Then & Now! Why GAA club history is such a treasure - Tom Aherne

I WELCOME the addition of another GAA club history to the bookshelves of West Limerick and beyond.

Of the 20 plus clubs in the division only 6 to date have published their club history. The first club in Centenary Year 1984 was Tournafulla, followed by Feenagh/Kilmeedy. In the 1990s Feohanagh/Castlemahon, and Killeedy, published theirs and recently Granagh/Ballingarry, and Askeaton/Ballysteen, and now a seventh with Knockaderry/Clouncagh. Its publication should inspire other clubs in Limerick to do likewise and honour their own past and present achievements.

'Why a club history?' readers may ask. Well, the GAA is a community organisation which encourages togetherness and unity. The basic objective of any club is to promote in every way possible our national games of hurling, football, handball, rounders, camogie, ladies’ football, schools and Scór. At parish and club level our games give us a pride of being members of a particular parish, because of the exploits of our players and teams. The GAA club within most parishes is the focal point of activity and this was very evident since Covid and when the invasion of Ukraine struck, with members of clubs leading the way in supporting others in their community.

The history of the Gaelic Athletic Association in Knockaderry and Clouncagh, edited by Sean Liston, was launched in front of a large attendance in Knockaderry Resource Centre on Sunday, December 11. The hardback 564-page history covers in detail the Knockaderry GAA Club, Knockaderry Camogie Club, Scoil Mhuire Ahalin N.S. and community events. The front cover photograph by Sportsfile shows club player Tom Condon of Limerick catching the sliothar in the final moments of the 2018 All-Ireland senior hurling final. The back cover features three photographs of teams from Scoil Mhuire National School, Knockaderry Camogie Club and an action photograph from the 1967 West Junior hurling final between Knockaderry and Granagh. This photograph by former West Board officer Michael Mc Inerney shows Jim Begley fielding a high ball over several players.

The present parish covers the older parishes of Grange, Clonelty and Clouncagh. After the Penal Law period in the 18th century the new parish was named Knockaderry-Clouncagh after the two largest areas of population where Mass -houses existed. In time St Munchin's Church in Knockaderry and St Mary's Church in Clouncagh came into being. The green and white book covers Gaelic games from 1887 up to the present with lovely old black and white and colour photographs. The History Book committee under chairperson John Sheehy received great praise for the work they did in supporting Sean over the years in bringing the project to completion.

Sean, a noted historian, archivist, and community man, is a native of Banogue, and he now resides in Lisiniska, Knockaderry with Rose and family. He has spent many years farming, and he has edited and contributed articles to several local historical journals. He has a great interest in local history and has edited 20 editions of the Knockaderry/Clouncagh Journal. From Hedge School to Scoil Mhuire, Ahalin, Knockaderry 2007. Sean edited Banogue Remembers, jointly with Maureen Scanlan in 2009, a collection of reminiscences and historical essays which tell the story about his own parish. Finally, From Fair to Mart, The Story of Golden Vale Marts, Kilmallock 2017.

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Sean was the first Chairman of West Limerick Resources, which continue to provide a wonderful support to people from within their catchment area. He has also given talks to historical societies, and on local radio programmes. He has contributed articles to many publications including Journal of the Newcastle West Historical Society, Mahoonagh Parish Journal, Journal of the West Limerick Heritage Network, Limerick GAA Yearbook. As part of an archival training programme, he prepared a catalogue of the papers of the late Mayor of Limerick, Frances Condell, in the Glucksman Library of the University of Limerick. Sean has also catalogued records of Limerick Harbour Commissioners and Foynes Harbour Trustees for the Shannon Foynes Port Company.

The Knockaderry/Clouncagh GAA club has enjoyed success at underage and senior level, and at primary school's competition. They have supplied referees and also seen people from the club elected to the West and County Boards, likewise the Knockaderry Camogie club. The contributions of so many people from the community are recalled within the covers, and rightly so. I enjoyed glancing over the pages for this article, but it will take people a long winter to read and retain all the treasure trove of past memories. During my time as PRO of the West Limerick GAA Board I had the pleasure of attending many of the clubs matches during the 1990s. I got to know the people associated with the various teams, who were always informative and helpful, and I was delighted to report their successes.

My own club Saint Kieran's and neighbouring Knockaderry have been rivals on the playing fields and good friends off it over the years. Players have interchanged clubs and have combined in teams as well at underage grades. At present Carrigkerry native Cormac Behan is a teacher in Ahalin N.S. and involved with their successful school teams. Sean (Foxy) O'Connor and Con Crowley played with Knockaderry hurlers in the 1940s and early 1950s.

One of my earliest GAA memories is of the St Ciaran's team that reached the County Limerick senior hurling final in 1965. It was a combination team of players from Ardagh, Knockaderry and Rathkeale. The team enjoyed a great run but lost to Patrickswell in the county final. The Ardagh players included Jack Enright, Tom Mackessy, John Egan, Mike Sweeney, Mike Shiels, Sean Mc Carthy, Noel Wilmott, and Johnny Doolan. A member of the team Jim Begley later played football with Kilcolman teams following his exploits with Knockaderry hurlers.

The new National School at Ahalin which opened in 1963 continues the role of the previous schools in supplying players to the GAA and Camogie club teams. Its progress is presented over 45 pages. The history of the Knockaderry Camogie club is well presented over 60 pages of text and photos. The story of the playing field is well documented, as are lists of club officers, teams’ progress in the various competitions and club honours won. The major community events are covered yearly throughout the book.

The 564-page book I believe can be got from members of the history group: chairperson John Sheehy, Orla Ambrose, chairperson of Knockaderry Camogie club, Ger Downes, chairperson of Knockaderry GAA club, Ger Corkery, Triona Sexton, Jimmy Mc Mahon, Bernie Molloy, Vincent Hanley, Marie Lavelle, Ted Danaher, Tom Sheehy, Frank Moore, Mary Collum, Sean Liston, Mary Angela Downes, Zara Mc Grath, Cormac Behan.

The book will be an invaluable source of information for future researchers. Congratulations to Sean and the history committee on an excellent publication. The club should enter it for the annual Croke Park McNamee Awards.