senior-hurling-final/|title=1985 Mid Tipperary Senior Hurling Final|publisher=Tipperary Studies|date=|access-date=17 February 2025|first=|last=}} Carr was team captain of the team in 1990 when Holycross–Ballycahill beat Cashel King Cormacs by 0-13 to 0-10 to claim the Tipperary SHC title.{{cite web|url=https://www.seamusjking.com/sjk-articles/2014/11/28/span-classposttitlethe-county-senior-hurling-championship-1990span-tipperary-gaa-yearbook-1991-pp18-19|title=The County Senior Hurling Championship - 1990|publisher=Séamus J. King website|date=|access-date=17 February 2025|first=|last=}}

Inter-county career

Carr began his inter-county career with Tipperary when he joined the under-21 team in 1985. He was an unused substitute that year when Tipperary beat Clare by 1-16 to 4-05 to win the Munster U21HC title.{{cite web|url=https://munster.gaa.ie/history/u20h_teams/|title=Under-21 hurling|publisher=Munster GAA website|date=|access-date=15 February 2025|first=|last=}} Carr was again an unused substitute when Tipperary beat Kilkenny by 1-10 to 2-06 in the 1985 All-Ireland under-21 final.{{cite web|url=https://hoganstand.com/tipperary/Profile|title=Tipperary profile|publisher=Hogan Stand|date=|access-date=9 February 2025|first=|last=}}

After a number of years out of inter-county activity, Carr joined the senior team during the 1988–89 National Hurling League. He won his first Munster SHC medal as an unused substitute that season after a 0-26 to 2-08 defeat of Waterford in the final.{{cite web|url=https://munster.gaa.ie/history/senior-hurling/|title=Senior hurling|publisher=Munster GAA website|date=|access-date=15 February 2025|first=|last=}} Carr later won his first All-Ireland SHC medal after lining out at midfield in the 4-24 to 3-09 defeat of Antrim in the 1989 All-Ireland final.{{cite web|url=https://www.tipperarylive.ie/news/sport/426477/tipperary-s-1989-heroes-will-be-honoured-by-the-gpa-on-the-eve-of-this-year-s-all-ireland-senior-hurling-final.html|title=Tipperary's 1989 heroes will be honoured by the GPA on the eve of this year's All-Ireland senior hurling final|publisher=Tipperary Live|date=25 June 2019|access-date=8 February 2025|first=|last=}} He ended the season with an All-Star award.

After surrendering their titles in 1990, Carr took over the team captaincy the following year and won a second Munster SHC medal in three seasons after a 4-19 to 4-15 defeat of Cork. He later lead Tipperary to second All-Ireland SHC title in three years after the 1-16 to 0-15 defeat of Kilkenny in the 1991 All-Ireland final.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/rivalry-seeking-renaissance/26038085.html|title=Rivalry seeking renaissance|publisher=Irish Independent|date=17 August 2002|access-date=8 February 2025|first=|last=}} Carr emigrated to the United States the following year but returned to win a third and final Munster SHC medal in 1993 before leaving the panel once again. He was recalled to the team in October 1998.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/carr-back-after-six-year-exile/26170898.html|title=Carr back after six-year exile|publisher=Irish Independent|date=7 October 1998|access-date=17 February 2025|first=|last=}} Carr ended his career by winning a National Hurling League medal in 1999, following a 1-14 to 1-10 defeat of Galway in the final.{{cite web|url=https://m.independent.ie/sport/tipperary-slow-start-leads-to-lethal-finish/26150254.html|title=Tipperary slow start leads to lethal finish|publisher=Irish Independent|date=17 May 1999|access-date=17 February 2025|first=|last=}}

Inter-provincial career

Carr's performances at inter-county level resulted in his selection for the Munster inter-provincial team. He spent three consecutive seasons with the team and won a Railway Cup medal in 1992 after the 3-12 to 1-08 defeat of Ulster.{{cite web|url=https://munster.gaa.ie/history/railway-cup-hurling/|title=Railway Cup Hurling|publisher=Munster GAA website|date=|access-date=12 March 2022|first=|last=}}

Management career

Carr first became involved in team management and coaching at club level. He served as manager of the Ballingarry team, as well as becoming involved in coaching at all levels with Holycross–Ballycahill. Carr served two seasons as manager of the Tipperary under-21 team between 2007 and 2009.{{cite web|url= https://www.hoganstand.com/county/tipperary/article/index/102406|title=Tipperary pick management teams|date=15 October 2008|publisher=Hogan Stand|access-date= 19 January 2021}} His first season in charge saw him guide the team to a controversial Munster U21HC title after a one-point defeat of Clare, before losing the 2008 All-Ireland under-21 final to Kilkenny.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/last-score-controversy-mars-tipp-title-success/26465768.html|title=Last-score controversy mars Tipp title success|date=31 July 2008|publisher=Irish Independent|access-date= 17 February 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/young-guns-dig-deep-for-kilkennys-fab-four/26476968.html|title=Young guns dig deep for Kilkenny's fab four|date=15 September 2008|publisher=Irish Independent|access-date= 17 February 2025}}

Carr later returned to club management and, as well as his involvement with Holycross–Ballycahill, also took charge of Doon in Limerick and Rathdowney–Errill in Laois.{{cite web|url=https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/sport/201637/All-change-in-club-hurling-set.html|title=All change in club hurling set-ups|date=24 January 2016|publisher=Limerick Live|access-date= 17 February 2025}} He returned to inter-county management in January 2021 when he was appointed manager of the Tipperary ladies' football team.{{cite web|url=https://www.nenaghguardian.ie/2021/01/14/declan-carr-set-to-manage-tipp-ladies-footballers/|title=Declan Carr set to manage Tipp Ladies Footballers|date=14 January 2021|publisher=The Nenagh Guardian|access-date= 17 February 2025}} Carr later took charge of the Holycross–Ballycahill camogie team.{{cite web|url=https://www.nenaghguardian.ie/2024/08/23/exciting-junior-camogie-grades-hard-to-predict/|title=Exciting Junior Camogie grades hard to predict|date=23 August 2024|publisher=The Nenagh Guardian|access-date= 17 February 2025}}