G.A.A. 125th year commemoration

125th G.A.A. Anniversary – Clubs’ Contributions

As 2009 is the 125th year since the formation of the G.A.A., the Roscommon Champion decided to commemorate this special milestone by getting all the clubs in Roscommon to give a brief history of their own development. Here is Shannon Gaels’ one as written by Thomas Mullaney…

In 1858 the new railway line arrived in a very divided district that would later become the parish of Croghan. The howls of hunger from Carrick workhouse were still fresh in the memories of the people of the area, and this new mode of transport would shortly expedite the flight from misery. By the end of that year Tumna South, Killukin, Killumod and eastern halves of Kilcola and Eastersnow were amalgamated to form the present parish of Croghan. Thirty years later on 2nd March 1889 another unifying force would arrive in the parish with the founding of G.A.A. club Croghan John Mitchels to be followed late in the Spring with Drumlion Henry Grattens, a force that we are glad to say is alive and well 120 years on, starting as an arm in the fight of the Land War and playing an important role in many that have followed. The parish was then still divided between the Landlords Lloyds and St. George under the unions of Boyle and Carrick.

Mitchels and Grattens made their mark from the start on the playing fields and under the banner of Croghan reached the Co. Senior finals of 1903 and 1908 and again having a powerful team in the period 1916 – 20 when players such as John Kenny and ODey Travers would carry the fight. During the 1920s, Drumlion/Cootehall represented the area under the name St. Eidin of Tuamna. Again in the 1930s a great Croghan team would emerge and eventually in 1939 under the leadership of Jim Creighton win the County Junior Final. The unity of purpose that brought Croghan and Drumlion together for the ’39 title would reemerge again in 1949 with the founding of SHANNON GAELS.

A great minor team in 1951 winning North Title and the Junior Team winning the Northern League in 1953 would see the decade end with a second Co. Junior title in 1960. This Junior Team was further boosted by the minors of ’60 and ’61 who were Co. Fnalists and this combination produced in 1964 our great achievement, a County Senior Title.
The 1970s, despite this high point, made their own history with the winning of our first U16.

The frustration of defeat in the last hurdle in the Junior Championship in 79, 80 and 82 was put behind us with our third Co. Junior title in 1986. The foundation for a second equally successful centenary was well and truly laid with the magnificent Co. Title win of the U16s in 1987. Following the wins of 86 and87 we ended the decade in 1989 winning our 4th County Junior B Title.

Since going intermediate we had made very strong challenge for honours and after losing CO. Final in 1990 we made breakthrough beating Clann na nGael to win a Co. Title in 1991. Shannon Gaels have held their own at Senior Level since with many sturring battles against the best in the county and in 1999 reached the Quarter final of O’ Rourke Cup. Our Division 4 CO. League win 1991 has been followed by the great performance of our underage as wwe came to the end of the millennium Shannon Gaels have won C o. Titles at U12, 1998; U14 1999; Minor 2000;U21 2003 and Junior B 2007. Our contribution to every Roscommon All-Ireland winning team continued with Ciaran Lynch and Ollie Flanagan All-Ireland Junior in 2000.

Off the field a former Chairman and Treassurer of the club Thomas Mullaney after term as Vice Chairman was elected as Roscommon Co. Secretary in 1994 to 2004.

While football has dominated on the playing fields, in the 1980s our hurlers came into their own winning All-Ireland titles with Leitrim in 83 and 84 adding to the All-Ireland Football medals that have been won in every grade previously by players from the parish.

Besides winning inter-county honours players like Matt Moran in 1906, Jim Creighton in 1929-34, Tom Collins 47, Des Boyd 48, Ji Nerney ’53 and the Newton Bros. John and Des in the 1980s won Railway Cup selection and medals along the way. In Handball Jim Cahill was our greatest, a Senior Ulster title winner in the ’20 and ‘30s. Off the field the outstanding service officials like Tim Tansey (RIP), Ging Duignan, Leitrim Co. Chariman (RIP) and Paddy Mulvey to the G.A.A. in general, not to mention the many who have served the club itself. In the area of our native culture we have a proud record. Our Scor teams on which Seamus Butler and Patsy McNamara have been ever present, have won 50 Co. Titles in every event and preserve the rich inherited tradition.

While in athletics Mick Dowd was national Cross Country Champion in 1936-38.

In 1980s Shannon Gaels fielded a ladies team and players such as Aileen Boyd, McShera sisters,Francis Martin and Mary McGreevey were prominent with their longtime star Aisling Creighton returning Gaels again fielded and their Co. Junior Title win 2008 added another dimension to our role in Association under the direction of Alo O’ Dowd, Kieran Lynch and Gerard Butler.

Club Crest;
Five crosses representing amalgamated parishes Killukin, Killumod, Tumna, Eastersnow and Kilcola

Bridge – Shannon Gaels Crossing
Bull – Croghan Short Horn
Lia Fada – Stone Idol of Boher

Teams Fielded – every grade in football U11 to Intermediate

Ladies – U14, U16, Minor & Junior.

Playing Fields – Croghan – all weather pitch and dressing rooms opened by President Mary McAleese in 2003 in her father’s parish.

All weather training pitch at Showgrounds in Cortober.