TJ Reid discusses retirement after twenty seasons with Kilkenny hurling team

Kilkenny hurler TJ Reid has spoken publicly about his decision to end his twenty-year inter-county career. Radio Kerry reported that the 39-year-old told the KCLR Hurling Podcast that stepping away from the team was a difficult decision. Radio Kerry added that Reid stated there was never going to be a good time to retire from inter-county hurling. [1]

Additional details were reported across Irish media outlets. The 42 reported that Reid said he was not going to be around for four or five years of rebuilding. Meanwhile, the Irish Examiner reported that Reid felt disrespected by a retirement question following a county final win. [3][4]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Reid announced his retirement from inter-county hurling after twenty seasons with Kilkenny. He made his debut for the county in 2007 and won seven All-Ireland titles, seven All-Star awards, and the Hurler of the Year award in 2015. Reid retires as the all-time top scorer in inter-county hurling, having recorded 43 goals and 672 points. [1][7]

The Kilkenny hurling team is commonly known by the nickname the Cats. The phrase comes from a fable about two cats from County Kilkenny who fought ferociously, which was historically used as a symbol for ruinous conflict before being adopted in the late twentieth century as an emblem of tenacity. [6]