Former Kilkenny People sports editor to receive GAA MacNamee Hall of Fame Award

Former Kilkenny People sports editor John Knox has been named the recipient of the Mac Namee Hall of Fame Award in recognition of a lifetime of excellence in Gaelic games coverage.

The ward will be presented to John Knox, a man who worked for nearly 50 years in the Kilkenny People. In that time, he lived the highs and lows of Kilkenny GAA, reflecting the feelings of fans through his writing. Now retired-ish, John Knox his a hugely respected member of the GAA media corp, a reputation enhanced by the fact that for many years, long before we had PROs, Knox was at the coalface of GAA matters in a County that was envied, lauded, and admired by GAA followers near and far.

If it happened in Kilkenny John Knox knew about it first. His job took him into the red hot cauldron that was the County Board meetings under the only stand at the time in Nowlan Park.

John and Nicky Brennan interviewing Brian Cody
During his career, John reported on 26 All-Ireland senior hurling finals and two replays. He told the story of numerous camogie All-Ireland Finals and Leagues. He covered numerous Under-21 and Minor encounters, and he also told the struggles for the survival of football.

He helped Gaelic games progress from the pitch to the printed word. Over the 50 years John’s stories from players and management was the daily diet of supporters who craved information. He would readily admit that the supporters, the dedicated people in the Kilkenny People and a visionary County Board was an unbreakable Co-Operative that stood the test of time.

During his tenure with the Kilkenny People, John was privileged to see his beloved Kilkenny win the famous four-in-a-row, and other great victories. John too, was very much part of the club scene in Kilkenny as his coverage of years of superb club hurling by great clubs who garnished their reputations with many Provincial and All-Ireland club wins.

"John Knox has been a wonderful servant of the Gaelic Athletic Association, and more precisely the Association in his beloved Kilkenny. This is a most deserved accolade for his dedication and longevity to a noble cause," said the GAA.

John was also previously recognised by the GWA for his career.