Background
Finlay was born in Ballycuddy, County Laois in 1890.
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Jack Finlay
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Career
He had a love of hurling from a young age and soon joined his local club Ballygeehan. After winning the county title in 1914 the club had a major say in the selection of the inter-county team for the following year. This victory set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Cork, who were red-hot favourites.
Laois had no great hurling tradition and this was shown when Cork scored three goals.
Finlay became the only player from Laois to captain an All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship winning team He lost his seat at the 1938 general election.
Jack Finlay died on 30 September 1942.
Achievements
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In 1913 Finlay won a Laois Junior Hurling Championship with the club They moved to senior level the following year and proceeded to win five county championships in-a-row with Finlay as captain. That year Laois defeated Offaly, Kilkenny and Dublin to win the Leinster Championship. In the second-half, however, Laois rallied and won the game.
Politics
In later life Finlay entered politics, and was elected to Dáil Éireann as a National Centre Party Teachta Dála (Territorial Decoration) for the Leix–Offaly constituency at the 1933 general election. He was re-elected at the 1937 general election for the same constituency as a Fine Gael Territorial Decoration.
