GAA in Kilmurry Ibrickane Parish
The parish of Kilmurry Ibrickane is situated roughly mid-way in the west coast of Clare. It has a population of approximately 1600, two villages Mullagh & Quilty, three Catholic Churches Mullagh, Coore & Quilty and five primary schools Annagh, Coore, Mullagh, Quilty & Scropul.
The fact that we are within the ancient Barony of Ibrickane accounts for the second half of our name and helps to distinguish us from other parishes with the name Kilmurry in County Clare. While a team under the name Coore reached the senior county final in 1890, a club bearing the parish name did not come into existence until 1914. The club achieved honours in its first year when the Junior Championship was won. A junior title was added in 1929. A major breakthrough was achieved by the club in 1933 when the County Senior Championship was won.
Due to an abundance of talent in the parish at that time, a second club, Quilty came into being. They won the Clare junior championship in 1933, the Cusack Cup in 1934 and the senior title in 1935 and 1936. In 1935 history was made when both teams from the parish (Kilmurry Ibrickane & Quilty) met in the County final. In 1939 with the parish footballers reunited under the name of St. Mary’s the senior title was captured once more.
In the 1950s the club was reorganised and special emphasis was placed on the training of juvenile teams, before long this work started to pay off with the winning of several underage titles. Within a few years, a number of young and very talented players had found places on our senior team. That run of successes, began in 1961 with the winning of the under 15 championship. In 1962 the under 14 and under 16 titles came our way. In 1963 we reached those juvenile finals again but this time without success. However, the winning of the Minor A and senior championships (the former for the first time ever, the latter after a 24 year span) that year provided reasonable compensation!
Our club won U14’s, U16’s and Minor titles in 1964. 1966 proved to be a memorable year for Kilmurry Ibrickane. The U16’s, U21’s and senior championships were won.
The next twelve years 1967 – 1988 inclusive, were to bring us just 4 titles, U16’s and minor in 1969; U14’s in 1972 and intermediate in 1977. Two years later a talented U16 team, took the county title. This was followed by minor Championships in 1980 and 1981, a McTigue Cup, junior league in 1982 and the under 21 titles in 1983 and 1984. It was almost five years before another trophy of any shape of form came our way, when our junior team, got us out of the rut by winning the Geraldine League in 1989. In June 1992, some reward for the effort being put into juvenile coaching came the club’s way with the winning of the U16 Div. 2 league. Later on, our highly talented U12 team won the ‘B’ championship. Sunday September 12th 1993, was probably one of the greatest days in the 80 year history of our club. Our minor team took the “B” title and then came the “big one” as our senior team came from behind in the last quarter to beat Doonbeg and bring back the “Jack Daly” after a 27 year wait. The tremendous effort which has been put in place for under age football in our parish was rewarded when further under 12 B success in the mid-ninety’s and then came County titles at the A level in 1996 and 1998. Our under 21’s kept up our spirits in late 1990s with County Championship A successes in 1995, 1996 and 1998 while our Senior team recaptured the Cusack Cup (Clare Senior Football League) after a gap of several decades by defeating Kilkee in 1997.
A new era dawned in 2000 with the winning of the All Ireland Feile U14 competition. The past decade has seen Kilmurry Ibrickane win four Co. Senior Championships 2002, 2004, 2008 & 2009, the Cusack Cup in 2008, 6 U21’s 2001 and the five in a row 2003 to 2007.
Sunday 12th December 2004 is another date that will forever be remembered in our parish when we won our first Munster Senior Club Championship. Indeed 2004 was also the year when the club won the Senior, U21, Minor, U14 & U12 championships along with a Junior League. On 6th December 2009 a second Munster club title came to the parish when back to back senior titles (2008 & 2009) were again achieved by Kilmurry Ibrickane parish. Our second Munster title was the stepping stone to contesting our first All Ireland Club Final in Croke Park on St. Patrick’s Day 2010
On the administration side the biggest undertaking by far in the club’s history was the purchase of an 11 acre site which is now Pairc Naomh Mhuire. Apart from the development of the playing pitch most other works such as the building of the dressing rooms & walls construction of car park etc was done by voluntary labour. The recruiting, organising and indeed motivating of these generous people to such good effect is something that the club officers of the time can certainly feel proud.
The park was officially opened 1st May 1994 while the 1000 seater stand was erected by local contractor John Meany in 1998 and officially opened on 2nd May 1999.
In May 2009 we launched our Academy service for coaching children aged from five to nine years of age. Essentially each child will be coached in their own age group and each will learn three skills every year. This academy comes under the guidance of our Games Promotion Officer Michael Considine, Senior Club Chairman Gerard Talty and Minor Club Chairman Ciaran O’Dea
Kilmurry Ibrickane GAA Club caters for both boys and girls in all age groups from Under 10 to Adult. For details of training schedules and match times please contact secretary.kilmurryibrickane.clare@gaa.ie or our website www.kilmurryibrickane.clare.gaa.ie
087 2322140