Thomas Davis GAC Corrinshego History

Transcription

1 Thomas Davis GAC Corrinshego History

2 The Gaelic League & The Irish-Ireland Society in Newry The Newry Branch of the Gaelic League was founded on 19 th September 1897 by Rev. Fr. Hugh O Reilly, J.F. Small, T.B. Doyle and Dermot Foley. There were fewer than 50 branches of the organisation in existence throughout Ireland. The men who founded the Branch were joined a week later by local Unitarian Minister, Rev. S.C. Pinkerton, who was elected as Vice-President of Craobh an Iúir. By 1904 there were Branches in Ireland with a total membership of 50,000 people. Most members of the Society came from Ballyholland and Corrinshego and they shortly separated into two distinct groups. The chief Corrinshego figures included members of the Campbell, Courtney and Kinney families and they founded their own Thomas Davis Club. It was a friendly parting and the two groups came together annually for a great bonfire at the top of Courtenay Hill on Oíche na Féile Eoin. The Fronteir Senital Newspaper Article dated 22 June 1907 confims that Thomas Davis sinn fein Club, Corrinshego were a League on their own proposing to have history and irish language classes twice weekly. See extract from the Frontier Sential below: their hundreds. The first mention of the name Thomas Davis in association with Corrinshego was in The Gaelic League in Newry and district was at that time the dominant cultural organisation. The language movement in fact attracted members in A sister Branch of the Gaelic League was formed locally, the Irish-Ireland Society in Newry. The Society s first annual report described the group as democratic in the extreme and declared that they aspired to the establishment of an Irish Ireland, politically as well as intellectually free. Their rallying song was Sinn Féin Amháin. Their activities included Irish classes, lectures on Irish history, feiseanna, and long walks with picnics. They even had a football team up and running in their first term.

3 Camlough & District Junior Football League In 1930 a newly established league started, the Camlough & District Junior Football League. Corrinshego were one of the first to submit a team. They had some tough challenges throughout the year playing teams such as Camlough and Carrickbracken. The Frontier Senital Newspaper gave great reports of the matches taking place and the league itself. Corrinshego won the league that year and to celebrate their win they held a dance in Corrinshego Hall in August There was music and step dancing, a special thanks was passed to Mr Francis Courtney for the use of the hall. See Extracts from 1930 below:

4 1931 brought another year for Corrinshego and once again they submitted a team into the Camlough & District Junior Football League. An extract from the Camlough & District GAA League dated 1931 detailing registered players can be seen below:

5 This was not a good year for Corrinshego, even failing to travel to Camlough for one of their games, the Frontier Sential newspaper stated Corrinshego defeated for the first time in their history. Articles from the Fronteir Senital can be seen below:

6 It seems from records that Thomas Davis, Corrinshego were alive in GAA/Gaelic League from 1905 even attending County Board Meetings, an extract of the 1944 County Board Minutes can be seen below: In the early days of Thomas Davis GAC, the senior football team was dominated by a few families. The Quinn family fielded six players, including Peter Quinn who represented Armagh in the 1930s as a senior football player. Camogie was also very strong in the club during this era. Corrinshego was no different to other parts of rural Ireland and in the 1950s it was hit hard by emigration and the harsh realities of economic life. The football team duly folded but a vibrant social scene was kept alive. Corrinshego Hall was used for Table Tennis three days per week. Guestees was another major event where the women (WAGS) had one table each to fill with guests and prepare food for. Luckie Quinn s Band usually played. The football team was revived in the early 1980s and its proudest day came on Sunday, August 8, 1982, when Corrinshego defeated Clonmore with a scoreline of 2-9 to 1-6 in a sunny Ballymacnab to lift the Junior County Football Championship for the first time. Photo below of the winning Team:

7 Various Newspaper Articles and Photos:

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9 1992/3 GFC won the Green Cross Final the following year also Picture above: John Courtney,GSR, Chilly, Liam Fegan, Moo Cavanagh, Ant, John Miller, Mark Daly, Gerry, Jonny Hobden, Frank, Luke Phelan, Damien Bradley, Liam Bradley, Eamonn Fearon, Pup O Callagan, Damien McCullagh, Jack Courtney, Billy Havern, Anthony Fegan, Collie McStay, Anthony Miller & Collie Rogers.

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13 Present Day Ladies Football/bpeil na mban 2013 saw the start of Thomas Davis GAC s first ever Ladies Football Team. The history of Ladies Football goes back to the early 60 s. Gaelic was considered a man s game by many and a tough physical sport that seemed well beyond the capabilities of Ladies. Irish News Awards/Gradaim Nuacht na héireann In 2013 Thomas Davis GAC won the Irish News Club & Volunteer Award Small Club of the Year. This was a tremendous achievement for our Club and for all involved in the application. We shall hope to build on this award and maybe win further titles in the future. The players of today owe a great debt of gratitude to the trail blazers both on and off the field, who put down the solid foundation that has stood Ladies football in such a good stand over a quarter of a century has now seen an Under 14 Ladies Team and an Under 16 Ladies Team. Hopefully these ladies will build a solid foundation at Thomas Davis. The girls are training hard and are bonding as a Team. The future of Ladies Football at Thomas Davis is hopeful.

14 Under Age Football/Faoi Peile Aois Our underage football has been going from strength to strength each year. Below is a list of our underage achievements from 2001 to date Armagh U16 Division 3 Championship Winners Under 12 Ladies Patsy Trainer Memorial Cup Winners 2013 Armagh Under 16 Division 3 League Winners Armagh Under 16 Division 3 Shield Winners Armagh Under 14 Division 3 Shield Winners Under 10 O Hagan Shield Winners 2012 Armagh Under 16 Division 3 League Winners Armagh Under 14 Division 3 League Winners Armagh Under 14 Division 3 Shield Winners 2005 South Armagh Under 16 Division 2 Shield Winners 2004 South Armagh U14 Division 3 league winners 2003 South Armagh U14 Division 3 league winners South Armagh U12 Shield winners 2002 South Armagh U12 Division 3 league winners 2001 South Armagh U12 Divison 4 league winners 2011 Armagh Under 16 Division 3 Championship Winners Armagh Under 16 Division 3 League Winners Under 16 Leo Hughes Shield Tournament Winners Armagh Under 16, 7 a side Tournament Runners-up 2010 Armagh Under 12 Division 3 League Winners Armagh Under 14 Division 3 Shield Winners 2009 South Armagh Under 14 Division 2 League Winners South Armagh Under 14 Division 2 Championship Winners 2008 South Armagh Under 12 Division 2 League Winners South Armagh Under 12 Division 2 Championship Winners South Armagh Under 14 Division 2 League Winners 2007 U12 O Grady Cup Tournament Winners South Armagh Under 12 Division 2 Shield Winners

15 Senior Football/Peil Sinsearach Gerald O Reilly became the Senior Manager in 2013 and with great commitment and dedication from the Team and Management managed to achieve league promotion. The Senior Team went on to win the Armagh Senior Division 3B League and also entered the Brian McKeown Cup Tournament and came home with silver wear.

16 Ulster GAA President s Awards 2014 Winners The annual Ulster GAA President s Awards took place in the Hilton Hotel Templepatrick on Saturday 8th November This awards ceremony recognises the Players, Administrators, Coaches, Officials, Referees, and Team Managements for the significant contribution they make to the GAA. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of the GAA and are the very heartbeat of our communities. The Ulster GAA President s Awards are a way of highlighting the achievements of special and significant contributors to the Association in Ulster. At the 2014 ceremony, they highlighted excellence in the attainment of Club Maith by clubs with 10 winners across the categories of Governance, Duty of Care, Community Enhancement, Culture & Heritage, Coaching & Games, and 1 overall Provincial winner. Thomas Davis GAC won the Ulster Club Maith Award Culture & Heritage. Our Chairman Anthony Havern, Games and Development Officer Gerry O Reilly and Development Officer Gerry O Reilly Senior were there on the night to collect our Award. This is another great achievement for our Club and all involved should be very proud. Some photos of the event shown here.

17 Field Development/ Forbairt réimse an Thomas Davis GAC have undertook the development of a Community Sports Campus based at Doran s Hill, Newry. The site is approximately 14 acres in size and is strategically located just off the A1 Motorway between Dublin & Belfast. Working in partnership with Newry & Mourne District Council and the Department of Regional Development, Thomas Davis GAC were able to purchase the site and now are in the process of fully developing the site with many phases of development planned. The First phase is a Full size sand based grass Gaelic Field which began June The Gaelic field will be fully complete with a Perimeter wall & fence, Ballstops, Team dugout areas & a raised viewing area for spectators. All funding for the development of this field has all been raised by club members through various fundraising schemes. The second phase is a Community Pavilion which will be fitted with 6 changing rooms to accommodate both male and female teams with changing and shower facilities all located on the lower floor of the building. The second and third floors will accommodate community rooms and a community gym. Funding for this phase is currently with DSD & SIF. Further phases are planned which include a second playing pitch & a handball / hurling wall. Thomas Davis GAC have also offered a portion of the land on the upper part of the site to the local Irish Language primary school Bunscoil an Iúir to relocate to the site. This offer is currently well advanced with the proposal receiving the full support of the Schools Board of Governors who are now currently working with the Department of Education on this proposal.

18 Our Field of Dreams will start here!!!!