Jimmy Kirkwoodis a former field hockey player from Northern Ireland who represented both Ireland and Great Britain at international level. He represented Great Britain at the 1988 Summer Olympics when they won the gold medal. He also represented Ireland at the 1990 Men's Hockey World Cup. Kirkwood was also an Ireland cricket international.
Field hockey
At senior club level, Kirkwood played for Queen's University, Belfast YMCA and Lisnagarvey. During his club career he won ten Irish Senior Cup winners medals. He won his first with Queen's in 1981 and his second with Belfast YMCA in 1985. Then between 1987–88 and 1993–94 he was an ever-present in the Lisnagarvey team that won the cup for seven successive seasons. He won his tenth medal when Lisnagarvey won the cup in 1996–97.
International
Kirkwood was a member of the Ireland team that were silver medallists at the 1978 EuroHockey Junior Championship. Other members of the team included Martin Sloan, Billy McConnell and Stephen Martin. He made his senior debut for Ireland at the age of 18 in 1981. He subsequently represented Ireland at the 1987, 1991 and 1995 Men's EuroHockey Nations Championships. He also represented Ireland at the 1990 Men's Hockey World Cup. During the latter tournament, during a match against Canada, Kirkwood sustained a horrific injury when he felt the full force of an opponent's stick in his face. He was taken to hospital and missed the rest of the tournament. In 2014 Kirkwood was inducted into the Irish Hockey Association Hall of Fame.
Kirkwood made his debut for Great Britain at the 1987 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy tournament. He subsequently represented Great Britain at the 1988 Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal.
