Art was a gifted goalkeeper
Two-time All-Ireland winner passes away in New York
THE DEATH of Michael Foley, or Art as he was more popularly known, brought to an end one of the greatest eras in Wexford hurling.
Art (December 14, 1928 - October 28, 2019) played in goal on one of the greatest Wexford hurling teams of all time, which won the hearts of all sports followers throughout the country, winning All-Ireland titles in 1955 and 1956.
Tributes have been pouring in since news of his death in New York reached the Model county on bank holiday Monday morning.
His death brings one of the great eras of the game in the county to an end, as he is the final starting player on that great hurling team to pass away, following quickly on the death of the legendary Ned Wheeler in June.
Art was born in Enniscorthy and lived on Pearse Road where he was held in such high esteem, not just during his hurling career, but right through to his death.
He was revered in the area and, before his departure to New York at the age of 29, neighbours and friends gathered together to make Art a special presentation, wishing him well on his new venture.
While his death was greeted with great sadness in the county, many also believed that it should be a celebration, because so many of that team had lived to a great age.
As a result, many generations of young people and young hurlers had gained so much from their experience, both as hurlers and also in their personal lives.
As Wexford bid farewell to a true hurling legend and the end of a glorious era for the county, minds were cast back on the many memories and scenes of joy as they propelled us onto the hurling map, becoming one of the greatest and most adored sides in the history of the game.
His name will be forever linked to the greatest field game of them all, which he played with such distinction and pride.
He won fame and renown in his own right, being part of that great Wexford team, and he will long be remembered for that great save from Christy Ring in the 1956 All-Ireland final, denying the great Cork man a record ninth medal in the process.
He played his club hurling with St. Aidan’s in Enniscorthy, with whom he won Senior county titles in 1946, 1947, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956 and 1957.
He first played for Wexford as a member of the Minor team of 1946. After leaving the under-age ranks, he was added to the Wexford Senior team and made his championship debut in the quarter-final of the 1947 Leinster championship - a 3-12 to 2-10 victory over Laois. Bobby Rackard and Padge Kehoe also made their championship debuts in the same game.
Foley did not consistently maintain his position in the team, however. After Wexford’s 6-7 to 3-4 defeat to Galway in the 1950’51 National League final, he was dropped from the starting team and squad for the duration of the 1951 championship. Horeswood’s Paddy Shannon, Rathnure’s Jim Rackard, and U.C.D’s Ray Brennan were tried as alternative replacements.
Wexford went on to make the All-Ireland final that year, but lost on a scoreline of 7-7 to 3-9 to Tipperary, with Brennan between the posts. Foley was then reinstated as first choice goalkeeper in the 1951 Oireachtas Cup final victory over Kilkenny.
The late Billy Rackard, in his 1996 book, ‘No Hurling at the Dairy Door’, wrote:
‘In the league final against Galway, an unfortunate event happened which had an unsettling effect on our team. Our star goalkeeper, Art Foley, appeared to lose his nerve on that occasion, and there were several attempts to find a suitable replacement, one being my brother, Jim, who played in the Leinster final.
‘Ray Brennan, a Wexford native, was giving outstanding displays in goal for U.C.D. around that time. He was brought in for the All-Ireland semi-final and final. Although Brennan was a fine goalkeeper, too much was expected of him, especially in the final.
‘In retrospect, it was a mistake to drop Art Foley, a brilliant goalkeeper who later proved his worth in no uncertain fashion.’
After back-to-back Leinster defeats over the next two years, Wexford faced Dublin in the 1954 dcecider. An 8-5 to 1-4 victory gave Foley his first Leinster medal.
A record crowd of 84,856 attended the subsequent All-Ireland decider on September 5, 1954, with Cork providing the opposition. Wexford had a four-point lead with 17 minutes left, but history went against Foley’s side when Johnny Clifford scored the winning goal for Cork with just four minutes left, giving them a narrow 1-9 to 1-6 victory, securing a third successive All-Ireland title.
In 1955, Wexford continued their provincial dominance, with Foley collecting a second Leinster medal following a 5-6 to 3-9 defeat of Kilkenny in a replay.
Galway, who had been given a bye to the All-Ireland final, subsequently provided the opposition on September 4, 1955. At halftime the westerners led by 2-5 to 2-3, courtesy of two goals from 18-year-old Paddy Egan.
A goal by Tim Flood nine minutes from the end clinched a 3-13 to 2-8 victory and a first All-Ireland medal for Foley. It was Wexford’s first All-Ireland win in 45 years.
Foley added a National League medal to his collection in 1956 as Tipperary were beaten by 5-9 to 2-14 after a famous comeback.
In the subsequent championship campaign, Wexford reached the Leinster final once again, gaining a narrow 4-8 to 3-10 victory over Kilkenny, giving Foley his third successive Leinster medal.
Galway were beaten in the All-Ireland semi-final, allowing Wexford to advance to a final meeting with Cork, on September 23, 1956.
A key moment in Foley’s career came in the dying moments of that game. With seconds remaining, and Wexford holding on to a twopoint lead, the ball broke to Christy Ring and he headed straight for goal with the Wexford back line in pursuit.
When he got to the 21-yard line he shot for goal, and it was somehow blocked by Foley, and subsequently cleared by him. It was Foley’s second All-Ireland medal.
Recalling how he had stopped the shot from Christy Ring in an interview with New York paper the ‘Irish Echo’, he said that at the time he was surprised that Ring hadn’t taken the ball closer to goal.
From the puck-out, Jim English passed to Tom Ryan, with the corner-forward in turn finding Nickey Rackard who let fly with a rocket to the net from outside the 21-yard line. These were two defining moments.
In 1958, Foley was on tour with the Wexford team in New York when he decided to stay, bringing an end to his inter-county career.
He lived a long and fulfilling life in Long Island, never losing touch of his Wexford roots and working as a Trans World Airlines crew chief.
Foley also played at inter-provincial level, representing Leinster as goalkeeper in 1956 in a 5-11 to 1-7 victory over Munster which gave him a Railway Cup medal.
Deepest sympathy is extended to his family and friends.
Ar Dheis Dé go raibh a anam.