A brief history of Kiltubrid GFC

Our club was founded on Sunday, April 21st 1889 and christened 'Kiltubrid Michael Davitt's'.  On that day approximately 80 men who attended the meeting began practising in Tom Beirne's rock field at Annadale.  As there was no championship played in 1889, each club organised tournaments & Kiltubrid held its first tournament on August 11th 1889 on the 'lawn' at Letterfine House.  With now over 100 players there was great interest in the club.

In the autumn of '89 there was an attempt to start a second club in the parish  - 'Keshcarrigan Sullivans'.  The GAA did not agree and persuaded the various delegates to join and form one club, which was called "Kiltubrid William Redmonds".  There was disagreement between former members because it was not representative of the whole parish.  During March 1890 Davitt club reaffiliated again, therefore there were now two clubs - 'Michael Davitts' & 'Keshcarrigan Sullivans', both competing in the first ever County Championship final.    For the next couple of years both clubs had mixed fortunes.  Due to events outside the parish & the county GAA activities came to a halt in 1892.

From then till 1904 there was little or no GAA activity.   In that year, a club called 'Kiltubrid United Gaels' was formed, which united the whole parish.  This club practised on McDermott's rock in Kilclare Mór and held its tournament matches in 'Laheen Park'.  From then until the 1960's this field was used for football games.  However, due to immigration and other reasons this club seems to have ceased its activities by 1911.

During 1918 'Aughaslane Young Ireland's' GAA club formed.   It's players included sons of former members of the original 'Michael Davitt' club.  Fundswere raised by having open air dances at Aughaslane Bridge.  Their jerseys were white with a green sash and a gold shamrock crest.  Training took place in Driney or in whatever field a group of players happened to occupy.  Of all the teams formed so far in the parish, this one seemed to be the strongest and most skilful. In 1919 this team was the first ever team to win the Junior Championship however, because of troubles in our own county and world-wide at that time, the County Championship was not played until April 1920. The political situation in the country continued to impinge on GAA activities so the 'Aughaslane Young Ireland' club had to cease.

In 1924, after the war of Independence and the Civil War, the 'Young Ireland' club was re-formed and it continued as a Junior club until 1928. By this time there were two teams in the parish – ‘Aughaslane’ and ‘Kilclare’.  In 1929 'Aughaslane' Club disbanded and a new Kiltubrid club was formed. Now we had Kiltubrid and Kilclare clubs in the parish. To raise funds dances were held in Rutledge's garage, beside the bridge in Kesh. The jerseys worn by this club were blue with a gold hoop. The team practised in 'Donnelly's' yard in Kesh. This Kiltubrid Junior team reached the semi-final and their opponents were none other than Kilclare whom they defeated 1-0. They met Carrigallen in the final and defeated them by a narrow margin.   So for the second time in their history Kiltubrid won a Junior County Championship.

From 1930-38 Kiltubrid fielded a senior team but no honours came their way. The team now practised in Tom Doyle's field - where the new school now stands and played their games in Laheen.  During 1938-40, Kiltubrid fielded a junior team called 'Sean McDermott's' which was usually referred to as 'Cornabrone'. This team played it's home games in Rossy.  Meanwhile, at the other end of the parish, Funshinagh fielded a team. They were not a very successful team, but then it was difficult to be successful in those years when there were so many good teams in the county. They played their home games behind Matty Bohan's house in the townland of Breandrum.

In  1943 Kiltubrid decided to get new jerseys. Kevin McDonnell, a Mayo man and an excellent footballer, who taught in Keshcarrigan Vocational School, suggested to the club that they get the green and red colours of Mayo. This they did and we continue to wear these colours to this day.  By 1945 interest in the club was waning and by 1946 the parish had no GAA club. During 1948 the GAA club re-formed in the parish and affiliated a junior and minor team, this club disbanded in 1950, reformed in 1951 and once more disbanded in late '52.

During this time another Vocational School teacher, Christy Gallogly, trained the school football team and also trained the minor parish team from 1952-'55.  In 1955 a new GAA club was started and a junior team was affiliated but by 1956, like most of the previous ones, this club too fell by the wayside.

In 1965 it was decided to enter a team for the Junior League & Championship.  This team too lasted only 2 years but they had limited success during '65 and '66.  By 1967 Kiltubrid had no junior team but it did have an U-16 team which reached the county final.  The final was not played until Easter '68. Anselm Reynolds - a teacher in Keshcarrigan National School, trained the Kiltubrid team and their opponents were Dromahaire. Kiltubrid won that game by 1-7 to 1-6 and after a gap of 38 years a Kiltubrid team had finally won another championship.  They were lucky again during the '68 championship and defeated Manorhamilton in the final of that year.   As there was no GAA club in the parish during these years there was no opportunity for these young players to continue playing past juvenile level.  Immigration too was taking its toll on the players. Neighbouring parishes were suffering the same fate.   A few Kiltubrid players joined ranks with Fenagh.

In 1972 they won the Junior League and the following year they won the league and Championship. Their success continued in ’74 when that Fenagh team won the Intermediate Championship.  In that year also, Fenagh and Carrick-on-Shannon, two Intermediate clubs, amalgamated to form a team called 'Sheemore Gaels' which entered the Senior Championship.  They reached the final and defeated Mohill by 1-10 to 0-8.  There were five Kiltubrid players on that winning team with two more amongst the substitutes and the team wore the Kiltubrid colours.  In 1972 and 1973 Kiltubrid is credited with having won Minor Championship but in truth the majority of the players were from Fenagh parish.

By this time the people of Kiltubrid were once again ready to form their own GAA club and to this end a meeting was held on 30^th Jan 1978. The club, which was reformed on that day, still continues to flourish. A team was affiliated for the Junior League and Championship in ’78 and the management secured the use of John McGourty’s field in Rossy for training and for playing their home matches.  By the end of the first year in existence the club could look back with satisfaction, not that they had achieved very much on the field of play, but, that they had built a solid foundation and had taken the important decision to buy and develop their own GAA grounds. The GAA was firmly rooted in the parish once more.

Kiltubrid reached the semi-final of the Junior Championship in 1978, 1979 and 1980 but failed to get any further. However things were to change in 1981 when again Kiltubrid reached the semi-final stage. The game, which was against Aughavas, was played in Ballinamore. It was an exciting high-scoring game, with Aughavas gaining the upper hand in the final quarter. But the excitement proved too much for Pappie Moran, one of Kiltubrid’s most loyal supporters: he collapsed and died. The replay against Aughavas two weeks later was a draw and in the second replay Kiltubrid won convincingly by 2-7 to 1-4. Kiltubrid’s opponent in the league final was Carrigallen who were the Junior Champions of that year.  Kiltubrid dominated most of the game but were only three points ahead with a few minutes remaining when Carrigallen scored a goal.   The game ended in great excitement and the replay was fixed for 14^th December.  The replay was a much different affair.  Kiltubrid completely dominated the game, scoring 2-9 to Carrigallen’s one score, a goal from the penalty spot in the first half. The long awaited breakthrough had come.  In 1981, Kiltubrid had won a Junior competition for the first time since 1929 and they remained unbeaten in all their league and championship games for the next twelve months.

Kiltubrid had ended 1980 on a high note having won the Junior league.  And with Padraig Griffin as coach they set their sights on the Junior Championship in 1981.  They defeated Bornacoola and Eslin in the early rounds and qualified to meet Drumkeerin in the championship final.  Kiltubrid were in a confident and determined mood and, despite a shaky patch in the second half, they won 1-10 to 1-6.  Joseph McGirl scored eight of Kiltubrid's points and Seamus Tighe, his midfield partner, played a captain's part and scored the all-important goal just before half-time.  This was an important victory for the club and it ensured that Kiltubrid would be competing in senior football competitions for the first time since 1938. 

1984  - regraded to Junior A (Intermediate) - Kiltubrid Park opened on 1st July