Semaco "Zak" Moradi (born 16 January 1991) is a Kurdish, Irish hurler who plays as a left corner-forward for the Leitrim senior team.[1]

Zemnako Zak Moradi
Personal information
Irish name Zachairí Moradi
Sport Hurling
Position Left corner-forward
Born Semaco Moradi
(1991-01-16) 16 January 1991 (age 33)
Ramadi, Iraq
Nickname Zak
Occupation Pharmaceutical employee
Club(s)
Years Club
St. Mary's GAA Thomas Davis GAA
Club titles
Dublin titles 0
Colleges(s)
Years College
Institute of Technology, Tallaght
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
2010-present
Leitrim
Inter-county titles
All-Irelands 1
NHL 0
All Stars 1

Born in Ramadi, Iraq, Moradi and his family relocated to Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland in 2002. He first played competitive hurling at juvenile and underage levels with the St. Mary's Kiltoghert club. After moving to Dublin, Moradi joined the Thomas Davis club.

Moradi made his debut on the inter-county scene when he joined the Leitrim senior team in 2010. Since then he has become a regular member of the starting fifteen. In 2016 Moradi was included on the Lory Meagher Cup Champions 15.

In June 2019, Moradi was part of the Leitrim team that won the 2019 Lory Meagher Cup after a 2–23 to 2–22 win against Lancashire at Croke Park.[2][3]

His memoir Life Begins in Leitrim, written with Niall Kelly, was published in 2022.[4]

Honours edit

Leitrim
Lory Meagher Cup (1)
2019

References edit

  1. ^ "'You couldn't open your mouth about Saddam Hussein. He was the God in Iraq'". The 42. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  2. ^ "'It's been a long journey' - From war-torn Iraq to All-Ireland glory with Leitrim hurlers". The 42. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  3. ^ "From Iraq to Croker joy: Refugee turned hurler Zak wins All-Ireland title". Irish Independent. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  4. ^ Doyle, Martin (20 October 2022). "Books newsletter: Circling the Square; Leaves Festival; Leland Bardwell centenary; TS Eliot shortlist". Irish Times. Retrieved 28 October 2022.