It’s just over a year since Kilkenny’s Walter Walsh announced his retirement from senior inter-county hurling.
Relatively young in doing so at the age of 33, the Tullogher-Rosbercon man has certainly not been idle in the time since.
Having taken a career break from his teaching job at Good Counsel College in New Ross, Walter is now involved with digital start-up Social Ties. However, there is still time to help out on the family farm – while his sporting life has extended in different, and perhaps unexpected, directions.
He was involved with the Kilkenny football team in the All-Ireland JFC, but that wasn’t the only footballing code that he has dabbled in – turning his hand to rugby with New Ross, he made such a splash that he earned Leinster junior recognition.
Sportspeople can often find it difficult to adjust to the change that retirement brings but Walter agrees that his new endeavours made for a softer landing – of course, it should also be noted that he is still hurling with his home club, whom he helped to win the All-Ireland junior club title at Croke Park in January of 2024.
“When I retired there was a weird feeling,” Walter says. “I probably did struggle a bit after it."
Actually, it was probably until I announced it, because for a month I knew I was going to retire, and I didn’t say anything to anyone and once I said it, I thought, ‘This is easy. I should have done it a month ago.’
“That was it and I needed something after that; I needed to train. That whole dressing room feeling, you can’t buy that.
“You are playing with lads, whether it is football with Kilkenny, rugby, hurling with the club, that bit of craic you have in the dressing room, as well as playing the matches, winning matches together – it is hard to leave that. I will struggle with that when I do finish playing.”
Naturally, the physical exertions can be taxing on the other side of 30, but Walter, who was speaking to media at the announcement of Fulfil as the title sponsors of the All-Ireland U20 Hurling Championship, sees a lot more benefits than drawbacks.
“I enjoy it, it keeps me fit – though I played a match there a few weeks ago and I could barely walk for three days after it.”
“It was just one of those games where we had to tackle for the 80 minutes and I was kind of thinking, ‘I’m 34 years of age, why am I doing this to myself?’
“I can’t see myself going off and running 5km [races] or going off and doing marathons. I don’t mind going to the gym – I like going to the gym – but I don’t like going off on my own, running. If there’s a ball there, I’ll run after it all day and that’s what it is for me in rugby. Even the whole culture of rugby – after the game, the two teams will have food together in the clubhouse and it’s just nice, and I keep fit for the hurling over the winter as well.
Walter Walsh of Kilkenny in action earlier this summer against London players, from left, Matthew Tierney, Eoghan Reilly, Patrick O'Connor and Ryan McCready during the GAA Football All-Ireland Junior Championship semi-final match between London and Kilkenny at the GAA National Centre of Excellence in Abbotstown, Dublin. \Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
“I think that’s what the rugby is for me – and maybe I am playing it down a bit – when I’m playing it I do want to win as well and I’ll do what’s best for the team. I will do what I can to win, it’s not just for keeping fit.
“I’m keen on playing with my club again next year. I want to play until I am 40 with Tullogher-Rosbercon, that’s what’s in my head. It is not too many years away now. I just want to stay injury-free, do what I can and then give back to the club.”
Kilkenny prospects
Naturally, the three-time All-Ireland winner keeps a close eye on Kilkenny hurling matters and he is optimistic for the Cats’ chances in 2025, even allowing for the fact that they will be without All-Star full-back Huw Lawlor and Billy Ryan for at least part of the campaign, following their decision to go travelling.
Such developments are perhaps different to the prevailing behaviour when Walter played under Brian Cody, symptomatic of a changing landscape.
“There wasn’t as many going away [when I was playing],” he says, “but I think maybe with the split-season it allows for players to go for five or six months and to come back and play.
“I don’t think it would have fit for players to go back before the split-season, but everybody is different. Some players wouldn’t dream about going, others will go and live their lives.
“I can see why they go, though it never interested me, to be honest. I like Ireland. We have been all over the world on team holidays over the years, I really liked that and I suppose the GAA provided that for me but I’m always conscious that, after a couple of weeks, I’d like to head home.
“I’m from a farm in south Kilkenny and I’m happy enough to be milking cows in my spare time as well.”
It’s just over a year since Kilkenny’s Walter Walsh announced his retirement from senior inter-county hurling.
Relatively young in doing so at the age of 33, the Tullogher-Rosbercon man has certainly not been idle in the time since.
Having taken a career break from his teaching job at Good Counsel College in New Ross, Walter is now involved with digital start-up Social Ties. However, there is still time to help out on the family farm – while his sporting life has extended in different, and perhaps unexpected, directions.
He was involved with the Kilkenny football team in the All-Ireland JFC, but that wasn’t the only footballing code that he has dabbled in – turning his hand to rugby with New Ross, he made such a splash that he earned Leinster junior recognition.
Sportspeople can often find it difficult to adjust to the change that retirement brings but Walter agrees that his new endeavours made for a softer landing – of course, it should also be noted that he is still hurling with his home club, whom he helped to win the All-Ireland junior club title at Croke Park in January of 2024.
“When I retired there was a weird feeling,” Walter says. “I probably did struggle a bit after it."
Actually, it was probably until I announced it, because for a month I knew I was going to retire, and I didn’t say anything to anyone and once I said it, I thought, ‘This is easy. I should have done it a month ago.’
“That was it and I needed something after that; I needed to train. That whole dressing room feeling, you can’t buy that.
“You are playing with lads, whether it is football with Kilkenny, rugby, hurling with the club, that bit of craic you have in the dressing room, as well as playing the matches, winning matches together – it is hard to leave that. I will struggle with that when I do finish playing.”
Naturally, the physical exertions can be taxing on the other side of 30, but Walter, who was speaking to media at the announcement of Fulfil as the title sponsors of the All-Ireland U20 Hurling Championship, sees a lot more benefits than drawbacks.
“I enjoy it, it keeps me fit – though I played a match there a few weeks ago and I could barely walk for three days after it.”
“It was just one of those games where we had to tackle for the 80 minutes and I was kind of thinking, ‘I’m 34 years of age, why am I doing this to myself?’
“I can’t see myself going off and running 5km [races] or going off and doing marathons. I don’t mind going to the gym – I like going to the gym – but I don’t like going off on my own, running. If there’s a ball there, I’ll run after it all day and that’s what it is for me in rugby. Even the whole culture of rugby – after the game, the two teams will have food together in the clubhouse and it’s just nice, and I keep fit for the hurling over the winter as well.
Walter Walsh of Kilkenny in action earlier this summer against London players, from left, Matthew Tierney, Eoghan Reilly, Patrick O'Connor and Ryan McCready during the GAA Football All-Ireland Junior Championship semi-final match between London and Kilkenny at the GAA National Centre of Excellence in Abbotstown, Dublin. \Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
“I think that’s what the rugby is for me – and maybe I am playing it down a bit – when I’m playing it I do want to win as well and I’ll do what’s best for the team. I will do what I can to win, it’s not just for keeping fit.
“I’m keen on playing with my club again next year. I want to play until I am 40 with Tullogher-Rosbercon, that’s what’s in my head. It is not too many years away now. I just want to stay injury-free, do what I can and then give back to the club.”
Kilkenny prospects
Naturally, the three-time All-Ireland winner keeps a close eye on Kilkenny hurling matters and he is optimistic for the Cats’ chances in 2025, even allowing for the fact that they will be without All-Star full-back Huw Lawlor and Billy Ryan for at least part of the campaign, following their decision to go travelling.
Such developments are perhaps different to the prevailing behaviour when Walter played under Brian Cody, symptomatic of a changing landscape.
“There wasn’t as many going away [when I was playing],” he says, “but I think maybe with the split-season it allows for players to go for five or six months and to come back and play.
“I don’t think it would have fit for players to go back before the split-season, but everybody is different. Some players wouldn’t dream about going, others will go and live their lives.
“I can see why they go, though it never interested me, to be honest. I like Ireland. We have been all over the world on team holidays over the years, I really liked that and I suppose the GAA provided that for me but I’m always conscious that, after a couple of weeks, I’d like to head home.
“I’m from a farm in south Kilkenny and I’m happy enough to be milking cows in my spare time as well.”
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