HoganStand GAA Football and Hurling

National Forum

Unique GAA Club Names

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post

You need to Login to Post

One thing that interests me is GAA clubs named after Protestants. From my count Clubs have been named after 12 Protestants. They are Henry Gratten, Wolfe Tone, Henry Joy McCracken, Watty Graham, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Robert Emmett, Thomas Davis, John Mitchell, William Smyth O'Brien, Charles Stewart Parnell, Roger Casement and Thomas Russell. Can anyone give further examples. blackdiamond (Leitrim) - Posts: 2 - 06/11/2018 12:04:52 2149836 Link
Kill GFC, Cavan delialli (Cavan) - Posts: 10 - 06/11/2018 14:55:45 2149887 Link
Replying To blackdiamond: "One thing that interests me is GAA clubs named after Protestants. From my count Clubs have been named after 12 Protestants. They are Henry Gratten, Wolfe Tone, Henry Joy McCracken, Watty Graham, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Robert Emmett, Thomas Davis, John Mitchell, William Smyth O'Brien, Charles Stewart Parnell, Roger Casement and Thomas Russell. Can anyone give further examples." Sure wasn't Sam himself a Protestant . culmore (None) - Posts: 1398 - 06/11/2018 15:25:42 2149901 Link
Replying To Bon: "Langford Slashers, would love to know how that came about?" They're not even the only club called Slashers in the county. Shroid Slashers are a junior club based just outside the town but in the same parish. However, they haven't fielded a team in a couple of years, and they have no underage teams either. Apparently, both are named after Myles 'The Slasher' O'Reilly who was an Irish patriot in the 1600's. iluvspuds (Longford) - Posts: 160 - 07/11/2018 13:37:20 2150046 Link
Replying To iluvspuds: "They're not even the only club called Slashers in the county. Shroid Slashers are a junior club based just outside the town but in the same parish. However, they haven't fielded a team in a couple of years, and they have no underage teams either. Apparently, both are named after Myles 'The Slasher' O'Reilly who was an Irish patriot in the 1600's." I'd say Myles would have been a scaldy corner back in his day Onfor15 (Wexford) - Posts: 524 - 07/11/2018 14:19:52 2150055 Link
Replying To supermon: "Mullagh or Maghera MacFinns? They won the first Cavan championship and represented Cavan in first Ulster Final in 1888 against Monaghan who were represented by Inniskeen Grattans. Game went to a draw at 2 points apiece and Monaghan eventually winning 3 points to 1. Maybe blanket defences were all the rage. In fact that could mean the real Gaelic Football purist woukd love a good blanket defence. Interesting about Joe Biggar connection. Anyway Maghera MacFinns have an interesting unique GAA name, whatever it refers to." I've done some research on Maghera MacFinns. The name MacFinn is derived from Finn Fartha which was the name given to five local ring forts in the Maghera area. The club's crest has five ring forts in recognition of the origin of the club's name. gaelicgab (USA) - Posts: 878 - 07/11/2018 15:41:49 2150071 Link
Replying To blackdiamond: "One thing that interests me is GAA clubs named after Protestants. From my count Clubs have been named after 12 Protestants. They are Henry Gratten, Wolfe Tone, Henry Joy McCracken, Watty Graham, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Robert Emmett, Thomas Davis, John Mitchell, William Smyth O'Brien, Charles Stewart Parnell, Roger Casement and Thomas Russell. Can anyone give further examples." GAA clubs named after Protestants is certainly interesting. It's been touch on at the start of the thread. The first President of Ireland Douglas Hyde as mentioned previously. I don't think there is a GAA club named after Hyde but there's a GAA ground which is still interesting seeing as he was removed as a member of the GAA after he breached the GAA's ban on foreign games by attending a soccer match. gaelicgab (USA) - Posts: 878 - 07/11/2018 16:08:17 2150077 Link
Replying To iluvspuds: "They're not even the only club called Slashers in the county. Shroid Slashers are a junior club based just outside the town but in the same parish. However, they haven't fielded a team in a couple of years, and they have no underage teams either. Apparently, both are named after Myles 'The Slasher' O'Reilly who was an Irish patriot in the 1600's." no,they are named after frank drebins character in jail in the naked gun 2 - wasnt he nick the slasher mcgurk? perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 07/11/2018 16:41:44 2150085 Link
Replying To culmore: "Sure wasn't Sam himself a Protestant ." Oliver Cromwells GAA club is another one..not sure what county it's in.. Think Its Cork...some good hurlers. bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts: 1710 - 07/11/2018 18:27:58 2150098 Link
Always thought Clanna Geal Fontenoys in Dublin was pretty unique, Wexford has some beuts though, Shelmaliers, Rapparees-Starlights, Oulart The Ballagh, Buffers Alley and Tara Rocks! It's like they're trying to outdo each other. cavandub (Cavan) - Posts: 67 - 08/11/2018 14:50:10 2150216 Link
Tipperary must have more GAA clubs with double barrelled place names than any other county. I'm taking just place names so obviously Clonmel Commercials or Moyle Rovers don't count. Loughmore Castleiney Lattin Cullen Ballylooby Castlegrace Ballybacon Grange Clonoulty Rossmore Moycarkey Borris Kilsheelan Kilcash Boherlahan Dualla Drom Inch Lorrha Dorrha Grangemockler Ballyneale Moyne Templetuohy Knockavilla Donaskeigh Borris Lleigh does that one count? Often spelled Borrislleigh Gortnahoe Glengoole Golden Kilfeacle Holycross Ballycahill Upperchurch Drombane Carrick Swan? Toney (Meath) - Posts: 298 - 08/11/2018 15:52:23 2150228 Link
Replying To Toney: "Tipperary must have more GAA clubs with double barrelled place names than any other county. I'm taking just place names so obviously Clonmel Commercials or Moyle Rovers don't count. Loughmore Castleiney Lattin Cullen Ballylooby Castlegrace Ballybacon Grange Clonoulty Rossmore Moycarkey Borris Kilsheelan Kilcash Boherlahan Dualla Drom Inch Lorrha Dorrha Grangemockler Ballyneale Moyne Templetuohy Knockavilla Donaskeigh Borris Lleigh does that one count? Often spelled Borrislleigh Gortnahoe Glengoole Golden Kilfeacle Holycross Ballycahill Upperchurch Drombane Carrick Swan?" Wow, big list of double barreled names there. Are they the result of amalgamations throughout the years? gaelicgab (USA) - Posts: 878 - 09/11/2018 16:02:38 2150410 Link
Replying To gaelicgab: "Wow, big list of double barreled names there. Are they the result of amalgamations throughout the years?" Years ago it was common to have two or even three clubs in one parish. My own club is the formation of four clubs, a GAA club with a quad barrelled name, now that would be something else but they went for the name Wolfe Tones. Toney (Meath) - Posts: 298 - 09/11/2018 22:27:06 2150470 Link
Replying To Wicklowman: "It is Horeswood Not Horsewood" I was joking. It amazes me the amount of people that think its spelled Horsewood. Even the Leinster GAA website can't get it right. wex (Wexford) - Posts: 10 - 22/11/2018 09:24:05 2152073 Link
Someone mentioned my own club Mullahoran Dreadnoughts already. Have a history of unique names here, there were actually some other clubs in the parish that eventually got incorporated, including Loughduff Volunteers (won a Cavan Junior Championship in 1917) and Loughduff Millesians. Cavan have another good one in Drung Dalcassians. There are also a lot of old club names that have gone by the wayside, Finea Knights of Freedom (now Ballymachugh), Doogarry Raparees, Killeshandra Fontenoys for example. An awful pity some of these are gone, as they are great names, but some of these were clubs competing with other clubs within parishes and got incorporated into clubs who survive today, Killeshandra Leaguers for example. Loughduff Lad (Cavan) - Posts: 2383 - 22/11/2018 10:45:34 2152080 Link
Replying To Toney: "Years ago it was common to have two or even three clubs in one parish. My own club is the formation of four clubs, a GAA club with a quad barrelled name, now that would be something else but they went for the name Wolfe Tones." Castletown Finnea Coole Whitehall GFC? m_the_d (None) - Posts: 1099 - 22/11/2018 11:14:22 2152088 Link
Replying To m_the_d: "Castletown Finnea Coole Whitehall GFC?" That is stunning! How did this one come about I wonder? A formation of four clubs? Toney (Meath) - Posts: 298 - 22/11/2018 12:33:30 2152098 Link
Replying To Toney: "That is stunning! How did this one come about I wonder? A formation of four clubs?" CFCW is a strange one. Westmeath Club. Originally two clubs Castletown-Finea and Coole. Coole is a disbanded club that previously won a Junior B title in the 70's from what I know. Castletown-Finea won an intermediate in 1970s. I'm not sure when but Castletown-Finea absorbs the disbanded Coole club and for some reason (I'm guessing because a lot of the players of the time were from Whitehall) they also adopted the Whitehall name. To muddy the waters further here's how it looks at a parish level. (Whitehall and Coole are in the same Parish) (Catletown and Finea I think were their own parish but are now in the parish of Castlepollard) Whitehall, Coole, Finea and Castletown are all small villages or townlands surrounding the much larger town of Castlepollard which actually provide most of the players. Locals call the team just "Finea" even though the pitch is in Castletown. Finally Finea is actually in both Cavan and Westmeath, that's why it was mentioned previously as "Finea Knights of Freedom" who are now Ballymchugh (Cavan club team) Juniorbleague (Westmeath) - Posts: 33 - 22/11/2018 14:23:00 2152118 Link
Replying To Juniorbleague: "CFCW is a strange one. Westmeath Club. Originally two clubs Castletown-Finea and Coole. Coole is a disbanded club that previously won a Junior B title in the 70's from what I know. Castletown-Finea won an intermediate in 1970s. I'm not sure when but Castletown-Finea absorbs the disbanded Coole club and for some reason (I'm guessing because a lot of the players of the time were from Whitehall) they also adopted the Whitehall name. To muddy the waters further here's how it looks at a parish level. (Whitehall and Coole are in the same Parish) (Catletown and Finea I think were their own parish but are now in the parish of Castlepollard) Whitehall, Coole, Finea and Castletown are all small villages or townlands surrounding the much larger town of Castlepollard which actually provide most of the players. Locals call the team just "Finea" even though the pitch is in Castletown. Finally Finea is actually in both Cavan and Westmeath, that's why it was mentioned previously as "Finea Knights of Freedom" who are now Ballymchugh (Cavan club team)" Thanks for the info. Quick question would Castlepollard provide players for the Ballycomoyle team also? Toney (Meath) - Posts: 298 - 22/11/2018 16:24:10 2152134 Link
Replying To Toney: "Thanks for the info. Quick question would Castlepollard provide players for the Ballycomoyle team also?" Yes Castlepollard would. Although Ballycomoyle traditionally draw from Fore and Collinstown Juniorbleague (Westmeath) - Posts: 33 - 22/11/2018 17:05:40 2152137 Link