Turloughmore Hurling Club
Turloughmore G.A.A. Club was formed at a meeting of the Irish National League held in Lackagh on 14th May 1886. The guiding light of the Club in those years was Patrick Murray of Turloughmore. The club appeared in their first County Final in 1893 but were defeated by College Road.
Turloughmore became a central venue for many major Tournaments and hosted the County Senior Football and Hurling Finals in 1896 which were played in the Fair Green. As the sport developed and travel was difficult, other clubs were formed in the parish in Cregmore and Liscanninane.
The First County title to come to the parish was in 1907 when Turloughmore Sarsfields won the County Junior Hurling Final. Captained by Augustine O’Brien which included stars of the past like Pat Greaney of Monard and Walter Murphy of Ballyglass.
Cregmore defeated Derrydonnell in the County Final in 1910. Success however was short lived as Derrydonnell objected and were awaded the title. A Cregmore player was alleged to have played with another club earlier in the Championship while working in that area.
Liscanninane fielded a team from 1911 to 1917. Another team was formed in Monard in the 1930’s until 1932, while teams in Cregmore and Lackagh came into being for short periods.
In 1935 a group of young men who had gathered in Conneeley’s Forge in Carheenlea decided that as the Monard team was now disbanded, they would set up their own team in the area. That team introduced the famed Black & White colours to the Club and nine years later in 1944 Coolarne won the County Junior title with names like Michael Joe Badger, Jack Morris, Mattie Healy and Willie ‘Riley’ Morris.
Fourteen years later in 1949, Cregmore, Coolarne, and Turloughmore amalgamated and played under the name St. Vincent’s. That team captured the County Junior title that year with names like Jim McGrath, Patrick O’Kane, Larry Doyle, Murty McGrath, Paddy Culkin and Tim Ward.
St. Vincent’s once again captured the County Junior title in 1954 when names like Pakie Burke, Jimmy Egan, Paddy and Frank Fahy came to the fore. That year also saw Turloughmore play in the Senior Hurling Championship.
In 1956, when all Clubs in the parish amalgamated - Coolarne, Cregmore, Knockdoe, Lackagh, and Turloughmore to play Senior as Turloughmore. The Club recorded it’s way into the history books by capturing the County Senior Hurling title, a team that was captained by Pakie Burke.
The amalgamation of the parish Clubs paved the way for the historic record of Turloughmore’s six in a row Senior Hurling Championship titles from 1961 to 1966 - a feat never before or since accomplished in Galway Hurling. These successful teams were captained by Jimmy Egan (1961); Jackie Gill (1962); Michael Cullinane (1963); Mickey Cullinane (1964); Paddy Fahy (1965) and Frank Coffey (1966).
Turloughmore also made an historic breakthrough in 1966 when they captured the inagural Joe Salmon trophy in the County Under 14 Championship.
In 1975, the Club added the Under 16 title which was the only title won until the 1980s when the Club once again won county silverware.
Turloughmore became a central venue for many major Tournaments and hosted the County Senior Football and Hurling Finals in 1896 which were played in the Fair Green. As the sport developed and travel was difficult, other clubs were formed in the parish in Cregmore and Liscanninane.
The First County title to come to the parish was in 1907 when Turloughmore Sarsfields won the County Junior Hurling Final. Captained by Augustine O’Brien which included stars of the past like Pat Greaney of Monard and Walter Murphy of Ballyglass.
Cregmore defeated Derrydonnell in the County Final in 1910. Success however was short lived as Derrydonnell objected and were awaded the title. A Cregmore player was alleged to have played with another club earlier in the Championship while working in that area.
Liscanninane fielded a team from 1911 to 1917. Another team was formed in Monard in the 1930’s until 1932, while teams in Cregmore and Lackagh came into being for short periods.
In 1935 a group of young men who had gathered in Conneeley’s Forge in Carheenlea decided that as the Monard team was now disbanded, they would set up their own team in the area. That team introduced the famed Black & White colours to the Club and nine years later in 1944 Coolarne won the County Junior title with names like Michael Joe Badger, Jack Morris, Mattie Healy and Willie ‘Riley’ Morris.
Fourteen years later in 1949, Cregmore, Coolarne, and Turloughmore amalgamated and played under the name St. Vincent’s. That team captured the County Junior title that year with names like Jim McGrath, Patrick O’Kane, Larry Doyle, Murty McGrath, Paddy Culkin and Tim Ward.
St. Vincent’s once again captured the County Junior title in 1954 when names like Pakie Burke, Jimmy Egan, Paddy and Frank Fahy came to the fore. That year also saw Turloughmore play in the Senior Hurling Championship.
In 1956, when all Clubs in the parish amalgamated - Coolarne, Cregmore, Knockdoe, Lackagh, and Turloughmore to play Senior as Turloughmore. The Club recorded it’s way into the history books by capturing the County Senior Hurling title, a team that was captained by Pakie Burke.
The amalgamation of the parish Clubs paved the way for the historic record of Turloughmore’s six in a row Senior Hurling Championship titles from 1961 to 1966 - a feat never before or since accomplished in Galway Hurling. These successful teams were captained by Jimmy Egan (1961); Jackie Gill (1962); Michael Cullinane (1963); Mickey Cullinane (1964); Paddy Fahy (1965) and Frank Coffey (1966).
Turloughmore also made an historic breakthrough in 1966 when they captured the inagural Joe Salmon trophy in the County Under 14 Championship.
In 1975, the Club added the Under 16 title which was the only title won until the 1980s when the Club once again won county silverware.
|
The Turloughmore Song When we honour in song and in story, The names of our great hurling men, Whose courage and grit brought them glory, With teams from the hillside and glen. Forget not the champs of old Turlough', Who vanquished both Loughrea and Gort, And afterwards dethroned the Champions, And brought back the cup to the North. '61 is the year to remember, In the cool of that dull Autumn day, When the black and white colours of Turlough' Were flourished beside Galway Bay, And the signal for action was sounded, When each stalwart-he gave of his worth, To uphold the great honour of Turlough', And bring back the cup to the North. The goalie was Madden, Coolarne, The five foot with keeness of eye, Whose tactics and saves were a marvel, As the bullets he stopped like a boy. Well covered in front by a comrade, The bold Pakie Burke of renown, Whose greatness is well known in gaeldom, From Dublin to old Galway Town. And flanked on the right by Jim Egan, The captain who steered them with pride, While the left berth was held by young Caulfield, A worthy left-back forhis side, And with trojans like Gill and Delaney, Well assisted by Long from Cregmore, The back-lines of Turlough' were steadfast, And only the greatest could score. Centrefielders were Cullinane and Murphy, The heroes of many a game, They starred in high-catching and striking, And made their opponents look tame. While the treat of the hour was the forwards, Alphie Glavin with Qualter and Forde, They slipped through the backs like young greyhounds, and ran up the scores on the board. While the full line availed of all chances, Where Frank Fahy shone out like a star, He slapped in the scores when they counted, And kept them well under the bar. And the bold Johnny Burke in the corner, With an eye like a hawk on the net, When his chances of scoring were harrassed, He passed them to Cullinane to get. And now for the man at the helm boys, Who helped them to victory that day, Three cheers for the trainer Mick Brennan, The man with the will and the way. He gave them the drivers when needed, That little bit extra to win, May we always have men like Mick Brennan, To call on when needed again. Ana a toast to the subs and supporters, The old and the new all akin, They all played a part in the victory, As they cheered for old Turlough to win. And the black and white flags went a soaring, And the road that was long became short, As the whistle of victory was sounded, And the cup carried back to the North. So here's a good luck to the champions, May their ideals be always the same, To keep up the gaelic tradition, And never lose sight of the game. With their actions so sporting and manly, Theyr'e bound to be heard of again, So cheers for the brave lads of Turlough, Three cheers for the County Cup win. |
Frank Forde recording the Turlughmore song.
Frank was a key member of the 1963 Turloughmore hurling team when winning the County senior Hurling cup for the fourth time in the Club's history.
|