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KILLINKERE GFC

Killinkere GFC has been in existence since at least 1889. That is 120 years ago this year. I came across a national newspaper from that time. Among the headlines were: March 1889- First Armagh GAA Championship was held; March 24th 1889- First Cavan GAA convention was held in Armagh.

September 8th 1889- the GAA holds a football match between Killinkere and Crosserlough. The game was reported on by the Anglo Celt as being “more like a contest between 42 dangerous and ferocious wire haired lunatics than any competition”. That team became known as the “Killinkere Defenders”.

The club as we know it was formed in 1929 with families like the Staffords, Clarkes, Roes and Smiths being ever present.

The club won its first title in 1936, a minor Championship. The backbone of the team consisted of two Staffords, two Clarkes, John Cooney and Mickey Reilly. The first ever senior league title was won in 1938 with many of 1936s minors playing a starring role.

Killinkere contested two senior championship finals in the 1940s, losing at the hands of Cornafean on both occasions. However, Killinkere got back to winning ways in 1956 claiming the junior title. Mickey Sheridan scored twelve points in the final. Goalkeeper Hughie Cooney never conceded a goal during that campaign. That team contained many players who would go on to be the backbone of the club for years to come. Players like Phils Jemmy, John and Edward Sheridan would go on to become chairmen of the club.

Championship success would not come our way again until 1972, when we won the junior championship for a second time. This team also produced future chairmen, including current chairman, Brendan Clarke.

We waited 10 years more for another taste of victory when the clubs first and only intermediate championship was won. Little did we know that 27 years later we would still be waiting for our fourth championship title.

The late 80s and early 90s saw Tom Duff and his men battle their way from division 3 up to the heights of division 1. Kingpins of Cavan football such as Mullahoran, Gowna, Crosserlough and the mighty Cavan Gaels were all put to the sword in Jim Smith Park. Unfortunately, due to a restructuring of the championship, no championship successes were recorded.

Underage football was established in the club in the mid 60s. 1968 saw the first success for the clubs youths, in the shape of an U-14 league. The foundations for the future of Killinkere football were laid in years to follow. Men like PJ McGovern, Fr Burns, Aidan Cullen, Frank McBrearty, the late Tom Flynn, current chairman Brendan Clarke, Nicholas Comey and many more moulded our young footballers into the players of today. These men guided the young people, encouraging participation and improving our coaching structures.

Killinkere GFC have provided many gifted players for the Countys cause over the years and have had representation of all five of Cavans All Ireland winning teams.

The Great Jim Smith of Derryham was the first man to bring Sam Maguire back to Ulster, captaining the 1933 winning team. Smith played every game in the 1935 All Ireland campaign. Again Cavan emerged victorious.

In possibly the most famous of All Ireland Finals, two men, Joe Stafford and Terry Sheridan, represented our parish. Terry Sheridan was the youngest member of the panel that year. The year in question is of course 1947. The final, which was played in the “Polo Grounds” in New York, was the only ever All Ireland Final to be played outside of the country, to mark the centenary of the Great Famine.

Joe and Terry once again represented the club the following year when Cavan lay claim to their fourth title. Terry’s brother John flew the Killinkere flag in Cavans last victory to date in 1952.

John Kerr was on the losing side in the 1952 All Ireland minor Final but continued to represent Killinkere with distinction for years after.

Another All Ireland victory that is often forgotten in the Minor hurling final of 1985. The competition was designed for the weaker counties. Representatives on the victorious Cavan panel were Eddie McGuinness, Sean McDermott and Edward Flynn.

The man who deserves much praise for this victory is the late Christy McCormack. A Tipperary native, Christy introduced hurling to Killinkere and Cavan. Christy not only chaired the club for a couple of terms but also managed the senior team. Christy was also a prominent figure in hurling across the county and was chairman of the County hurling board for a number of years.

Over the years the club also had many victorious camogie teams. Great players such as the Dennings, the Conways, the Sheridans, Margaret Carroll, Kathleen McGuinness and Ann Sullivan, to name but a few, wrote their names in the history books of this club.

The club colours as we know are green and gold, however this was not always the case. The original club colours were red and white. Following several meetings in the 1930s and 40s with Cornafean, who donned the same colours, a decision to change the colours was made. It is thought that the Might of Kerry influenced the choice of colour.

The pitch here in Beagh was not always the home of our club. Many a field in the area was used before we finally settled here at the Rectory.

When the club was first established, games were played in Comeys Meadow, between the school and Lisgrey, just beyond Sean Gillicks.

The early 30s saw the club move to “Hannons Bottom” in Granicunia, I’m unsure of the precise location. Then we spent a term in “Hoys field”, located between our current location and the Bailieborough road. We then headed back down the road, past the school and over the bridge to “John of the Bridges field” before we finally purchased land to build our own permanent home.

This purchase would not have come about without men with a great vision: Fr. Burns, Aidan Cullen, John and Edward Sheridan and Gerry and Pat Clarke.

There have been many great men and women involved throughout the history of the club.

From the very early days when Master Andrew Clarke, Paddy Sheridan and Brendan Ryan worked tirelessly, to later years when P.G, Pat and Brendan Clarke, Nicholas Comey and Aidan Cullen keep the show on the road.

In the intervening years, great club men such as Ownie McCabe, Christy McCormack, Phils Jemmy, Matt Stafford, Gerry Clarke, Edward Sheridan, Tom Flynn and Frank McBrearty were never found wanting when a Killinkere cause was concerned.

Some of the greatest players to have worn the green and gold jersey are All Ireland winners Jim Smith, Joe Stafford and Terry and John Sheridan.

Jimmy Stafford also has a very impressive medal collection including two McRory cups, two Ulster senior championship medals, one Ulster junior championship medal, one railway cup medal , two league medals and a junior championship medal with Killinkere. Jimmy also played in the first ever live televised GAA match in the 1962 All Ireland semi-final.

Damien Reilly, who was an ever-present force on the county team in the 80s and early 90s, picked up numerous Railway cup and McKenna cup medals in an Intercounty career that spanned over ten years.

John Cooney and Mickey Sheridan are widely regarded as two of the best ever club footballers never to have played for our county.

Comparing teams from different eras is difficult but clubmen who would have held their own in any era, past, present or future, are Mickey Clarke, Pat Terry, Jimmy and Terry Roe, Seamus and Sean Farrelly, Phils Jemmy, Edward Sheridan, Tom Duff, Edward Flynn and Tommy Smith.

You will never get an agreement on the clubs best players over the years however, one thing we can all agree on is that we have one of the best facilities in the county, if not the entire country. This club will continue to flourish with the support of both yourselves and your families and when the GAA are celebrating their 250th anniversary will there be somebody standing here thinking back to the great Killinkere teams and remembering the feats of the U10s and 12s, 14s and 16s of 2009, and the great minor team who claimed the championship of 09? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, they will be remembering the great service given to the club by people like Peter Tackney, Mary Fitzsimons, Madge Cooney, Pauline, P.J and Brendan Clarke, Rosaleen Doughty and all the various management teams currently involved with our teams.

It is important that we recognise and acknowledge the work that is being put in on our behalf NOW, and not in 125 years.

As a wise man once said: “Ask not what your club can do for you, but what you can do for your club”.

Today, as we unveil our new club crest, we install as a permanent reminder of the togetherness, camaraderie, community spirit & willingness to put “our shoulders to the wheel” , The moto

“Ni Neart Go Cur Le Cheile” (There is no strength without unity)