The Decades on Connemara GAA

1930s

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There was a registered club in Clifden town dating back to 1912. The name of the club at that time was Clifden Shamrocks. There are no records of success until 1934 when competing as a junior club, Clifden Shamrock’s defeated Caherlistrane, 5-8 to 1-4 in the League Final. Caherlistrane objected because Clifden were late fielding and they won the objection. The next attempt was the West Board Championship Final of 1935 when the western section* was won by defeating Oughterard 2- 2 to 0- 5 but the West Board Final was lost to Wolfe Tones. In 1936, Clifden were defeated in the western section* final by Oughterard.

In 1937, however, Clifden won the western section and then the West Board Final by defeating Caherlistrane 3-4 to 3-3. They defeated Ahascragh in the county semi-final but lost to Gort in the county final. (At this time Gort was an army town!) Clifden were short McDonagh, McGrath and John Hehir for the final. It is also of note that some players who helped the club win its first West Board Final were not selected for the county final! Clifden lodged an objection about the legitimacy of the Gort team and P. K. Joyce lodged the fee of £1 – it was presumed that Gort was an all-county army team. Whatever about the Gort team, it can be said that all the players representing the ‘Shamrocks’ were from West Connemara - but there would be doubts about the validity of Stevie Salmon (Caisleen) and P. McDonald!

It is also interesting, that at this time Clifden was one of the main venues for important matches, with several western section finals played there. The West Board Final proper of 1933 between Renvyle and Headford was played in Clifden in 1934. This final is well-known because the referee marked down a point for Headford instead of a goal and initially declared the game a draw. The referee was unable to later award the game to Headford as the rules did not permit a change of score, even if the original score was an error.

1940s

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The 1940s arrived with very few teams in west Galway competing in championship football. In fact only two teams were entered in the early 1940s - Maam in the north and Ml. Breathnach’s in the south. The main emphasis was on a few local tournaments with local ad hoc teams being selected. There was no team in Clifden but in 1946 the club was reformed. The new club organised a seven-a-side local tournament. No visiting teams turned out except Ml. Breathnach’s and Carna, both of whom made serious complaints because they received no refreshments and were charged for admission to the céilí in the hall that night. The new club won the West Board Championship in 1947 defeating Oughterard (who had regraded) in the semi-final and Moycullen in the final on a score of 2-4 to 2-3. The county semi-final, however, was lost to Kilgerril, 1-7 to 1-4. Amazingly, Kilgerril who drew with Caherlistrane in the county final, failed to turn up for the replay!

1950s

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The club had no team in the championship in 1948 and ’49. In 1950 a new club named Naomh Feichín was registered. In that year Naomh Feichín, amalgamated with Cleggan, won the West defeating Oughterard, beat Kinvara in the county semi-final and captured the first official county title for the region by defeating Kilgerril 3-2 to 1 point. The captain was Micko Collins. The Club played senior in 1951 and ‘52 without any success. Re-graded to junior in 1953, once again the west title and county titles were won with victories over Erin’s Hope 3-6 to 1-5 in the West, Isserkelly in the semi-final and Ahascragh in the final 1-5 to 0-2. The captain was Peadar O’Toole. The club amalgamated with Oughterard in 1954 and formed Connemara Gaels and competed unsuccessfully at senior level for a short period.

In 1957, once again as a junior club, Naomh Feichín won the West Final defeating Spiddal 3-3 to 1-3 and overcame Mountbellew in the semi final 0-7 to 1-3. The county final against Fohenagh went to two games. In the first game, the referee made the bizarre decision of calling off the game when one of the Fohenagh players ran away with the only ball that was available. This occurred at an advanced stage in the game when Naomh Feichín was leading 2-2 to 0-2. One wonders if the player’s decision to run away with the ball, knowing that the referee would abandon the game, had anything to do with a headline in the Connacht Tribune two days before the match which stated that four of the Naomh Feichin team would be emigrating to the U.S.A. after the match on the following Sunday. If that indeed was his plan, it didn’t work as Naomh Feichin won the second game 2-7 to 1-1. The captain was Peter Joyce. The amazing thing about this win was that it was achieved without some of the best players in the area being available to play junior football as they were playing senior with St. Patrick’s (Clonbur) who went on to win the senior county league defeating Tuam Stars in the final.

1960s

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Naomh Feichín returned to senior ranks for 1958/9 but went back once again to junior in 1960. In that year the West was once more conquered when St. Michael’s were defeated on a scoreline of 2-5 to 1-2 and the county final was won by defeating Kilconly 1-5 to 1-4, with Sean Bartley as captain. Naomh Feichín returned once again to senior ranks for a couple of years but without any success.

1970s

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The ‘70s had its highs and lows, reaching county finals and West A Finals at under 21, minor and junior levels. Defeating the then county senior football champions Dunmore in an exhibition match in Tuam Stadium in 1974 and defeating Dr. Croke’s in a friendly in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney in 1976 were some of the highs.

The lows were: being forced to regrade into Junior Div.3 in 1977 when over half the team of the previous year was not available; travelling 40 miles for home matches to Oughterard as Naomh Feichín had no pitch of their own; the decision of Cleggan to form their own club and for Cleggan players not to play with Naomh Feichín, a loss which was sorely felt especially in the Under 21 A Final of 1975 when the final was narrowly lost with five of the best underage players from Cleggan not available for selection; being narrowly beaten by the Salthill first team in the quarter-final of 1978 even though Salthill in effect had not qualified for the quarter-final as an objection was in place at the time and thereby Naomh Feichin possibly being deprived of gaining Senior Div.1 status and of competing with the top 16 in the county.

1980s

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The 1980s commenced with the same format of a league championship with only the top four from west and north competing in the actual knock-out stages. Competing in Division 2 in 1981 (Intermediate), Naomh Feichín defeated Renvyle in the semi-final, 1-6 to 1-5 but lost to Williamstown in the county final, 0-10 to 1-4. Intermediate semi-finals were lost to Cortoon in 1982 and Mervue in 1988.

1990s

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The County Intermediate League Final of 1992 (played in 1993) was won by Naomh Feichín defeating Caltra, 1-6 to 0-8 having already defeated St. Michael’s in the West Intermediate League, 2-4 to 1-5. In the championship of 1992, Naomh Feichín lost the county semi-final to Ballinasloe, 2-11 to 2-9. Willie McDonagh was captain that year.

To listen to Macdara Birmingham tell the story of 1992/3, click on track 19.

Naomh Feichín won the Under 21 B West final in 1995 defeating St. Michael’s in December but lost to Caltra in the county final, 1-21 to 0-7. The final was played in July, 1996.

2000s

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In 2000, the Intermediate semi-final was contested but was lost to Corofin’s second team after a replay.

In the Intermediate Championship of 2001, Naomh Feichín defeated Caherlistrane in the semi-final, 1-10 to 0-7 but lost to Oughterard in the final, 1-13 to 0-6, with Ger Burke as captain.

Naomh Feichín were relegated to junior for 2006 but won the Junior West by defeating Salthill’s second team 0-8 to 0-7 and Athenry in the county final, 1-8 to 0-7. They defeated Eslin (Leitrim) in the Connacht semi-final, 3-19 to 0-8 but lost to Killala in the Connacht Final, 1-13 to 2-7, after extra-time, the final being played in Ballina, with Thomas King as captain.

2010s

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2010 was a big year for football as after many years Gaelic football was reintroduced to Clifden Community School. This event coincided with the appointment of a new principal at the school. The school senior team reached the Connacht Final but were defeated by one point. Five players were selected on to the Galway minor squad that reached the All-Ireland semi-final and two players were selected on to the City and West under 16 team. Naomh Feichín were beaten by St. James’ in the Intermediate quarter-final after winning two rounds of the championship.

Players That Represented Galway or Other Counties

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Senior: P. Joyce, A. Glennon and P. Connolly (1913). P. Ó Máille. Connie McGrath – Galway (only one game), Cork and Munster. Sean Conneely – Galway (only two games), Clare and Munster. Andy McGrath, Sean Mannion, Sean Joyce, Eamon Guy. Jim Smallhorn (Cavan only, 1937), Micko Collins, Francie Mannion, Sean Mannion (Junior All-Ireland winner in 1958), Frank Dyer, Coleen King, Damien Joyce (Junior only), Tom Mannion (Under 21), Ritchie Flaherty, *Brendan Mullen, Pairic Joyce – County Councillor (Minor), Tom Vaughan, Henry O’Toole, Joe Joe Gorham (Juv., U 21 for Galway, also Sligo Juniors and Seniors), Gerry Gannon*, Stephen Flaherty*, John Conneely (also Junior and Senior with Limerick), Laurence Ludden, Brian Thornton, John O Brien (Juv., Minor, U 21, Senior), Tiernan O’Halloran (Juv. and Minor), Conall Joyce, Jack Vaughan (Minor), David Black (Minor), Chris Holmes (Juv.), Ger. Gibbons (Juv.), Vinnie Heffernan (Under 16).