Brian Cody
Brian Cody is an Irish former hurling manager and player and retired school principal. He managed the senior Kilkenny county team between 1998 and 2022, becoming the county's longest-serving manager and most successful in terms of major titles won; Cody is widely regarded as the greatest manager in the history of the game.
Cody was appointed manager of the Kilkenny senior team on 16 November 1998 and led Kilkenny through a period of unprecedented provincial and national dominance, winning 43 major honours; these include eleven All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship titles, including a record-equalling four-in-a-row between 2006 and 2009, seventeen Leinster Senior Hurling Championship titles in twenty three seasons, ten National Hurling League titles and seven Walsh Cups. He left at the end of the 2022 season.
Early life
Cody was born on 12 July 1954 in Sheestown, County Kilkenny, to William "Bill" Cody and Annie Hoyne. Brian was the fourth of their nine children.Bill Cody, a native of Thomastown, worked with Royal Liver Assurance and became involved with the James Stephens club in the early 1960s. He was instrumental in forming a juvenile section within the club, while later serving as a selector with the Kilkenny minor and senior teams. Bill Cody was elected vice-chairman of the club in 1967 and chairman in 1969, a position he held until 1986.
Cody was educated at the local national school in Kilkenny, Cody later boarded at St Kieran's College. After completing his Leaving Certificate he attended St Patrick's College in Dublin where he qualified as a primary school teacher.
Cody later worked as a teacher at St Patrick's De La Salle national school in Kilkenny, before serving as principal between 2009 and 2015.
Playing career
College
During his schooling at St Kieran's College, Cody established himself as a key member of the senior hurling team. In 1971 he won a Leinster medal as captain of the side following a 2–15 to 1–7 defeat of St Peter's College. On 9 May 1971 St Kieran's faced St Finbarr's College in the All-Ireland decider. An 8–6 to 5–8 victory gave Cody an All-Ireland medal.Cody won a second successive Leinster medal in 1972 following a 7–10 to 3-7 trouncing of Callan CBS. On 30 April 1972 St. Kieran's and St. Finbarr's renewed their rivalry in the All-Ireland decider. A 3–7 to 2–5 score line resulted in defeat for Cody's side.
Club
After experiencing championship success at underage level, Cody subsequently joined the James Stephens senior team. Defeat at the hands of the Fenians in 1973 was followed by a major breakthrough two years later. A 1–14 to 1–5 defeat of first-time finalists Galmoy gave Cody his first championship medal. James Stephens subsequently qualified for the provincial decider, with Offaly champions St. Rynagh's providing the opposition. James Stephens took the lead from the third minute, with Liam "Chunky" O'Brien being scorer-in-chief. A 1–14 to 2–4 victory gave Cody his first Leinster medal. Two-time champions and hot favourites Blackrock provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland decider. The Rockies got off to the better start, with two goals by Éamonn O'Donoghue and Pat Moylan giving them a 2–1 lead at the quarter mark. James Stephens trailed at the interval but were transformed in the second half. A 2–10 to 2–4 victory gave Cody his first All-Ireland medal.Cody won a second championship medal in 1976 as Rower-Inistioge were accounted for by 2–14 to 0–13.
After a period of decline, James Stephens bounced back in 1981. A double scores 2–10 to 0–8 defeat of Fenians gave Cody a third championship medal. He later collected a second Leinster medal as championship debutantes Faythe Harriers were narrowly defeated by 0–13 to 1–9. First time finalists Mount Sion of Waterford provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland decider. A hat-trick of goals by John McCormack, together with a ten-point haul from Billy Walton, saw James Stephens fight back from seven points down to record a 3–13 to 3–8 victory. It was a second All-Ireland medal for Cody.
Minor and under-21
Cody first played for Kilkenny as a member of the minor team in 1971. He won his first Leinster medal that year following a huge 7–18 to 3-5 trouncing of reigning provincial champions Wexford. On 5 September 1971 Kilkenny faced three-in-a-row hopefuls Cork in the All-Ireland decider. A narrow 2–11 to 1–11 victory for Cork resulted in defeat for Cody's side.After being appointed captain of the minor team in 1972, Cody won a second Leinster medal following another 7–10 to 0-4 trouncing of Wexford. On 3 September 1972 Kilkenny faced Galway in the subsequent All-Ireland decider. The game was a one-sided affair, and at the full-time whistle Kilkenny were the champions by 8–7 to 3–9. The victory gave Cody an All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship medal while he also had the honour of lifting the cup.
By 1974 Cody had joined the Kilkenny under-21 team. He won his first Leinster medal that year as Kilkenny accounted for Wexford by 3–8 to 1–5. The subsequent All-Ireland decider against first-time finalists Waterford was a close affair, however, at the final whistle Kilkenny were the champions by 3–8 to 3–7. It was a first All-Ireland medal in that grade for Cody.
Cody added a second Leinster medal to his collection in 1975 as Kilkenny once again defeated Wexford by 3–14 to 0–8. The subsequent All-Ireland final against Cork was rated the best hurling game of the year. Kilkenny ‘keeper Kevin Fennelly brought off two brilliant saves from Con Brassil and Finbarr Delaney in the closing stages to secure a 5–13 to 2–19 victory and a second consecutive All-Ireland medal for Cody.
Senior
Cody was just out of the minor grade when he was added to the senior panel in 1973. The team lost four key players to injury and emigration prior to the All-Ireland final meeting with Limerick on 2 September 1973. As a result of this Cody was added to the starting fifteen at left wing-back. In spite of Kilkenny fielding a depleted team, the game hung in the balance for the first half, however, eight minutes after the restart Mossie Dowling got a vital goal for Limerick. Shortly after this Richie Bennis spearheaded a rampant Limerick attack which resulted in a 1–21 to 1–14 victory for Limerick.The All-Ireland final defeat led to a reshuffle of the Kilkenny team and Cody found it hard to retain his place on the starting fifteen the following year. He was still a member of the panel as Kilkenny went on to claim Leinster and All-Ireland titles that year.
Cody was back on the starting fifteen at left corner-back as Kilkenny made it five successive provincial titles in-a-row in 1975. The 2–20 to 2–14 defeat of Wexford gave Cody his first Leinster medal on the field of play. On 7 September 1975 Cody lined out in his second All-Ireland final, with surprise semi-final winners Galway providing the opposition. Playing with the wind in the first half, Galway found themselves ahead by 0–9 to 1–3 at the interval. Eddie Keher's huge tally of 2–7 kept Galway at bay giving Kilkenny a 2–22 to 2–10 victory. It was Cody's first All-Ireland medal on the field of play, while he later won an All-Star.
In 1976 Cody won a National Hurling League medal following a 6–14 to 1–14 trouncing of Clare in a replay. Kilkenny's championship ambitions unravelled in spectacular fashion in the subsequent provincial campaign, when a 2–20 to 1–6 trouncing by Wexford dumped the team out of the championship.
After another unsuccessful season in 1977, Cody was surprisingly moved to the full-forward position the following year. He won a second Leinster medal that year following Kilkenny's 2–16 to 1–16 defeat of reigning provincial champions Wexford. On 3 September 1978 Kilkenny faced reigning champions Cork in the All-Ireland decider. Cork secured a first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles for the first time in over twenty years, as a Jimmy Barry-Murphy goal helped the team to a 1–15 to 2–8 victory. At the homecoming for the runners-up the following evening, reports circulated that Cody was booed as he was introduced.
A new Kilkenny team emerged in 1979, however, Cody lost his place on the starting fifteen.
Cody was appointed captain of the team in 1982 as Kilkenny bounced back after a fallow period. He won a second league medal that year following a 2–14 to 1–11 defeat of Wexford. He later won a third Leinster medal following a 1–11 to 0–12 defeat of three-in-a-row hopefuls and reigning All-Ireland champions Offaly. On 5 September 1982 Kilkenny and Cork renewed their rivalry in the All-Ireland decider. The Cats were rank outsiders on the day, however, a brilliant save by Noel Skehan was followed by two quick goals by Christy Heffernan just before the interval. Éamonn O'Donoghue pegged a goal back for Cork, however, Ger Fennelly added a third for Kilkenny who secured a 3–18 to 1–13 victory. It was a second All-Ireland medal for Cody while he also had the honour of lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup. He was later presented with a second All-Star award.
After missing Kilkenny's league triumph in 1983, Cody was back for the championship. A 1–17 to 0–13 defeat of Offaly gave him a fourth Leinster medal. The All-Ireland final on 4 September 1983 was a replay of the previous year with Cork hoping to avenge that defeat. Billy Fitzpatrick was the star with ten points, giving Kilkenny a 2–14 to 1–9 lead with seventeen minutes left, however, they failed to score for the remainder of the game. A stunning comeback by Cork just fell short and Cody won a third All-Ireland medal following a 2–14 to 2–12 victory.
Kilkenny's fortunes took a downturn following this victory as Offaly dominated the championship. Cody played his last game for Kilkenny in 1985 in a 1–30 to 1-10 Leinster quarter-final defeat by Westmeath.