Buffers Alley
Encyclopedia
Buffers Alley is a Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...

 club based in the villages of Kilmuckridge
Kilmuckridge
Kilmuckridge is a small village in County Wexford in Ireland near the Irish Sea coast which is popular with weekend visitors and holidaymakers. It lies on the R742 regional road south of Gorey....

 and Monamolin
Monamolin
Monamolin or Monamoling is a small rural village in County Wexford, Ireland, about south of the town of Gorey.Monamolin , has a population of 661...

 in Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...

, Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. The club fields teams in Hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...

, Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...

 and camogie
Camogie
Camogie is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women; it is almost identical to the game of hurling played by men. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and world wide, largely among Irish communities....

. It competes in Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...

 competitions.

History

The Buffers Alley club is one of the oldest in Co. Wexford, founded in the late 1870s and came quickly to the fore and won its first title in 1905. Twenty-three lean years followed for the club but the spirit of the men of 1905 eventually bore fruit when they won another junior title in 1928. History repeated itself 23 years later – 1951 when the third junior title came. In 1952 they played St. Aidan’s again in the senior championship but were narrowly defeated. Having played senior for three years they reverted back to the junior grade in 1955.

In 1959 the Shamrocks defeated them in a memorable junior semi-final. With many young players coming from the Rackard League competitions, the club entered Intermediate competition in 1962 Even though it was only a junior club, this was the move that set Buffers Alley on the road to the top. They were beaten in their first Intemediate year by Hollow Rangers and Davidstown-Courtnacuddy the following year.

The first Intermediate win came in 1965 and the same year won under 21 honoursfor the first time and repeated that again in 1966. These wins sowed the seeds for many years to come. Entering senior grade in 1967, they quickly came to the top, been beaten by their greatest rivals – that famous Rathnure combination. 1968 was to be their year. Their success story really started on a terrible day in Belfield, with rain, wind, sleet and snow and few loyal supporters, they slowly, but surely, overcame a hard fighting St. Martin’s side. Battling their way to the final, they went in as underdogs and made history on that memorable day in December against a very talented Harriers side. This team was captained by Joe Murphy in the absence of Captain, Paddy Sinnott. They repeated this in 1970. Beaten in the 1973 final by Rathnure
Rathnure GAA
Rathnure St. Anne’s is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Rathnure, County Wexford, Ireland. Rathnure's most famous players are the Rackards and Quigley brothers.-First AGM:...

. Buffers Alley returned to their winning ways in 1975 and 1976 beating Oulart-The Ballagh and Rapparees respectively. Defeats in the final of ’80 and ’81 were followed by what can only be described as the Golden Era for Buffers Alley winning eight Wexford Senior Hurling Championship titles over the next ten years.

During the 70’s and 80’s Buffers Alley made an impact on the football scene in Co. Wexford. They created a surprise in 1972 in winning the county junior football title. Proving this to be no flash in the pan, they won the Intermediate football final in 1974 and completed in senior ranks for a number of years. They returned to Intermediate ranks in the mid 80’s and once again were successful in the Intermediate football championship in 1989.

Their first ever appearance in a Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship
Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual Hurling tournament played between the winners of the senior club hurling championships of the counties in Leinster. The current holders of the Leinster title are Ballyhale Shamrocks from Kilkenny. The first Leinster senior club hurling...

 final was in 1971 when they were narrowly defeated by St. Rynagh’s
St. Rynagh's GAA
St. Rynagh's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club that encompasses the towns of Cloghan and Banagher in County Offaly, in Ireland. Formed in 1961, the club gained almost immediate success - winning the senior championship in 1965. St. Rynagh's went on to appear in three All-Ireland club finals...

 of Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...

. A Buffers Alley team captained by Sean Whelan beat a Kinnity back boned by the great Pat Delaney
Pat Delaney (Offaly hurler)
Pat Delaney is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Kinnitty and with the Offaly senior inter-county team in the 1970s and 1980s...

 and the Corrigan brothers Mark
Mark Corrigan (hurler)
Mark Corrigan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Kinnitty and was a member of the Offaly senior inter-county team from 1980 until 1990. Corrigan was a key member of the Offaly team that won All-Ireland titles in 1981 and 1985.-References:...

 and Paddy
Paddy Corrigan
Paddy Corrigan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Kinnitty and was a member of the Offaly senior inter-county team from 1983 until 1993.-References:...

 in the 1985 final and went all the way to the All-Ireland Final but was defeated by Kilruane-McDonaghs in a close final. They beat Ballyhale Shamrocks from Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...

 in the 1988 Leinster Final with great displays by Mick Butler and a fantastic display by the emgering Colin Whelan at left half back back and a tireless display by his brother Sean at mid field back boning the victory. The crowning glory for Buffers Alley arrived on St. Patrick’s Day in 1989 when they became the first and only Co. Wexford club to win the All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...

 with a well-deserved win over O’Donovan Rossa with goals by Seamus O'Leary and Paddy Donahue breaking the Rossa. This team was captained by Pat Kenny the whole hearted full back and one of the greatest men ever to wear the green and gold and remains a legend with in the club. They last competed at this level in 1992 when they once again took Leinster Club honours but lost out to Sarsfields of Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...

 in the Semi-Final with a number of goalkeeping errors by recalled veteran Henry Butler proving costly on the day.

Achievements

  • All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
    All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
    The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...

     Winners 1989, 1993
  • All-Ireland Senior Club Camogie Championship
    All-Ireland Senior Club Camogie Championship
    The All-Ireland Club Camogie Championship is the most important competition for club teams in the Irish women’s field sport of camogie. It is contested by the senior club champions of the leading counties and organised by An Cumann Camógaíochta.-Trophy:...

     Winners 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 Runners-Up 1978 1980
  • Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship
    Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship
    The Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual Hurling tournament played between the winners of the senior club hurling championships of the counties in Leinster. The current holders of the Leinster title are Ballyhale Shamrocks from Kilkenny. The first Leinster senior club hurling...

     Winners 1986, 1898, 1993 Runners-Up 1983
  • Wexford Senior Hurling Championship Winners 1968, 1970, 1975, 1976, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992
  • Wexford Intermediate Hurling Championship Winners 1965
  • Wexford Intermediate Football Championship Winners 1974, 1989
  • Wexford Junior Hurling Championship Winners 1905, 1928, 1951, 1982
  • Wexford Junior hurling championship winners

loyable players
  • Séamus Kavanagh

Pat Kenny
Paddy Kavanagh
Seamus O'Leary
Barry Murphy
Sean Whelan
Colm Whelan
Pierrie Butler
Henry Butler
Darren O'Brien
tony doran
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