Glin GAA

Glin
An Gleann
Founded: 1897
County: Limerick
Nickname: The Magpies
Club colours: Black and White
Grounds:

Páirc Uí Chathaláin, Glin,

Co. Limerick
Playing kits
Standard colours
Senior Club Championships
All Ireland Munster
champions
Limerick
champions
Football : - - 7

Glin GAA (Irish An Gleann CLG[1]).

Glin GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Glin, County Limerick, Ireland. Glin GAA club was founded in 1897 under the name of Glin Emmetts, in commemoration of Robert Emmett who played a major role in the 1798 rebellion just over a century earlier. Notable rivals include Fr. Caseys, Newcastle West and as of 2009, Mountcollins.

Contents

Early Achievements

Records show that football and hurling had been played previously (possibly under the team name of a Thomas Davis) but these games were quite rough and unorganised. Glin reached the County Final of 1903 but lost to the magnificent Commercials side of the time.

After many years in decline, the arrival of Father Patrick Lyons as curate to the parish in 1926 heralded a revival of fortunes for Glin. The renaissance began immediately with the club winning the Junior and Senior Football championships of 1926. The club won seven county football championships between 1926 and 1934. Glin contributed many players to the inter-county scene at this stage. Some of the heroes of the time Johnny Kelly, Seamus Duggan, Thomas Culhane, Thomas Mulvihill, Mick Dillane and Patrick Conway.

Post War Successes

In 1957, a combination of Glin and Ballyhahill (under the title of Glin Rangers) won the County Junior Championship. The following year in 1958, Glin won the Junior Championship again, this time on their own. Stars of that era were Jimmy Reidy, Michael Dillane, Seán Finn, Frank Burke, Michael Adams and Thomas McKeon.

In 1984, Glin won the County Junior Championship again with John A. Culhane, Maurice, Davy and Con Fitzgerald playing an influential part in the march to success.

1990 was a remarkable year for Glin as regards hurling. Despite hurling having an almost non-existent profile, Glin won the an U16 county title. Managed by stalwarts Johnny Lyons and Billy Martin, the team defeated South Liberties in the final.

In 1998, it celebrated its centenary with a contest between Kerry, (the then reigning All- Ireland Champions) and Sligo.

Intercounty Representatives

During the glory days of the late 20s and early 30s, Glin supplied many notable intercounty footballers; the most well known were Thomas Culhane, Johnny Kelly and Seamus Duggan. In the 1960s Thomas McKeon donned the green and white jersey in the Munster Senior Football Championship. Liam Long played for Limerick in the late 80s and 90s, appearing in the infamous 1991 Munster Final against Kerry, losing narrowly by 0-23 to 3-12. The last Glin footballer to represent Limerick at senior level was Noelie Mulvihill in a 1999 Munster Championship 1st round game against Cork.

Recent events

In 2007, the club was relegated from Intermediate to Junior A grade after a disastrous season. The following year, the team won the Junior A West Limerick Championship but were knocked out the county semi-final stage.

A year later, they also contested the West final vs Mountcollins with the sides finishing level at 1-12 apiece aet. The replay on October 17 at 1.30 in Abbeyfeale finished in a one point win for Mountcollins 0-12 to 0-11. The team were still able to participate in the county championship, however, and on October 26 played Ballygran in Newcastle West. The Magpies ran out winners by 5 points. The county junior A football final was played on Sunday, November 15 ended in a highly entertaining draw.

The replay was set for Páirc na Gael on Friday night, November 20. The result after extra time was Mountcollins 0-12, Glin 0-11. This was hughly entertaining with the Magpies playing well throughout even though down to 14 men for much of normal time. Serious question marks surround the first half dismissal of a Glin midfielder for an off the ball incident, especially as a noted Mountcollins referee appeared in the middle of the meleé, to 'advise' the match officials. Also highly commendable was the Mountcollins mentors' encouragement of the Glin freetaker as he squared up to a dead ball at the death of the 2nd half. Over the course of the season, Mountcollins deserved to go up to intermediate due to their whole-hearted style of football, work ethic and maximisation of footballing ability.

For the 2010 football season, Thomas Connolly was elected chairman unopposed replacing the outgoing Pat O'Shaughnessy. Glin combined with Gerald Griffins under the name of Shannon Gaels to compete in the West Limerick SFC and reached the quarter finals of the competition. The 2010 Junior A championship could be regarded as another disappointment for the Magpies. Initial signs were promising as Monagea were beaten in the West final replay and a gallant Milford side were overcome at the county quarter-final stage. However, Bruree proved to be a hurdle too far for the Shannonsiders in the semi-final. For the 2011 football season, Thomas Connolly was re-elected unopposed for a second term. Declan Reidy stood down from his position as secretary, being replaced by Donie Shine and James Donovan as Secretary and Vice-Secretary respectively. Paddy Reidy continues in the position of Treasurer for another year and Ger Lyons replaces his father Johnny as PRO. After a mediocre league campaign, Glin began the championship well, with victories over Drom-Broadford, Castlemahon and Father Casey's. However the year ended once more in bitter disappointment with defeat to Seán Finn's in the County Final and Feohanagh-Castlemahon in the County League Final.

The club management structure is as follows:

Team Manager Trainer Selectors
Junior A John Collins John Collins Pádraig Hogan, Billy Martin, Tom Connolly
Junior B James Donovan Training not deemed necessary Paddy Killeen
U21 (as Shannon Gaels) Maurice Fitzgerald Ger Lyons Mike Healy
Minor (as Shannon Gaels) John A. Culhane Liam Long Mike Sweeney, Donie Shine, Pat Noonan, Martin McSweeney, Éamon Griffin, John O'Sullivan, Patrick Hayes.

Honours

Limerick Senior Football Championship Winners: 1926, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934 Runners Up: 1899, 1909, 1910, 1927, 1937, 1939

County Intermediate Championship:1995

County Junior Championship: 1926, 1954, 1984 Runners Up: 2009

County Senior League: 1997

See also

References

  1. ^ An Gleann Placenames Database of Ireland

External links