Sligo All-Stars

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Sligo All Stars Basketball Club

The history of Sligo All-Stars basketball team started in the early 1960's. Basketball in Ireland was in its infancy and The West seemed to be far outclassed by their peers in Dublin and to the South.

American Tom O'Brien came to Sligo in the early 1960's and started a team in the Strandhill area of Sligo. He was soon approached by Father "Ricky" Devine to coach a team at Summerhill College in Sligo town. That meeting led to Sligo's first basketball team been set up and success was soon to follow when in 1962, Summerhill won the Connacht Colleges Championship in both the senior and junior grades. Tom immediately became the driving force behind basketball in the town and played with Our Lady of Lourdes Boys Club located at that time in O'Connell Street in Sligo town centre.

However, it wouldn't be until September, 1965 that Sligo All-Stars Basketball Club was officially formed in the Gilhooley Hall, across from the Sligo Cathedral.

The history of All Stars is one of success and perseverance, sometimes in the face of incredible odds. Many players from all over the world have donned an All Stars jersey and in doing so, became part of the ongoing story which is still being written today. [1]