Chapter of St. John's, Kilkenny. The new Canon, 21 years in Seir Kieran, was left speechless. Two years later, On 21 April 1991, Fr. Seán died suddenly and unexpectedly. The first president of the Seir Kieran GAA Club, the Canon had been born in Portlaoise in 1917 and ordained on 8 June 1941. Initially posted to the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle (England), he returned home at Christmas 1945 and became curate then Administrator of St John's Parish, Kilkenny. Transferred to Seir Kieran as Administrator in 1968, he was made Parish Priest in 1982. As the first incumbent PP to die in Seir Kieran since the 1830s, he was interred on Bell Hill beside the church. Dr. Forrestal led the Requiem Mass, and termed the grief of the parishioners "a genuine expression of love and respect for a parish priest who was loyal to them and had served with them to the end." Five years of frustration, 1989 to 1993 The County Finals of 1989 and 1991 Seir Kieran retained their Senior Hurling League title in 1989, beating Lusmagh on 14 May by 3-13 to 1-10. Since the inception of the SHL, the winners had always gone on to win the championship as well. However, this was not the way it turned out in 1989, and it was Lusmagh who would emerge on top in October. The Clareen side started the championship with wins over Kinnitty (28 May), and Kilcormac/Killoughey (17 September, by a two-point margin), which was enough to qualify for the Semi-finals – and to make the last match in the group stages just a formality. This third-round game took place against St Rynagh's on 24 September. Two goals from Pat Mahon and 0-7 from Johnny Dooley meant that Seir Kieran led for most of the way, until Declan Fogarty's last-minute goal swung it (St Rynagh's 3-9, Seir Kieran 3-8). In the Semi-final against Birr, Seir Kieran contained Birr dangerman Ray Landy reasonably well, until Landy scored the townsmen's only goal two minutes from time (Seir Kieran 3-10, Birr 1-9). In the Final on 22 October 1989, an exciting game of great intensity teetered first one way and then another. Lusmagh scored 0-6 from play in the last 20 minutes, to cut the defending champions' lead to two points. In the last minute of play, John Kelly scored a goal for the Reds. Pat Horan blew the long