GAA
GAAThe first hint we get that some Gaels in Clonakilty were seriously thinking
of introducing the G.A.A. to the town comes in January, 1887. On Sunday,
January 31, Dunmanway G.A.A. club (the only affiliated club in West Cork at that
time) held its weekly meeting and the chairman J. McCarthy announced that, "There
was a sign that some other towns were stirring themselves, as shown by the fact
that three Clonakilty gentlemen had that day attended their football practice,
with a view of starting a branch in their own town. "Well, the three
gentlemen were either highly disillusioned by what they saw, or got lost on the
way home, because nothing whatsoever came of the visit.
Local tradition has
always held that it was John Sisk, the Cork building contractor, who introduced
football to the town when he came with his workmen to build the Catholic church
in the 1870's. Stories are told of matches between the local men and Sisk's
workmen. Research shows that belief to be partly true. It was indeed John Sisk
who introduced Gaelic football to the town but at the much later date of 1887.
The type of football played in the '70s was a rough and ready type of soccer
which bore little relation to Gaelic football. When Sisk left town in the early
'80s this football was quickly forgotten about.
John Sisk was back working
in Clonakilty in 1887 and by this time he had become a convert to Gaelic
football under the new G.A.A. rules.
First reference to G.A.A. in Clonakilty:
Sisk immediately set
about organising this game among the locals. In the "County Eagle" of
December 3rd, 1887, the following item appears, "CLONAKILTY GAELIC ATHLETIC
ASSOCIATION - On Sunday a large number of the members of the above
association, comprising some of the best athletes in the district, assembled for
the first time for practice, in a field of Mr. Deasy's, kindly given for the
purpose, and played several games of football in excellent form. The sport was
witnessed by a large number of spectators, among whom were veterans. The
association promises to be a great success in this town and district. It is
expected that there is not a spirited, plucky young fellow but will join."
This
is the very first reference that research unearthed concerning the G.A.A. in
Clonakilty. There can be little doubt from examining it closely that the
association was just new to the town.
Date of formation of club?
A special convention of the Cork
County Board was held on 27th December in the Mechanics Hall, Grattan Street,
Cork, with over 50 of the 78 affiliated clubs present. Only clubs affiliated
before 1st November were allowed to send delegates to the convention. The "Examiner"
of the following day carried a full list of the clubs present and there in their
midst was "CLONAKILTY - (EUGENE DAVIS BRANCH) - JOHN W. BARRY AND GEOFFREY
WYCHERLEY". So the Clonakilty Club had been affiliated to the County Board
before 1st November.
With the first practice session being held on 27th
November and the club being affiliated before 1st November we can fairly
confidently say that the original meeting to set up the club was held in the
month of October. Unfortunately no report could be found anywhere of that first
meeting.
John Sisk's Influence:
The 'Cork Examiner' of December 14
(Wednesday), 1887, includes the following article, "CLONAKILTY GAELIC
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION - The members of the above association had their weekly
practice on Sunday in a field of Mr. Holland's, Cloheen, kindly given for the
purpose. There was a numerous attendance, over sixty five strapping fellows,
who played several games in excellent form. Every day members are being
enrolled. It promises to be one of the most flourishing branches in the South
of Ireland, Mr. John Sisk contractor, Cork, had kindly given gratis the poles
and other fittings required for the game. He is also most active and energetic
in promoting and forwarding this manly sport, which is so well calculated to
develop the sinews and muscles of the young men. Several of the owners of
fields have offered the use of their fields for the practices and matches.
Arrangements are being made for a match with Skibbereen, to be played in
Clonakilty during the holidays.
Hurling, a game nearly as old as time itself, was popular in all areas for
centuries but the rules and style varied from place to place. Sometimes the
parish-to-parish game was played especially in winter when fields were bare. In
summer the game was confined to a field when a picked number represented each
parish. The game lasted until one side scored a goal which could be anything
from ten minutes to all day. There can be little doubt that this type of
hurling was prevalent in the Clonakilty area because it was still being played
here after the famine when it had vanished in many other areas. It was also the
custom for landlords to keep hurling teams on their estates to play against
other estates. Large sums of money were bet on these games.
In 1858 local
historian John Windele on one of his journeys met a huge crowd returning from "
a great goal" which had just been played in Ballinascarthy. The "negotiations
for this important event had been going on for the preceding month".
Involved were the townlands of Clogagh and Desert with "sixteen chosen men
at each side. The game occupied but fifteen minutes with victory going to the
men of Clogagh".
The great sportswriter P.D. Mehigan of Ardfield ("Carbery")
said that many parish-to-parish matches were held in the Clonakilty area before
the arrival of the G.A.A. He, himself, as a child watched some of them but "The
Rules", as the G.A.A. was first called, ended the old form of "fence
to fence".
The game of football, of much later vintage than hurling, probably 17th
century, does not seem to have had the same popularity in most areas. This was
probably because there were practically no rules attached. At times the game
resembled a battle-field rather than a football match, as hundreds literally
fought for the 'honour of the little village'. "Caid" was the name of
the game played in South Munster, a name still used for football in the
Gaeltacht areas of Cork and Kerry.
The game might start on Sunday after Mass
at a central point between two parishes or villages and the team which got the
ball home first won the game, usually lasting all day. The fastest runners were
heroes in these games which bore little resemblance to the G.A.A. game. It is
to the credit of the early G.A.A. legislators that they managed to fashion a
presentable game of 'Gaelic' football from all the chaos. Although Rosscarbery
was famous for its footballers even in pre-G.A.A. days there seems to have been
very little football played in the Clonakilty area.
Extracts from Clonakilty G.A.A. 1887 - 1987 Publication by Tom Lyons
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