Teams 18 Captain Jim English Captain Mickey Byrne | Winners Wexford (1st win) Runners-up Tipperary | |
Dates 16 October 1955 – 6 May 1956 | ||
The 1955–56 National Hurling League was the 25th season of the NHL, an annual hurling competition for the GAA county teams. Wexford won their first league title, while Antrim won the first-ever NHL Division 2.
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Division 1
The National Hurling League's top division featured ten teams divided into two groups - 1A and 1B. The first group featured Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Cork and Kilkenny. The second group featured Tipperary, Galway, Limerick, Clare and Westmeath. Wexford finished top of group 1A and were crowned champions after defeating group 1B table-toppers Tipperary in the final.
Down at the other end of the tables, Kilkenny who finished bottom of group 1A and Limerick who finished bottom of group 1B, were paired against each other in the relegation play-off. Kilkenny won that game, thus condemning Limerick to division 2 for the following year.
Division 2
In a new departure the Gaelic Athletic Association introduced a second division for the 'second tier' hurling teams. Division 2 featured eight teams divided into two groups - 2A and 2B. The first group featured Down, Meath, Antrim and Wicklow. The second group featured Offaly, Roscommon, Kerry and Laois. Antrim finished top of group 2A and were crowned champions after defeating group 2B winners Kerry in the final. Antrim thus won promotion to division one for the following year.