Nicholas Christopher Michael Ring (30 October 1920 – 2 March 1979) was an Irish hurler whose league and championship career at senior level with the Cork county team spanned twenty-four years from 1939 to 1963. He established many championship records, including career appearances (65), scoring tally (33–208) and number of All-Ireland medals won (8); however, these records were subsequently bested by a number of players. Ring is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in the history of the game, with many former players, commentators and fans rating him as the number one player of all time.
Early life
Nicholas Christopher Michael Ring was the second youngest son of Nicholas (7 December 1892 – 12 March 1937) and Mary (née Lawton) Ring (1 November 1889 – 8 August 1953), and was born on 30 October 1920 at Kilboy Cross, less than a mile from the small town of Cloyne in rural East Cork. He had two brothers, Willie John and Paddy Joe, and two sisters – Katie and Mary Agnes. His family later moved to Cloyne where they lived in a house on Spittal Street, commonly referred to as Spit Lane. His father worked as a gardener for local landowners and, as a former Cloyne hurler, he instilled a passion for hurling in his young son by taking him to club games in Cork, making the eighteen-mile journey by bicycle with his son on the cross-bar.
Ring was educated at the local national school in Cloyne, where he was noted as a quiet but diligent pupil. The schoolmaster, Maurice Spillane, offered a prize of a hurley and sliotar to the boy who would get the highest grade in the school. Ring applied himself diligently and got first place among forty-eight pupils.
As was common at the time, Ring received no secondary education and left school before the age of fourteen. His first job was as an apprentice mechanic with the Williams firm in Midleton, before he later moved to Cork City where he became a lorry driver with Córas Iompair Éireann. In 1953 Ring became a delivery driver with Shell Oil.
Club career
St. Enda's
Ring was twelve years old when he played in his first minor game for Cloyne. Playing in goal he received a baptism by fire against Sarsfields. Two years later he was at right wing-forward and claimed his first medal when Cloyne won the annual Glenbower tournament.
As Cloyne were unable to field a minor team by the end of the decade, Ring joined the St. Enda's amalgamation from Midleton in 1938. He won a county minor championship medal in this grade in 1938 following a 5–3 to 4–0 win over the Seán Clárach's club from Charleville.
Cloyne
Ring's impressive performance with St. Enda's was replicated with the Cloyne junior team that reached their first East Cork final. The Ring brothers were prominent from the start, with Willie John scoring 1–1 to help secure a 5–5 to 3–2 victory over Bride Rovers. Ring was sent off in the county championship quarter-final and was suspended for Cloyne's subsequent semi-final defeat by Brian Dillons.
Cloyne retained the East Cork title in 1939 following a 7–3 to 1–1 defeat of Aghada. Ring's scoring prowess brought subsequent county championship defeats of Clonakilty and Newtownshandrum as Cloyne qualified for their very first county junior championship final. In the days leading up to the match, there was much speculation that Ring would be unable to line out as he had an injured ankle. He started the game in the half-back line, however, as the game was going against Cloyne, Ring fought through the pain barrier and moved to the forwards where he scored five points. The 6–5 to 2–3 victory over Mayfield secured his first county championship medal at adult level.
Glen Rovers
Early successes
Following an acrimonious dispute with the Cloyne club committee, Ring and his two brothers left the club. Willie John joined Ballinacurra and Paddy Joe joined Russell Rovers, however, Ring remained unattached from a club for over a year. A fortuitous meeting with Jack Lynch in the summer of 1941 led to his Cork teammate inviting Ring to join the Glen Rovers club. Ring accepted the offer and made his debut in a championship semi-final defeat of St. Finbarr's. He was at midfield for the subsequent decider against Ballincollig and gave, what was described in the Cork Examiner as, a masterful display with his midfield partner Connie Buckley. The 4–7 to 2–2 victory stretched the Glen's winning streak to eight successive championships. For Ring it was his first winners' medal.
Nine-in-a-row proved beyond Glen Rovers as Ballincollig exacted their revenge in the semi-final of the 1942 championship. After a season of reorganisation, which saw the introduction of nine new players to the team, Glen Rovers reached the 1944 championship final where they faced reigning champions and three-in-a-row hopefuls St. Finbarr's. Ring was, once again, hugely influential and contributed 0–5 from centre-forward. The 5–7 to 3–3 victory gave him a second championship medal.
Divisional side Carrigdhoun provided the opposition as Glen Rovers reached the 1945 championship final in search of their tenth title. In what was probably the most exciting decider in which the club had been involved in so far, the Glen were five goals ahead after 25 minutes having played with a gale-force wind, however, Carrigdhoun fought back to reduce the arrears and set up an exciting finish. Ring top scored with 0–6 as Glen Rovers retained the championship title following a 4–10 to 5–3 victory.
Glen Rovers march on
After defeat by St. Finbarr's in the 1946 championship final, Glen Rovers saw a number of changes to the team when they next contested the decider in 1948. Retirement and emigration and forced a number of changes, with Ring once again filling a midfield berth. Ring had a quiet game by his standards as Glen veterans such as Jack Lynch and Johnny Quirke secured the double scores 5–7 to 3–2 victory over roll of honour leaders Blackrock.
Glen Rovers were presented with their chance of retaining their title when they faced divisional side Imokilly in the 1949 championship decider. On a day of incessant rain, the game was described as one of the best of the year. Donie Twomey and Jack Lynch were the stars of the team as they bagged 5–2 between them. Ring scored the Glen's sixth goal of the game and secured his fifth championship medal following the 6–5 to 0–14 victory.
Southside rivals St. Finbarr's were the opponents as Glen Rovers were determined to make it three titles in-a-row in the 1950 championship final. St. Finbarr's had the advantage of a very strong breeze in the first half and mounted attack after attack on the Glen goal but failed to raise the green flag. The Glen backs gave one of the finest displays of defensive hurling ever seen in the championship and kept the southsiders tally for the first half to 0–4. "The Barr's" added just one further point to their tally after the interval. The 2–8 to 0–5 victory secured a third successive championship title for the club and a sixth winners' medal for Ring.
Sarsfields ended the Glen's hopes of four-in-a-row in 1951, while defeat in the first round of 1952 looked like heralding a fallow period. The club returned stronger than ever when they qualified for the 1953 championship final where they faced Sarsfields once again. After a slow start Glen Rovers gave an exhibition of hurling all over the field, with Rings coring 1–2 in the process. The 8–5 to 4–3 victory secured his seventh championship medal.
In 1954 Ring was appointed club captain as Glen Rovers reached their 17th championship final in twenty years. Blackrock fielded a young team, however, Glen Rovers had eight inter-county players on their team. In spite of this, Blackrock stood up to the champions and the result remained in doubt to the end. A 3–7 to 3–2 victory secured an eighth championship medal for Ring, while he also had the honour of lifting the Seán Óg Murphy Cup.
Three championships in-a-row Glen Rovers lost the next two championship deciders, while Ring was ruled out of the Glen's 1958 championship triumph after being sent off in the semi-final. In spite of watching the game from the stands he still collected a ninth championship medal having played in the earlier rounds. He was back on the starting fifteen as Glen Rovers faced Blackrock in the 1959 championship final. Once again the game went to the wire and it was Ring who scored the winning goal with four minutes remaining. His tally of 1–6 was vital in securing the 3–11 to 3–5 victory and his own tenth championship medal.
A third successive championship beckoned in 1960 as Glen Rovers faced University College Cork in the championship decider. The game was regarded as one of the most thrill-packed and nerve-shattering games in the history of the championship. With time running out the Glen were behind, however, Ring pointed a free from the sideline to level the game. Johnny Clifford secured the lead when his sideline cut went straight over the bar. He gave the Glen a two-point lead straight from the puck-out when his shot sailed over the bar again. The 3–8 to 1–12 victory gave Ring his eleventh championship medal.
Final successes
Four-in-a-row once again proved beyond the Glen, however, the team endured a hard-fought campaign in 1962. In the semi-final against Imokilly 41-year-old Ring rolled back the years and scored three goals in the last fifteen minutes to help the team qualify for the final against University College Cork. The Glen led 3–3 to 0–2 at half-time but the college team powered by many inter-county stars fought back and went ahead with a minute to go but Tom Corbett sent over the equaliser with seconds left and secured a 3–7 to 2–10 draw. The replay proved to be even more exciting than the drawn match as Joe Salmon and Ring were singled out as the key figures in the Glen's 3–8 to 2–10 victory. Ring was appointed club captain again in 1964 as Glen Rovers faced St. Finbarr's in the championship final. The Glen were underdogs and looked well beaten in half a dozen vital outfield positions in the opening thirty minutes. All changed in the second half with Ring scoring a vital goal to give the Glen the lead. "The Barr's" battled back, however, at the full-time whistle the Glen were the champions and Ring collected a remarkable thirteenth championship medal and captained the team to victory for the second time. The Glen's success took on extra significance as they became the first club to represent Cork in the newly created Munster Club Championship. After little interest in the opening rounds of the championship and lengthy delays, the Glen qualified to meet Mount Sion in the provincial decider. After the initial game was abandoned, Ring gave an exhibition of his skills in the replay and collected a Munster medal following a 3–7 to 1–7 victory.
In June 1967, Ring scored 1–2 and set up another goal in the Glen's championship quarter-final defeat of University College Cork. While the Glen were scheduled to play Muskerry in the championship semi-final, he announced without warning that he wouldn't be playing. After more than a quarter of a century of club hurling, Ring had retired.
Inter-county career
Minor and junior
By 1937 Ring's performances as a minor hurler for St. Enda's led to him being considered for the Cork minor hurling panel. He was only sixteen years-old throughout the championship campaign and was not selected for any of the provincial stages or for the All-Ireland semi-final. He was later listed as one of the substitutes for the subsequent All-Ireland final against Kilkenny. He played no part in that game which Cork won by 8–5 to 2–7. As the last substitute Ring shared in the victory but received no All-Ireland medal.