National Forum

Smallest Club In Each County

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Replying To greysoil:  "Rockcorry GAA in County Monaghan (I think). Monaghan & Ulster GAA junior club champions in the recent past - remember reading about them at the time- the total population is around 500."
Blackhill definitely smaller

achara (Monaghan) - Posts: 584 - 08/09/2021 11:49:23    2378742

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Replying To royaldunne:  "Interesting info there. A lot I didn't know about the club. Ballinabrackey has no pub, no shop, (use to have two) no post office (closed years ago). And no football pitch either. :) Now ok cause the parish actually takes in two villages castlejordan (which a part of is in Offaly) has the school and football pitch.
Here's a thing that not many people might know. You cannot get to ballinabrackey by road while staying in Meath. It is impossible. No matter where you drive from in Meath you will go through another county to get to ballinabrackey. Kildare Offaly or Westmeath. It can't be reached by road from any other parish while remaining in Meath. Useless piece of trivia but there you go."
Interesting point about Ballinabrackey, I have seen it on roadway signs, but never got to visit. Clonmore Harps are probably Offaly's smallest club, they have a few townlands on the Offaly Meath border.
They are not in Rhode parish, but combine with Rhode and St. Brigid's at underage level.
Lusmagh, Clareen Seir Kieran, are other small clubs in the hurling part of the county. Daingean have 4 clubs in the parish. It must be an Offaly thing, as there are 3 football teams in Killeigh parish, and one parish wide hurling team. Clonbullogue parish also boasts 3 football clubs.

MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 421 - 08/09/2021 13:34:57    2378773

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Replying To ballydalane:  "I would say Carrigeen. I think it's an area within the parish of Mooncoin in South Kilkenny but for some reason has its own GAA Club. Their first team play Junior D hurling which is basically the 7th division of hurling in Kilkenny. All of the teams in that level are the 2nd or 3rd string teams of bigger clubs.

Threecastles in North Kilkenny probably next smallest. Not sure if separate parish or within parish of Freshford. In the early years of the GAA they were a strong club, winning senior county titles, but these days their first team play Junior C (div 6), again against 2nd/3rd string teams of bigger clubs."
There were a few famous players with Kilkenny from Carrigeen who choose to play with Mooncoin.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 3026 - 08/09/2021 14:04:26    2378787

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Replying To beano:  "Tough one to answer for Wexford. Traditionally, Clonee would have been the smallest club, nestled in between Ferns and Camolin in the Ballyduff townsland. But they haven't fielded an adult men's team in a while, and although they do kick ladies football, they'd have strong playing numbers in that due to being the only ladies team in the area for a while.

Tara Rocks would have been next on the list, operating on the outskirts of Gorey. I remember how primitive their facilities were when I was playing under-age. But they have since amalgamated with Kilanerin (go as Tara Rocks in hurling and Kilanerin in football), who they were long-time under-age partners with as Ballynastragh Gaels (and have a new indoor facility, dressing rooms and pitch to boot). They field two teams in hurling now, although I have always said that Kilanerin were the biggest benefactors of that union.

I wouldn't be as familiar of the geography anywhere else in the county, but I imagine Our Lady's Island have to be the smallest club at the moment. Marshalstown-Castledockrell wouldn't be far behind either. And maybe Na Fianna in Wexford town, but the Clonard area would have a sizeable pool to pick from."
Was going to post much the same about Wexford if nobody had done so already, but I see Beano got here ahead of me.

He's pretty well on the money anyway, and after allowing for the Clonee and that Tara Rocks/Kilanerin situations, I reckon too that the smallest club operating by itself these days must be Our Lady's Island, in terms of local population and playing numbers.

Marshalstown/Castledockrell wouldn't be that different from other clubs such as Davidstown/Courtnacuddy or Kilrush/Askamore - none of them particularly big, but all definitely bigger than Our Lady's Island.

As a side note, I remember being at a county Junior B hurling final which Our Lady's Island won, about 15 to 20 years ago. This was their first team. Their goalkeeper was in his 40s and one of their corner forwards was still only 15. If that's not the epitome of a small club, then I don't know what is!

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2835 - 08/09/2021 14:05:41    2378788

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Replying To HandballRef:  "In terms of population, the smallest pick would be Pettigo, followed by Na Rossa. Pettigo area has a population of around 500, Na Rossa is around 600. They are the only two teams who can't field a reserve team at senior level. When tickets were allocated to clubs for the All Ireland final, Pettigo had the lowest allocation and Na Rossa second lowest."
In terms of geographical size, Bundoran have the smallest catchment area I believe, but it's obviously well populated. I'd say Na Rossa have the smallest population in their catchment area. Uptake in Gaelic football would be quite high there, they just do not have the population available to sustain the club. Pettigo, I'd imagine, have a slightly higher population, but struggle with uptake because the GAA culture just isn't there. I'd imagine there may be protestant families also who never really got involved in the club, unlike other parts of Donegal, but I could well be off the mark there.

DL_Man (Donegal) - Posts: 145 - 08/09/2021 14:13:25    2378797

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Replying To royaldunne:  "Interesting info there. A lot I didn't know about the club. Ballinabrackey has no pub, no shop, (use to have two) no post office (closed years ago). And no football pitch either. :) Now ok cause the parish actually takes in two villages castlejordan (which a part of is in Offaly) has the school and football pitch.
Here's a thing that not many people might know. You cannot get to ballinabrackey by road while staying in Meath. It is impossible. No matter where you drive from in Meath you will go through another county to get to ballinabrackey. Kildare Offaly or Westmeath. It can't be reached by road from any other parish while remaining in Meath. Useless piece of trivia but there you go."
Nice trivia but a quick look on Google Maps suggests that it is not true.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13795 - 08/09/2021 14:15:49    2378798

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Replying To bloodyban:  "Ballinacurra gaels I'd say in Limerick. If we are going on members. It's in the city but barely fields teams. Out the county,probably Staker Wallace GAA . A few townlands,not even a parish I think"
Camogue Rovers would be a very small club too

johnocarroll17 (Limerick) - Posts: 408 - 08/09/2021 14:41:50    2378806

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Replying To MesAmis:  "Nice trivia but a quick look on Google Maps suggests that it is not true."
Couldn't resist having a look myself :)

It can be done all right. You'd be using narrow back roads, but those roads are still in Meath.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2835 - 08/09/2021 15:02:34    2378816

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In Mayo, the smallest clubs in terms of area are probably Lacken or Ardagh. Both are in amalgamations under age with 3-4 other clubs, Ardagh is sandwiched between Ballina, Knockmore and Crossmolina, while Lacken has the sea on 2 sides and Killala and Ballycastle taking up large areas. Lacken definitely punched above their weight in the past, competing in senior county semi finals/finals in the 80s. Ardagh probably punching above their weight at the moment, think they've about 900 poeple living in the parish. Population wise it might be Ballycroy, I think theres about 800 people in the catchment area? And most would be elderly. Ballycroy are improving, but lack the playing numbers really.

Jimmy192 (Mayo) - Posts: 107 - 08/09/2021 15:20:20    2378821

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There may be some clubs in South Mayo that have smaller catchment areas/population - Similar to North Mayo there are a lot of smaller clubs right beside one another.

Jimmy192 (Mayo) - Posts: 107 - 08/09/2021 16:16:39    2378833

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Replying To johnocarroll17:  "Camogue Rovers would be a very small club too"
Was thinking the same myself, think they are up a Junior A in Football now

Southsham (Limerick) - Posts: 752 - 08/09/2021 17:23:23    2378846

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I believe even St Joseph's in Co Roscommon is the smallest in Ireland

Ros2013 (Roscommon) - Posts: 529 - 08/09/2021 18:30:37    2378863

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Couldn't resist having a look myself :)

It can be done all right. You'd be using narrow back roads, but those roads are still in Meath."
Yeah had to check it up, to be fair I'd say the most direct route to Ballinabrackey probably always leaves Meath but it can all be done within Meath if you so wish.

Afaik there is a part of Monaghan that can only be reached by going through Fermanagh. Drummelly I believe its called. Monaghan posters would know better.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13795 - 08/09/2021 19:14:23    2378872

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Replying To royaldunne:  "Interesting info there. A lot I didn't know about the club. Ballinabrackey has no pub, no shop, (use to have two) no post office (closed years ago). And no football pitch either. :) Now ok cause the parish actually takes in two villages castlejordan (which a part of is in Offaly) has the school and football pitch.
Here's a thing that not many people might know. You cannot get to ballinabrackey by road while staying in Meath. It is impossible. No matter where you drive from in Meath you will go through another county to get to ballinabrackey. Kildare Offaly or Westmeath. It can't be reached by road from any other parish while remaining in Meath. Useless piece of trivia but there you go."
According to google maps you can. You can go from Clonard, through Tircroughan onto Ballinabrackey via local roads all with the boundary of Meath.

The_Fonz (Westmeath) - Posts: 214 - 08/09/2021 19:21:54    2378876

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Replying To Ros2013:  "I believe even St Joseph's in Co Roscommon is the smallest in Ireland"
Is that Kilteevan Ros2013.
Seamus Hayden's club when he played midfield on the 1980 Roscommon team that reached the All Ireland Final.

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2376 - 08/09/2021 20:22:12    2378885

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Replying To kerry4sam21:  "valentia kerry"
Valentia, Co. Kerry
Area: 25.7 km2 (9.9 sq mi)
Length: 11 km (6.8 mi)
Population: 6oo

Gaa Fan (USA) - Posts: 763 - 08/09/2021 21:04:08    2378895

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Replying To MesAmis:  "Yeah had to check it up, to be fair I'd say the most direct route to Ballinabrackey probably always leaves Meath but it can all be done within Meath if you so wish.

Afaik there is a part of Monaghan that can only be reached by going through Fermanagh. Drummelly I believe its called. Monaghan posters would know better."
The road from Cavan to Clones crosses the border to Fermanagh 4 times so I'm assuming that's the area in question

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12293 - 08/09/2021 21:08:41    2378902

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Clonbony in Clare and Valentia in Kerry I think.

dingle2 (Kerry) - Posts: 278 - 08/09/2021 21:16:57    2378906

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Replying To Gaa Fan:  "Valentia, Co. Kerry
Area: 25.7 km2 (9.9 sq mi)
Length: 11 km (6.8 mi)
Population: 6oo"
St Pauls in Meath would have only a few hundred of a catchment population area.

ONdeDITCH (Limerick) - Posts: 873 - 08/09/2021 21:47:11    2378914

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Replying To Breffni40:  "The road from Cavan to Clones crosses the border to Fermanagh 4 times so I'm assuming that's the area in question"
Yeah just looked it up there, it's south west of Clones on the main road to Cavan. Doesn't look to be any way in or out without popping into Fermanagh.

No mention of Drummelly so not sure where I plucked that out of! A few other townlands named.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13795 - 08/09/2021 21:48:21    2378915

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