The GAA–GPA All-Star Hurler of the Year is a hurling award presented to the player voted as best in the country by all the players from around Ireland. It began in 1995 and honours the achievements of a hurler of outstanding excellence.
Kilkenny players have won the award 10 out of 29 times, ahead of Limerick with five wins. Tipperary, Cork, Waterford and Clare have won it three times each.
The award's youngest winner was Tony Kelly, who won at the age of 19 in 2013. Henry Shefflin and Cian Lynch are the only players to have won the award more than once. The oldest winner is also Henry Shefflin, who was 33 when he won in 2012.[1] Limerick are the only county to have had all three nominees come from the one county in a given year (twice).
In 2011 the Gaelic Athletic Association and the Gaelic Players' Association announced that their respective annual player awards schemes were to merge under the sponsorship of Opel.[2] The first merged awards were presented in 2011.[3]
Hurler of the Year
Bold denotes a player still active at inter-county level.
Breakdown of winners
| # | Player | No. of Wins | Years won | Runners-up | Years Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henry Shefflin | 3 | 2002,
2006, 2012 |
||
| 2 | Cian Lynch | 2 | 2018,
2021 |
||
| 3 | Séamus Callanan | 1 | 2019 | 3 | 2014,
2015, 2016 |
| T. J. Reid | 1 | 2015 | 3 | 2014,
2019, 2022 | |
| 5 | Joe Canning | 1 |
2017 |
2 |
2012, 2018 |
| Tommy Walsh | 1 |
2009 |
2 |
2007, 2011 | |
| 7 |
1 |
2000 |
1 | 1999 | |
| 1 |
2010 |
1 | 2009 | ||
| Richie Hogan |
1 |
2014 |
1 |
2015 | |
| Michael Fennelly | 1 |
2011 |
1 |
2010 | |
| Tony Kelly | 1 |
2013 |
1 |
2020 | |
| Diarmaid Byrnes | 1 |
2022 |
1 |
2023 | |
| 13 | Aaron Gillane | 1 |
2023 |
||
| Gearóid Hegarty | 1 |
2020 |
|||
| 1 |
2016 |
||||
| Eoin Larkin | 1 |
2008 |
|||
| 1 |
2007 |
||||
| 1 |
2005 |
||||
| 1 |
2004 |
||||
| 1 |
2003 |
||||
| 1 |
2001 |
||||
| 1 |
1999 |
||||
| Tony Browne | 1 |
1998 |
|||
| 1 |
1997 |
||||
| 1 |
1996 |
||||
| 1 |
1995 |
||||
| 27 | Pádraic Maher | 0 | 2 |
2012, 2016 | |
| Brian Whelehan | 0 | 2 |
1998, 1999 | ||
| Kyle Hayes | 0 | 2 |
2021, 2023 | ||
| 30 | Barry Nash | 0 | 1 |
2022 | |
| Sean Finn | 0 | 1 |
2021 | ||
| Stephen Bennett | 0 | 1 |
2020 | ||
| Patrick Horgan | 0 | 1 |
2019 | ||
| Pádraic Mannion | 0 | 1 |
2018 | ||
| Jamie Barron | 0 | 1 |
2017 | ||
| Kevin Moran | 0 | 1 |
2017 | ||
| Anthony Nash | 0 | 1 |
2013 | ||
| Podge Collins | 0 | 1 |
2013 | ||
| Paul Murphy | 0 | 1 |
2012 | ||
| Brendan Maher | 0 | 1 |
2010 | ||
| John Mullane | 0 | 1 |
2009 | ||
| Eddie Brennan | 0 | 1 |
2008 | ||
| Eoin Kelly | 0 | 1 |
2008 | ||
| Ken McGrath | 0 | 1 |
2007 | ||
| Dónal Óg Cusack | 0 | 1 |
2006 | ||
| John Gardiner | 0 | 1 |
2005 | ||
| Seánie McMahon | 0 | 1 |
1998 |
Winners by county
| County | Number of wins | Winning years |
|---|---|---|
 Kilkenny | 10 | 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 |
 Limerick | 5 | 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 |
 Cork | 3 | 1999, 2004, 2005 |
 Clare | 3 | 1995, 1997, 2013 |
 Waterford | 3 | 1998, 2007, 2016 |
 Tipperary | 3 | 2001, 2010, 2019 |
 Wexford | 1 | 1996 |
 Galway | 1 | 2017 |
References
- ↑ "Shefflin scoops third Hurler of the Year Award". GAA website. 26 October 2012. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ↑ "All Star and GPA awards merger announced". RTÉ Sport. 7 September 2011. Archived from the original on 9 September 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
- ↑ "Shefflin and Cats steal All Star show". Irish Examiner. 21 October 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2011.