Foreword
In this the 60th continuous year of the GAA in the parish of Aghaderg it is my good fortune and honour to be the chairman of Aghaderg GFC and Ballyvarley HC. Over these sixty years and indeed before that the GAA has provided a much needed and valuable service to the community of Aghaderg and in doing so has rooted the traditions of Cumann Luthchleas Gael within the people and families of our small rural community. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine our parish without the active involvement of the GAA. Therefore it is only but right that we as a club and as a community acknowledge the huge debt we owe to the original founders of our club and all those people in the intervening years who have worked so hard to keep alive the spirit, ethos and traditions of the great organisation of which we are all part.
The true measure of a club’s success is not simply the number of trophies it wins, rather it is in the way it extends to all the members of its community, young and old, boys and girls, the talented and not so talented, the opportunity to partake within the community and to feel appreciated for the efforts they make. On this measure, Aghaderg GFC and Ballyvarley HC can consider themselves among the best in Co. Down and to have remained true to the principles of our founding members and the GAA. Today our young people have opportunities to partake in football, hurling, camogie, Irish dancing, athletics and scor thanks to the enthusiasm of our coaches and the dedicated members of our club who work tirelessly to ensure its continued success.
Our club like all clubs owe a lot to our ladies who perform a lot of good work that is often overlooked. Those women and girls who have cleaned, served, prepared and organised so many functions and gatherings over the years, have brought an extra and much appreciated dimension to our club. Their efforts, often discreet and unpretentious, have added enormously to our club and we are much indebted to them.
It is my privilege and honour on behalf of all of us who have benefited from our club over the years to extend our heartfelt and warm thanks to all of those, past and present, who have worked for the GAA in Aghaderg thereby providing both enjoyment and excitement to many thousands of people over the past sixty years.
Chairman
Aodhan O’Labhra
Sixty Years A Growing Aghaderg GFC and Ballyvarley HC.
Sunday August 29th 1943 witnessed the establishment of the present Aghaderg GFC, which has actively promoted Gaelic games and culture within the parish until the present day.
The highlight of the first year was a runner up position in the newly formed Frontier Junior League where they continued to play until 1948 when they gained promotion to the intermediate league.
While juvenile and minor football was not as well organised during this period within the county Aghaderg were very much to the fore in encouraging their young players. A number of Aghaderg players were on a combined Aghaderg, Tullylish and Banbridge minor team which won the minor championship 1947 and again in 1951 seven Aghaderg players were on the Banbridge team, which won the same competition. These included Joe, John and Eddie Lennon, Hugh and Nat Ross, Patsy Kearney, Jack Warnock and Eamon Byrne.
During the early 1950’s Aghaderg had a number of successes in seven a side competitions and indeed these players along with the promising minor players were to form the foundation of a very successful era which stretched from 1954 to 1961. The Lennon brothers, Joe, John, Eddie and Frank (RIP), Hugh Ross, Jack Warnock and Gerard McGrath all represented Down at various levels during this period.
In 1958 Aghaderg gained promotion by winning section 1 of the newly formed South Down Intermediate League and by defeating Longstone , the winners of section 2 in the league final.
The 1960’s were to see less success on the playing fields but hurling and football continued to be promoted while the success of ex playing member Joe Lennon at inter county level was always an inspiration. It is interesting to study the records and note those players who contributed to each era, in most instances without winning any silverware but enjoying the game, the camaraderie and by making their own distinctive contribution to the life and development of the parish.
A typical year? -1964 Aghaderg finished in 6th position in the South Down Intermediate league and were defeated in the third round of the championship by Drumaness. The Aghaderg story records that the following 28 players represented the club Hugh Ross(23) Gregory McGovern (22) Francis Burns, Gerard McGrath, Jim Ross and Barney McGivern (21) Jim McAvoy, Eugene McGrath and Frank Lennon (20) Pat McCourt and Carbrie McGovern (17) Kevin Quinn (16) Dessie Quinn and Pat Meehan (14) Fr P Kearney and Mickey McGrath (7) Seamus Byrne and Louis Campbell (6) Noel McGrath and Sean McGrath (3) Martin Lennon and Brendan Warnock (2) Celestine McGrath Davy Ferguson, Fr J Warnock, Joe McGrath, Gus Lennon Francie McGrath (1)
The early 1970’s also witnessed the first juvenile success in the club when an U 16 team captained by Raphael Cribbin and managed by Seamus McGrath were defeated in a championship final by Newry Shamrocks but gained revenge by beating Shamrocks in a South Down seven a side competition. The final was played after a National League match and refereed by All-Ireland
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referee Patsy Devlin, Tyrone. Many of this team including Brendan Lennon, Michael Sands, Raphael Cribbin, Michael Higgins, Liam Ross, Gregory and Brendan McGrath formed the backbone of senior football teams for the next decade. During the late ‘70’s and early ‘80’s Michael Sands won All Ireland minor and U 21 medals , an Ulster Senior championship and a National League title. Michael is also the proud possessor of a full range of college medals from Corn Na Nog to Hogan.
The 1980’s were to see continued efforts at both juvenile and senior level but lack of numbers made it difficult to gain success and the greatest disappointment occurred in 1984 when a golden opportunity for promotion was lost in the committee room. The senior panel of Brendan Malone, Peter Donald, Cairbre McGovern, Gusty Lennon, Brendan Lennon, Brendan Donald, Michael Higgins, Sean O’Neill, Anthony McGrath, Kevin O’Neill, Martin Burns, Tom Sands, Seamus O’Rourke, Damien Lennon, Francie McGrath, Aidan McAvoy, Finbarr Lennon, Francie Burns, Martin Malone, Gerard McAvoy Gerard Lennon, Gerard O’Neill and Paul Neeson under the direction of Seamus McGrath were to lose a golden opportunity to gain promotion in centenary year when a bizarre decision by the county committee robbed the Aghaderg club of their just rewards. In the 1990’s at senior level Aghaderg won the 1995 South Down Winter League under the direction of Kevin Murphy and barely missed promotion in the play offs. However, they were to struggle in the next few years as they suffered from the twin scourges of emigration and transfers.
The 1990’s like the 1970’s were to witness a major commitment to juvenile members of the club. The problems associated with declining numbers were addressed by seeking amalgamations with some of our neighbouring parishes. A number of juvenile teams gained success at South Down divisional level on our own at U 14 level, with Glenn at U 15 Og Sport and at U 16 level, with Annaclone at minor and U 21 level. The U 21 team had two excellent years when they proved themselves a match for the best in the county. In 2000 they beat Rostrevor in the South Down Final but were narrowly defeated by an outstanding Kilcoo side who had defeated them in the corresponding Og Sport final four years previously. In 2001 they were defeated by An Riocht in the South Down Final. The Aghaderg coaches involved in the different levels in this era included, Gusty Lennon, Seamus McGrath Adrian Lennon, Gerard O’Neill, Michael Sands Gerard Mc Avoy and Eamon Farrell. Many of these players are now the backbone of the present senior team who gained promotion to division 3 in 1999 and were beaten finalists in the 2001 Junior Football Championship. This Championship final was to generate great excitement in the parish, as Aghaderg had never managed to reach a championship final in its fifty-eight year existence. Training was stepped up to three hard sessions per week and the expertise of Brian Canavan ex Armagh manager was introduced to support the efforts of team manager Seamus McGrath and his assistant Gregory McGrath. Their efforts were dealt a blow when they lost three players to injury and one to suspension. However, on the day Mitchels proved marginally stronger and more experienced to win 2-9 to 0-9. Nine teenagers played on this historic day and they were ably supported by players such as Anthony McGrath, Pat Lennon and Gerard McAvoy who had laboured for more than two decades in the Aghaderg colours. A disappointing result but a tremendous experience for all those involved. Three of this teenage group played minor football for Down in the Ulster championship viz Rory Simpson, John McAreavey and Colm Farrell while eleven played in the 2001 championship campaign – can you spot them in the team photograph?
The new millennium witnesses the continued promotion of Gaelic football in the parish of Aghaderg. The senior football team had a disappointing year when they failed to maintain their division 3 status as they lost out in the play offs. The 2003 panel included Paul McGrath, Donal Moran, Mervyn Colgan, James McGrath, Martin Fitzpatrick, Paul McGivern, Graeme Donaghy, David McGovern, Conor Lavery, Martin O’Neill, Rory Simpson, Pat Lennon, Aaron McAvoy, Stephen Fitzsimmons, Damien Simpson, Anthony McGrath, Cathal McGrath, John McAreavey, Willie Fitzpatrick, Kieran Lennon, Mark McGrath, Colm O’Neill and Ciaran Connolly under the direction of Tony Kearney. Hopefully this disappointment can be seen as an opportunity to follow the example of Banbridge, Ardglass and Glenn who in the last three years have benefited enormously by using this less competitive division to regroup, reorganise and blood a few young players as each in turn gained promotion and success in the Junior championship.
Throughout this review of football in Aghaderg, there is the recurring theme of the promotion of the game at juvenile level. 2003 again demonstrates this commitment as a dedicated group of parents and club members have coached and organised an enthusiastic group of young boys and girls in the skills of the game. The final activity on the football pitch this year was an internal juvenile football blitz when 28 U 10s and 28 U 14s took part in the day’s events which were coordinated by Donal Moran, Mervyn Colgan, Martin Donnelly and Gerard McAvoy.
