| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Nollaig Ó hÍcí | ||
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Full-back | ||
| Born |
22 December 1980 Dunnamaggin, County Kilkenny, Ireland |
||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Occupation | Farmer | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
| 1996–present | Dunnamaggin | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Kilkenny titles | 1 | ||
| Inter-county(ies)* | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
| 2000–2013 | Kilkenny | 47 (0-00) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Leinster titles | 9 | ||
| All-Irelands | 9 | ||
| NHL | 4 | ||
| All Stars | 3 | ||
| *Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 19:55, 1 October 2012. | |||
Noel Hickey (born 22 December 1980) is an Irish hurler who played as a full-back for the Kilkenny senior team.
Born in Danganmore near Dunnamaggin, County Kilkenny, Hickey first played competitive hurling whilst at school in Coláiste Éamann Rís. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of sixteen when he first linked up with the Kilkenny minor team, before later lining out with the under-21 side. He made his senior debut in the 2000 championship. Hickey went on to play a key part for Kilkenny in what has come to be known as the greatest team of all-time, and has won nine All-Ireland medals – eight of which were won on the field of play – nine Leinster medals and four National League medals. His brother, Tom Hickey, was a two-time All-Ireland runner-up with Kilkenny.
Hickey represented the Leinster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions in the early part of his career, winning back-to-back Inter-provincial medals in 2002 and 2003. At club level he won one championship medal with Dunnamaggin.
Cited by many of his hurling peers as one of the best full-backs of his generation, Hickey won three All-Star awards while he also won the All-Star Young Hurler of the Year award in his debut season.
Hickey has made 47 championship appearances for Kilkenny, more than any other full-back in the county's history. He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on 12 January 2013.