and the eldest, Sir Hercules Ralph Hume Langrishe (Heck, 1927-1998), succeeded him as the 7th Baronet in 1973. He had attended Eton before joining the Army and marrying Lady Grania Wingfield, daughter of The 9th Viscount Powerscourt. They had four children, including one son who succeeded him in 1998 - Sir James Hercules Langrishe, the 8th Baronet (1957-). The 9th Baronet heir apparent is the present holder’s son, Richard James Hercules Langrishe (1988-). Achievements Sporting It has a soccer club - Southend United. Its hurling club is Ballyhale Shamrocks. Knocktopher GAA Hurling Club amalgamated with Ballyhale Shamrocks and Knockmoylan GAA Clubs in 1972. The late Fr Anthony Heaslip, brother of Knocktopher man, Denis Heaslip, was credited with being central to the founding of Ballyhale Shamrocks. Since 1981 to date they have since won a national record number of 8 All Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championships. Three Knocktopher-born hurlers have won Senior Hurling All Ireland medals with Kilkenny - Frank Cummins won in 1967 (non-playing sub), 1969, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1982, 1983, Denis Heaslip won in 1957, 1963 and Sean O' (John) Farrell won in 1933 (non-playing sub) who played club hurling for Carrickshock GAA at that time - a club founded in 1928 when the teams from Hugginstown and Knockmoylan were amalgamated to commemorate the Battle of Carrickshock, 1831. Sporting achievements are not new to Knocktopher. According to Art Kavanagh's book, Mary Langrishe, sister of Sir Hercules Robert Langrishe’s 1859-1943) and the 5th Baronet, was the Irish Lawn Tennis Ladies Champion on three occasions during the 1880s. And Knocktopher Footballers won the Kilkenny Senior Football Championship four times - 1901, 1908, 1910 and 1911. In their booklet to celebrate the Ballyhale C.D.S. (1895-1995) Cooperative Creamery anniversary, they carry a photo of the Knocktopher football 1908-1910 squad and note too that Knocktopher were the backbone of the County Kilkenny football team of 1911, the year they won the Leinster Senior Football Championship, beating Kildare. They were beaten in the All-Ireland Football Semi-final by Antrim that year, a feat never since surpassed by Kilkenny footballers. One of their best-known footballers of that time was Patrick J. Power, who was Manager of Ballyhale Creamery (1909-1920), and also represented Knocktopher in the Kilkenny team of 1911. Other The Treacy Clan record that Knocktopher had a well-known Cricket Team in 1884, among the best-known players being batsman, W. Power, and bowler, D. Treacy; that