Squash legend Willie Hosey has been inducted into the Carlow Sports Hall of Fame, joining his late father Willie Snr, who received the award in 1984.
Willie Snr was part of the Carlow GAA football team that won the 1944 Leinster title, but it was in squash where Willie Jnr found his fame after his father encouraged him to stick at the sport following his switch from tennis.
It was sound father-to-son advice as Hosey went on to win 10 Irish Senior Nationals titles. He still remains active in the sport as a player and plans to take part in the World Masters Championships later this year in Perth with his brother.
Having flown in from his home in Ontario, the Canadian-based Irish squash star was delighted to be honoured at the Nationalist’s Sports Star Awards, where GAA legend Pat Spillane was present along with the Sam Maguire Cup.
Awards night MC Brendan Hennessy said before calling Hosey to the stage: “He is one of the most famous faces ever in the history of Carlow sport. He has made an incredible trip from where he now lives in Ontario, Canada, to be here tonight to join his legendary father in the Carlow Sports Hall of Fame.
“He is a name we all grew up with, he is one of the first Carlow names I knew to go onto the world stage, and I’m delighted to meet him back in Carlow tonight.”
Hosey, who is now coaching at the Richmond Hill Squash Club in Ontario, explained that it was love that kept him in Canada following an initial squash tour visit. “I went on a squash tour to Canada and I ran into her, 1988 or something like that. I ended up going to Canada for one year and 35 years later, here we are,” he said.
Accepting his award, the Tullow Street native added: “It’s the sort of good news, bad news winning this award. The good news is I am thrilled; the bad news is young people don’t get the Hall of Fame award.”
Explaining how he picked up the sport, Hosey said: “The squash courts in Carlow were about 1975, something like that. We were all involved in tennis at the time and when the courts came, we all gave it a go.
“We didn’t know what this sport was, and my father probably introduced me to the game more than anybody. I took to it, I loved it, it was great. I went to Dublin for a couple of years and then said I would give it a go professionally and kept going.”
Hosey’s emergence resulted in Carlow becoming a squash hotbed from the 1980s onwards, and he paid tribute to the exploits of Arthur Gaskin, the current Ireland head coach, and his nephew Sam Olwill.
“We have 18 (Irish Nationals titles between us). I am very proud of that, too, with Arthur, because I babysat him when he was really young; his best friend was my nephew.
“Arthur won eight national titles, so for a town like Carlow to win 18 national titles in a sport that is really dominated in Dublin and the bigger cities, I’m super proud of that. I’m also Sam Olwill’s uncle and godfather. He and his brother Fintan are doing everything they can to try to keep the sport strong in Carlow.
“I have spent so much time in Carlow over the last 35 years, I probably get back three times a year. I love it here. That’s why I am here today and very proud… I love the town, love the people, love seeing all the youngsters winning awards here tonight. It’s fantastic.”
