Clonakenny GAA Club

Clonakenny GAA Club

The history of Clonakenny G.A.A. dates back to about 1905 when Paddy Costigan succeeded in getting the use of a field at Gurteen from Jimmy Lloyd for playing on. Fr Crowe who was the Parish Priest at the time and a number of others formed the first club in Clonakenny. Simon Egan was the first Chairman and Jim Sheedy was Secretary. Incidentally, Simon Egan is reported to have made the first hurling ball for the Club.

The Club had a senior team and played in the North division. At that time teams were 17 aside. Another feature of the first Clonakenny team was that they wore a green jersey with a white hoop and it much later before they wore the familiar Black and Amber. About 1910 politics interfered in the smooth running of the club and a split developed which lasted a few years. However the failure of Clonakenny to field a team of its own resulted in players being allowed to play for Moneygall and in 1915/16/17 this Moneygall team got to three North finals. Clonakenny players also played with Clonmore in those years.

County and Mid Intermediate Hurling Champions 1967

For the first time in the Clubs history Clonakenny captured a county hurling title beating a Kilsheelan side 8-6 to 2-2 in 1967.

Back ( L . R. ): Fr Tom Bourke, Tom Hennessy, Willie Smith, Ned Stapleton, John Costigan, Paddy Tierney, Dan Smith, Liam Maher, Rev J. Kennedy P.P(R.I.P.).

Second Row: Ml Smith, Willie Crampton, Jim Tracey, Paddy Crampton (Capt), Christy O'Rourke, Ml. Murray, Ollie Crampton, Frank Smith.

Front: Ml Maher, Martin Murray, Stephen Moylan (RIP), and Paddy Cody.

Players on the 1967 team who have worn the County colours include:

John Costigan: Played minor, intermediate and senior for the county.

Willie Smith: Played Senior, minor and is holder of an U-21 All-Ireland medal. Won two Fitzgibbon Cup medals with UCD.

Paddy Crampton: Won Minor and Intermediate All-Ireland with Tipperary.

Frank Smith: Played Intermediate hurling, junior football and minor football for the county.

Jim Tracy: Played intermediate hurling for Tipperary.

Liam Maher: Scored 17 goals and 11 points for Clonakenny in their 6 Championship outings in 1967 operating at full forward. Played intermediate hurling for Tipperary.

Mick Smith: Current Minister for Defense. Played intermediate hurling and minor football for Tipperary.

Dan Smith: Played minor football for Tipperary.

Junior Football CO. Champions 1966

Back Row. (L. - R. ): Willie Smith, J. Costigan, N. Stapleton, P. Crampton, P. Tierney, S. Moten (rip), D. Smith, M. Smith,

Middle; J. Tracy, T. Hennessy, M. Murray, F. Smith, T. Sheedy, L. Maher.

Front: D. Treacy, P Cody, M. Murray.

Development of Clonakenny GAA Club Facilities

In 1981 it was decided to undertake the purchase off a new playing field both as an investment in the youth of the parish and as a resource for the whole community. For several years Clonakenny teams had trained in "Fr. Kennedy’s" as it was known – it was in fact a parochial field located two fields down from the parochial house in Lismacken. Support for that decision was received from Tom Kirby and Paddy Maher who were Co. Board appointed Development Officers and their advice proved invaluable to the Club Officers. The Club did its own property in Gurteen – a field which had been secured from the Land Commission at the turn of the century. This field would have required too much investment to develop but it proved a valuable asset for the Club and provided the incentive for the officers to recommend the major undertaking of purchasing and developing a pitch.

The search began for a suitable field, eventually a 6 acre field was purchased in 1981 from Nicholas Cody in the townland of Corriga.. The opening of the new pitch was performed by the then President of the GAA, Mr. Paddy Buggy, on Sept. 16^th 1984. Fr. Joe O’Brien P.P. blessed the new pitch prior to a juvenile game between Clonakenny and Killavilla. A junior game followed between the local team and our neighbours and great rivals all through the 80’s – Killea for a trophy presented by Oliver Crampton. Clonakenny won a most entertaining game to complete a wonderful occasion for the Club.

In February 1990 it was decided to add Dressing rooms. The Club now have excellent facilities for all players and indeed other organisations such as Foroige and Community Games have availed of the facilities for their respective members.

Back row (l .to r.): James Mullally, Brendan Murray, Eoin Houlihan, Donnacha Murray, Martin Joe Murray, John Nolan, Gearoid Byrne (Captain), Walter Byrne, Derek Ryan, Joe Shelly.

Front row: Thomas Carroll, William Moloughney, Michael Costigan, Liam Costigan, Niall Matthews, Andrew Crampton, David Crampton, Damien Coonan, Alan Abbott, Gerald Smith, Mark Ryan.

History excerpts from the book entitled " Clonakenny GAA 1905 - 1993 " compiled by Peter Byrne.