Lost for 60 Years: Wexford Sporting Medals Found

When Marie Hayes got a call from the new tenants of her grandfather’s house, she never imagined what they’d found: Jack Murphy’s long-lost gold medals, buried for over 60 years.

Born in 1881 in Ballinkeele, Ballymurn, Jack, nicknamed “The Gardener”, was a talented hurler, footballer, and handball player. He played for Castlebridge and was a substitute on Wexford’s 1910 All-Ireland-winning team. He wore his medals on a watch chain throughout his life, but after his death in 1971, they vanished.

On 15 February 2026, the medals were rediscovered by James Foley and his father while planting a hedge. Marie and her husband later recovered three more with a metal detector. In total, eight medals were found, including the 1910 First Division Hurling Championship and Wexford medals from 1916–1918.

The family is thrilled, seeing the discovery as a tangible link to Wexford’s rich sporting history.