**By Cian O'Connell **

** **

Kilkenny hurlers are renowned for setting and breaking records.  One has now stood for 100 years.

The Leinster final of 1916 is remembered for Mick Kennedy's incredible 6-1 haul.  That individual tally has never been surprassed in the provincial decider since.

Kennedy's son, Paddy, heard stories throughout the decades about that Kilkenny provincial win and subsequent 1916 All Ireland defeat which eventually took place in January 1917.

"My father was a quiet man, he wasn't into the limelight or anything, but Kilkenny were disappointed to lose the final to Tipperary at the start of the following year," Paddy Kennedy told GAA.ie.

"The best man Kilkenny had, Dick Grace, was sent off, but I suppose I'd only hear the one side of it," Kennedy laughed.

"Kilkenny went through a very bad patch after 1916, Dublin seemed to improve hugely.  At the time they had a lot of country guys joining up, I suppose that was a help."

The fact that Kilkenny endured difficulties meant Mick Kennedy wasn't afforded too many opportunities in the latter stages of the Championship.  "He was finished by the time Kilkenny started winning All Irelands again which was a disappointment, but when he played Tullaroan and Mooncoin were the main teams at the time.

"Sim Walton was the man.  He was like lightning, he was like a bullet when he played.  Everybody talked about him, he only lived up the road from where we lived.  When he came on the scene he changed the whole thing."

The day that Tullaroan's Mick Kennedy confirmed his goalscoring pedigree arrived in the November 5, 1916 Leinster decider as the Cats cruised to victory.

Kennedy struck four goals before half-time and added two more after the restart during a convincing Kilkenny 11-3 to 2-2 success over Wexford which still carries deep meaning for his son.

Paddy Kennedy hurled for Tullaroan and the famed St Kieran's College.  "We won a Leinster Colleges and then in 1954 I played for Leinster.  At the time the best players in the province went on to represent a Leinster Colleges combination.

"One year O'Connell's Schools won hurling and Gaelic Football in Leinster and they formed most of the team.  St Kieran's have played such a huge role for Kilkenny throughout the years."

Now 80 Paddy Kennedy continues to monitor the fortunes of Kieran's and Tullaroan.  "Kieran's have a fierce pick, you have five classes in every year, for ordinary schools it is hard to beat them because of that.

"The population of Tullaroan is down to around 720 so the pick we have isn't as good as it once was.  Even last year you had a good few young lads playing for Tullaroan.  Even though the club has gone down to intermediate, hopefully they'll get back."

So many from the club made such a rich contribution in black and amber from the Graces, Sim Walton right through to the recent retired Tommy Walsh.  Mick Kennedy, though, will always be the Tullaroan man, who stitched six goals in a Leinster final.  One hundred years on that is still fondly remembered.