Clonduff GAC
Encyclopedia
Clonduff GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association
club in County Down
, Northern Ireland
.
in Clonduff reaching as far back as 1887 when the parish sported two teams: the Hilltown
Amateurs and The Red Hands. Gaelic games
flourished for a few years but then subsided and it was not until 1910 that the parish again fielded a Gaelic team. During the next ten years the parish fielded teams at Junior and Senior level under names such as The Emeralds, The Harps and The Sarsfields.
1920 can be identified as the founding year of the modern Clonduff Shamrocks. Success on the playing field over the next few years was commonplace and it was in this era that Clonduff’s long tradition of providing quality County players began – McPolin, Brannigan, Doyle, Mussen and O’Hanlon were synonymous with both the Clonduff and County teams.
For most of the thirties the club was hardly a force to be reckoned with but re-emerged in the early forties. Their tradition of providing County players was to the fore again and when Down won the 1946 All Ireland, Clonduff provided six of the panel.
In 1955 the club split into two distinct entities – Cabra
and Hilltown – the two ends of the parish. Two years later they met in the County Final. The teams amalgamated in 1959 and the following year two of their players won All-Ireland Senior football medals with Kevin Mussen
being the first Northerner to bring the Sam Maguire
across the border.
The club opened its own grounds in 1968 and became one of the leading clubs in the newly formed Scór
competitions.
In Centenary year, Clonduff published its McNamee Award winning history and in 1987 when Down
won its second All Ireland Minor Championship, the club provided six of the panel. In the All Ireland wins of 1991 and 1994, Clonduff’s Ross Carr
played a pivotal role. Cathal Murray was also on the panel in 1991.
It is reputed that St Comghall of Bangor sent his followers to this area of County Down
to spread Christianity
. They began building their church in the townland of Ballynanny (located on The Kilkeel
Road below Spelga Dam). Each morning, the previous day's work would be demolished. Upon investigation, it wasdiscovered that an ox, belonging to the local Druid
came down from the mountain (The Mournes) each night and razed the building. One of the monks cut a thorn stick and stuck it into the ground between the ox's meadow and the new church. The stick grew into a thorn bush and the monk defied the ox to pass the thorn bush - it never did and the building of the church was completed. The area where the thorn bush allegedly grew is known as Bushtown to this day. The church was eventually destroyed during Cromwell
's invasion of Ireland
in 1649. The remains of the church are still standing today on the Kilkeel Road end of Old Clonduff Road.
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 in County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
History
Press reports show the history of Gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
in Clonduff reaching as far back as 1887 when the parish sported two teams: the Hilltown
Hilltown, County Down
Hilltown is a small village within the townland of Carcullion in County Down, Northern Ireland. Hilltown is the main village of the parish of Clonduff which also contains rural areas and another village named Cabra...
Amateurs and The Red Hands. Gaelic games
Gaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
flourished for a few years but then subsided and it was not until 1910 that the parish again fielded a Gaelic team. During the next ten years the parish fielded teams at Junior and Senior level under names such as The Emeralds, The Harps and The Sarsfields.
1920 can be identified as the founding year of the modern Clonduff Shamrocks. Success on the playing field over the next few years was commonplace and it was in this era that Clonduff’s long tradition of providing quality County players began – McPolin, Brannigan, Doyle, Mussen and O’Hanlon were synonymous with both the Clonduff and County teams.
For most of the thirties the club was hardly a force to be reckoned with but re-emerged in the early forties. Their tradition of providing County players was to the fore again and when Down won the 1946 All Ireland, Clonduff provided six of the panel.
In 1955 the club split into two distinct entities – Cabra
Cabra
Cabra is the Spanish word for goat. It may also refer to:*Cabra, Dublin, a district in north Dublin, Ireland*Cabra, County Down, a townland in County Down, Northern Ireland*Cabra, Spain, a municipality in the province of Córdoba, Andalucía, Spain...
and Hilltown – the two ends of the parish. Two years later they met in the County Final. The teams amalgamated in 1959 and the following year two of their players won All-Ireland Senior football medals with Kevin Mussen
Kevin Mussen
Kevin Mussen was a Northern Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Clonduff and was a member of the Down senior inter-county team from 1951 until 1962. Mussen captained Down to the All-Ireland title in 1960...
being the first Northerner to bring the Sam Maguire
Sam Maguire Cup
The Sam Maguire Cup, often called The Sam , is the name of the cup that is awarded to winners of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
across the border.
The club opened its own grounds in 1968 and became one of the leading clubs in the newly formed Scór
Scór
Scór is a division of the Gaelic Athletic Association charged with promotion of cultural activities, and the name of a series of annual competitions in such activities.Rule 4 of the GAA's official guide reads:...
competitions.
In Centenary year, Clonduff published its McNamee Award winning history and in 1987 when Down
Down GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
won its second All Ireland Minor Championship, the club provided six of the panel. In the All Ireland wins of 1991 and 1994, Clonduff’s Ross Carr
Ross Carr
Ross Carr is a former Senior Gaelic football manager and former inter-county player for Down. Carr had previously managed the Down Minor Football team in 2003 and 2004....
played a pivotal role. Cathal Murray was also on the panel in 1991.
The Meadow Of The Ox
The team crest depicts a scene with an ox, a thorn bush and a church.It is reputed that St Comghall of Bangor sent his followers to this area of County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
to spread Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. They began building their church in the townland of Ballynanny (located on The Kilkeel
Kilkeel
Kilkeel is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the main fishing port on the Down coast, and its harbour houses one of the largest fishing fleets in Ireland. It had a population of 6,338 people according to the 2001 Census...
Road below Spelga Dam). Each morning, the previous day's work would be demolished. Upon investigation, it wasdiscovered that an ox, belonging to the local Druid
Druid
A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....
came down from the mountain (The Mournes) each night and razed the building. One of the monks cut a thorn stick and stuck it into the ground between the ox's meadow and the new church. The stick grew into a thorn bush and the monk defied the ox to pass the thorn bush - it never did and the building of the church was completed. The area where the thorn bush allegedly grew is known as Bushtown to this day. The church was eventually destroyed during Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
's invasion of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1649. The remains of the church are still standing today on the Kilkeel Road end of Old Clonduff Road.
Milestones
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1887 | The Banbridge Chronicle of 6 November 1398 carried an account of a Gaelic Football match between Ballyroney (Rathfriland) and a Clonduff team known as The Hilltown Amateurs |
| 1888 | A team from Lenish (one of Clonduff’s 14 townlands) competed in a Gaelic Football Tournament for a "set of crosses" |
| 1888 | A Clonduff team known as the "Red Hands" played two games against St Patrick’s Mayobridge in May 1888 |
| 1898 | A team from Cabra called "The Harps" and one from Hilltown called the "Ninety-Eights" took part in the ’98 tournament organised by the Young Ireland League to commemorate the Centenary of 1798 |
| 1912 | The "Frontier Sentinel" dated 9 April 1912 gives a report of a 1st round County Championship meeting between Mayobridge and a Clonduff team called "Hilltown". The Hilltown team read: John Crilly, Bernard O’Hagan, Patrick Morgan, James Magill, James Brady, Michael Fegan, Arthur Ronan, Hugh Doyle, Hugh Morgan, Michael Morgan, James Brown, Frank O’Hare, John O’Hagan |
| 1916 | Registrations – still extant – show that two teams, known as "Emeralds Gaelic Football Club" and "Cabra", were registered with the Down County Board of 1916-17 |
| 1916 | An unofficial team known as "John Attey’s Men" or "Faugh an Ballagh" played games here and there during this period. A report of a famous match between Mullaghmore and John Attey’s Men, played on Easter Sunday 1916 still lives on in the folk memory of the district |
| 1918 | Clonduff take part in "The Gaelic Sunday" protest matches of 4 August 1918 called in defiance of the ban on Gaelic matches under The Defence of the Realm Act |
| 1918 | Clonduff men John McPolin and John McAlinden play for Down on 9 May against Louth in Newcastle |
| 1920 | A new Parish team called Clonduff Shamrocks was formed and entered in Shanahan Cup Competition by Willie Woods and John McPolin. "The jerseys were yellow and there were Shamrocks embroidered on them. Two girls, Maggie O’Hare and Sarah Magennis it was who sewed them on. Their playing pitch was John Murphy’s and it was Paddy Murphy who gave the pound to enter the team." |
| 1920 | Clonduff win Shanahan Cup |
| 1921 | George Mussen chosen on the Railway Cup Panel |
| 1922 | Clonduff win Shanahan Cup |
| 1926 | Clonduff win McLoughlin Cup |
| 1930 | Clonduff win their first Down Senior Championship |
| 1931 | On 13 September, Dan Mussen becomes first Clonduff man to play in an All-Ireland Football Semi-Final |
| 1932 | Club wins The Shanahan Cup outright |
| 1934 | George Mussen captains the first Down team to play in Croke Park |
| 1935 | Jimmy Doyle in Ulster Railway Cup panel |
| 1937 | Clonduff re-enters South Down and Mourne League |
| 1938 | Armagh play Down in National League in Hilltown with Jimmy Doyle starring at right full-forward |
| 1943 | Clonduff defeat Ardtole by 15 points to 11 to win Down Junior Championship on 12 September but Ardtole awarded game on an objection |
| 1944 | Clonduff win their 2nd Senior County Championship |
| 1945 | Clonduff win their 3rd Senior County Championship |
| 1946 | Down win Junior All-Ireland and Clonduff have on the panel: Henry, Tom and Pat Brown, Eddie Grant, Paddy O’Hagan and Andy Murnin |
| 1947 | Clonduff win their 4th Senior County Championship |
| 1949 | Clonduff win their 5th Senior County Championship |
| 1949 | James Brown on Railway Cup panel |
| 1952 | Clonduff win League, Championship (6th) and County Sevens |
| 1953 | Clonduff’s 19 year old Kevin Mussen selected on Ulster Railway Cup |
| 1956 | Cabra Harps win Down Junior Championship |
| 1957 | The two Parish teams – Cabra Harps and The Shamrocks – meet in County Senior Championship final – Shamrocks win |
| 1959 | Patsy O’Hagan scores 2 goals in a 3-9 to 1-4 victory for Down in the Wembley Tournament |