John  Joe  Rice  [Kenmare]

The Dr’ Crokes had a hurling team under its own banner in the 1920s, when John Joe Rice joined the club and at the 1928 A.G.M. was appointed to the hurling committee. He was also on the clubs athletic committee that organized the All Ireland track and field events in Killarney on August 30^th 1931.

        John  Joe played and fostered hurling within the club, and throughout East Kerry, and in 1932 the Dr’ Crokes presented him with a gold watch in recognition of his commitment and dedication to the hurling side of the club.                                      

       He was also chairman of the first East Kerry Hurling Board formed in 1933, and in holding this position he followed the path of another former great Crokes footballer, Humphrey Murphy, who had held the post of Vice Chairman of the first East Kerry Board formed in 1925.

       During those troubled years in Kerry, Humphrey Murphy had been the O. C. of the Kerry No 1 Brigade and John Joe had been O.C. of the Kerry No 2 Brigade, and was elected Sinn Fein T. D. for South Kerry in later years.