Nicky Rackard, Bob Dylan and Kilkenny Hurling: An Interview with Denis ‘Rackard’ Coady

One of the best elements of the GAA is the great characters associated with the sport. Very few characters are better known or better liked than Kilkenny’s veteran kit man Denis ‘Rackard’ Coady….

One of the true gentlemen of hurling, Rackard began as Kilkenny kit man forty eight years ago in 1977. In that time, Rackard has worked alongside managers such as Fr. Tommy Maher, Eddie Keher and the revered Brian Cody. He was part of a Kilkenny set up which has seen sixteen All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship victories and a staggering thirty one Leinster Senior Hurling Championships.

Rackard’s tenure as kit man for the black and amber has seen Kilkenny hurling go through many ups and downs, seeing the lows of an All-Ireland title droughts from 1983 to 1992 and from 1993-2000 while also seeing the outstanding highs of Kilkenny’s unassailable four in a row side from 2008-2011, arguably one of the greatest sides to play the game. From working with some of the greatest minds in hurling to meeting Bob Dylan there is very little Rackard’s forty eight years in the Kilkenny set up has not seen.

Despite the fierce rivalry between Wexford and Kilkenny, Rackard expressed great admiration for Wexford GAA. Indeed, he explained that his famous nickname found its origins in a Wexford hurling legend:

“When I was going to school and playing with the team there, I used to get the odd score, I scored a few goals and was probably quite lucky. Nicky Rackard was prominent at the time, someone let a shout from the line and now wherever I am in the world I don’t know anyone who ever calls me Denis, only Rackard. I am proud of it as well, because I think Wexford people are fantastic people in the line of supporting sport. They’re the best supporting county in Ireland. If they were winning the same as Kilkenny or Cork, there would be no one left in any corner of Wexford on the day of a match,” Rackard told Wexford Weekly.

Rackard recalled how he joined the Kilkenny set up in 1977 and noted that it had been “a long stretch” in which he and Kilkenny had seen some “fantastic times.” Rackard noted that he was of the firm belief that Kilkenny would be back again but wouldn’t “be back again the same as we were.”

On that note, Rackard recalled the changing fortunes of Kilkenny over the years in which he was involved with the set up:

“When Brian took over we had the greatest bunch of players that were ever born to a county in the country, they were a fantastic bunch of players, it was simple enough then. Up to then – the guys weren’t over the moon, they were winning an odd one every ten years. The managers could only be as good as the guys they had on the field.”

Of course, the manager with which Rackard worked most closely and for the longest period was Brian Cody. Rackard reflected on what it was like to work so closely with one of the legendary figures of hurling:

“Brian is a fantastic guy. I had fantastic co-ordination with him. We had a great camaraderie with Brian. The man we have in now is every bit as good. It is just that he didn’t get the same break.”

During Rackard’s time as Kilkenny kit man he worked very closely with some of the most impressive and skilful players in the history of hurling. Though it was impossible to choose just one Rackard expressed a clear admiration for all the players he has worked with:

“Tommy Walsh was as good a back as you’d see in any county, he was a fantastic hurler. Look it, you can’t really pick out any individual as they were all fantastic on the day. Maybe it worked for Henry one day, Eddie Brennan another, Larkin another or for Derek Lyng in the middle of the field, they were all fantastic guys,” Rackard told Wexford Weekly.

When asked which of the teams had been some of the most enjoyable to work alongside Rackard expressed clear fond memories of the most successful days of the Cody era:

“From 2000 when we started winning all the All Irelands you couldn’t pick out any one down to 2008 when we won everything in Ireland, all the teams were fantastic. They all seemed to follow one another, the lads that were coming in were just as good as the lads going out. It’s not happening today anymore in any county, I can’t put my finger on it. You couldn’t say any one team stuck out in the time when we were winning everything, they were all equal,” the long-serving Kilkenny kit-man said.

Rackard’s time as Kilkenny kit man has seen great success for the county and innumerable big wins and trophies. Yet Rackard was very quick to point out his career highlight, noting 2008 when Kilkenny achieved every trophy at every grade totalling eleven trophies for the year.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Kilkenny hurling is the quasi-religious status hurling enjoys in Kilkenny and consequently the county’s ability to continually produce outstanding teams and players. Rackard provided his insight into how such a culture of success has been produced in Kilkenny:

“I’m in schools… three maybe four days a week. I am not trying to be funny or anything but there are guys getting out of the pram carrying a hurl, it is a part of their culture. They just grow up with it. They get out of the bed and grab their hurl to bring to school with them, then you see them coming home from school pucking the ball against the wall. It boils down to that, going up the Main St. in Kilkenny tipping the ball against the hurl, you would rarely see that in any other county in Ireland.”

All throughout Rackard’s time involved with Kilkenny their clashes with Wexford have often memorable and closely contested encounters. Rackard had very high praise for Wexford hurling:

“Wexford is a fantastic county. If we weren’t in the All Ireland I would be the first in Croke Park to shout for Wexford, I have a great admiration for the people and the players, and I mean that sincerely. I think that they will come back, Lee Chin is a fantastic guy, he should really get an All Star this year. They shouldn’t even need to think about it and give it to him. They were a fantastic bunch of guys looking back down through the years.”

Kilkenny of course recently came out the wrong side of their recent All-Ireland Semi-Final clash with Tipperary. Despite the disappointment of this loss Rackard had some thoughts on the upcoming All Ireland Senior Hurling Final:

“I’d give the nod to Tipperary, if their backs can control the Cork forwards they’re in with a great chance as they have the firing power up front.”

Anyone who has been involved in hurling as long as Rackard has quite a depth of wisdom to pass on to the next generation of hurlers and camogie players. He had the following advice for upcoming young players:

“I never drank or smoked in my life and I would say to young players you can enjoy life without getting involved with drink, smoking, or drugs. Life is so precious that you shouldn’t cut yourself short if you could live to be one hundred. I would advise teenagers to go play your sport whether it be hurling, camogie or football, go up to the field and get yourself tired. Don’t get yourself involved in smoking or drinking or any of those things, you can enjoy life without them.”

Rackard’s career has led to him meeting many fascinating people outside of hurling. He reminisced about the time Bob Dylan signed a hurl and sliotar for him backstage at Nowlan Park deeming him “a very nice fella.” He also recalled having met Rod Stewart who he also held in high regard.

Forty eight years in, Rackard shows no sign of tiring of his role as Kilkenny kit man. He still shows boundless energy both in performing his role with the Kilkenny hurlers and in going around the country talking to young people about staying away from alcohol and drugs. Rackard stated he was hoping to make it to fifty years working with the Kilkenny hurlers. The GAA needs great characters such as Rackard Coady and one can hope we shall be seeing him on the side-line for many Wexford and Kilkenny clashes to come.

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