RADIO RINGSEND - THE GOOD OLD DAYS

 

Today the team at a relaunched RICC Radio keep the locals of Raytown informed but radio stations in the village are not new. The first station was in 1979 when Joe King opened Downtown Radio Dublin. The station was illegal, a pirate, operating outside the then law of the 1926 Wireless Telegraphy Act. DCR was located in a room above the CYMS and could be found by listeners on 312m MW. 

The stations aerial was strung across the road to a telephone pole. After a couple of months, the station moved to the back garden of Joe’s home off Grand Canal Street and was renamed Dublin Community Radio. They stayed on air until 1982. Joe King todays runs the Broadcast Technical Services company who provide transmission systems to many of today’s stations.

Joe King in the Studios of DCR, Courtesy of Joe King

Next was Radio Ringsend, the first of many visits of this festival station operated by the Community Broadcasting Co-Operative. CBC was set up by Dave Reddy, who worked at ARD Radio, in 1982 and operated short-term stations for a fortnight coinciding with local festivals in Sandymount, Ringsend, Glasnevin, Donnybrook and Mount Merrion. CBC was also involved with temporary stations in Ráth Chairn, Co. Meath and Wicklow Town.

Local Advertising poster (c) The Irish Pirate Radio Archive

Al O'Rourke on the air

L-R: Victor Ryan, Michael Nugent and Al O’Rourke at Radio Ringsend (courtesy Dave Reddy).

The late John Murray in the studio above Sally O'Brien's

In 1982, Radio Ringsend was located in the premises of what is now ABEC Glass. On Fitzwilliam Street. They then moved to Con O’Donoghue’s shop, now the local Spar and subsequently to Sally O’Brien’s pub which is now known as the Shipwright Guesthouse, both of these located on Thorncastle Street. The station’s final venue was the Irishtown Food store beside the Shelbourne Pharmacy on Irishtown Road.   

With the success for the festivals in Ringsend and Sandymount, the station came back on the air at Christmas broadcasting as Radio Snowflake. 

Snowflake closed in 1988 with the introduction of the new harsher Wireless Telegraphy Act, which made way for Independent commercial radio to replace the plethora of pirate stations that operated across the country. David Baker continued to run Radio Snowflake online before turning his attention to Breeze Radio which he operates in England, now his home.

An Advertising rate card for Radio Ringsend (c) Ian Biggar DX Archive

A different incarnation of a Christmas station was licensed by the Broadcasting Authority and Christmas FM now broadcasts across the country every Christmas raising millions for charity.

To hear some of Radio Ringsend’s output, tune in HERE.

This author currently has the original transmitter for the CBC stations, kindly donated by Dave Reddy to the Irish Pirate Radio Archive.

Sources:

pirate.ie    radiowaves.fm    DX Archive    Dave Reddy    David Baker    Irish Newspaper Archives    News Four

The Irish Pirate Radio Archive

The History of the GAA in Ringsend and Surrounding Districts

 

This history of Gaelic sports in the Ringsend, Irishtown, Pearse Street, Sandymount and Donnybrook areas of Dublin 2 & 4 has been compiled by Ringsend & District Historical Society member Shay Connolly.

 

In the early part of the 20th Century there were almost 20 GAA clubs operating out of Dublin 2 & 4 and it seems that many in this area took to the Cultural Revolution that was happening all across Ireland at that time. This is a list, not complete, of the various GAA clubs in Dublin 2 and Dublin 4 since the foundation of the GAA in 1884, the names associated with them, the Honours won and the players who represented Dublin at All Ireland Championship level through to 2000.

 

Can you find a relation in here anywhere? The Clubs

Fontenoy’s

Clanna Gael

Clanna Gael/Fontenoy

Isles of the Sea (Ringsend),

Peadar Mackens (Pearse St/ Ringsend), 

Sons of the Sea (Irishtown) 

Brother Sheares GFC (Baggot St),

St Andrews (Pearse St/ Ringsend) Sandymount GFC, 

Erins Isle GFC (Ringsend), 

Desmond GFC (Donnybrook),

Ed Gray’s (Merrion),

Henry Joy McCracken’s (Ballsbridge), 

Hillside GAC (Westland Row), 

St Marys (Donnybrook), 

Inishfael’s (Leeson Street– Pembroke Street), 

Kevin Barry GFC (Haddington Rd), Michael Dwyer (Ringsend), Donnybrook Davitts

Shamrock GFC (Fenian St).

O'Connell's Bodyguards GFC (Townsend St)

Liffey Dockyard GAC

Michael Malone GFC (Ringsend) 

St Declan’s GFC[1] (Grand Canal St)

 

The following is a brief history of these clubs.

 

Isles of the Sea: Ringsend

The most famous club of them all in the area. First meeting was held in Irishtown Rd on June 19^th, 1887 with 30 members handing in their subscriptions. Kevin Quinn was the first Captain (Chair) and G Maher was Vice Catpain (Vice Chair). J.J. Byrne from 33 Bath St was first Secretary. Prominent founding members included the North brothers, Bartle, Peter and Fran, Stephen Holland, William "Punch" Connolly, Joe Clarke, Jim Meagher, Charlie Thompson, John Ryan Vincent Nelson, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Michael Hoey, Tom and Christy Dunne. In

 

January 1888 Isles of the Sea played Fontenoy’s, the prize for the winners was a football donated by the workers in the Ringsend Bottle Works. Isles won their first Dublin Senior Football Championship in 1890 defeating Young Ireland GAC[2] in the final. Isles were captained by Charlie Thompson and outside of the founding members above also included Tom Whelan, J. Hoey, R. Lawlor, P. Hoare and Dan Holland who starred at full-back. Isles, who then represented Dublin in the All-Ireland championship were defeated by the Wexford champions in the Leinster Final by a point. In 1892 Isles of the Sea again contested the Dublin Senior Football Championship final against Young Ireland but the match was abandoned due to fighting and Young Irelands were later awarded the match and Trophy.

 

Isles won the Dublin Senior football championship again in 1895 but were defeated by the Meath champions in the Leinster Championship. Their captain was Tom Dunne, and their other players included Denny Adams, Tom Knott, Jack Dunne, D. Wheland, (sic) J. Behan, G Murphy and Mike Brien.

 

Isles didn’t enter a team in the Dublin Football Championship from 1897 to 1900 but were reformed again after a meeting held in the Seapoint House, Irishtown in Sept of 1900. Following the early death of one of their players, Denny Adams they organised a Tournament in Clonturk Park in aid of his family. Isles then went on to win their 3rd Dublin Senior Football Championship of 1900, (not played until 2nd Feb, 1902) beating Kickham’s in the final and then went on to win the All-Ireland for Dublin. The All Ireland was structured at the time in that whoever won the Senior County Championship, that club went on to select the players to represent that County in the All-Ireland Championship. Isles selected the team below and 7 players from Ringsend played for Dublin throughout the championship and more were amongst the substitutes. As was the rules at the time, that having won the All-Ireland in which they called it the 'Home Final' the winners then had to play the British Champions in the 'proper' Final to win the trophy. This obviously had to do with the big Irish diaspora in England. Isles having won the Home All Ireland, then defeated London Hibernians, whose team included Sam Maguire by 0-14 to 0-2 in the 'proper' Final. (of course, the same Sam Maguire became the official name of the All-Ireland Senior football trophy from 1928 after Sam had died in 1927 at 50 years of age from tuberculosis).

(c) News Four

McCullough (Dolphin’s goal), J. Fahy (Kickham’s), Dan Holland (Isles), J.C. O’Brien (Kickham’s), T. Doyle (Isles), McCann (Ben Eadair’s), J. Darcy (Isles) (Captain), P. ‘Cocker’ Daly (Parnell), M. Madigan (Kickham’s), P. Redmond (Dun Leary United), M. Brien (Isles), McCann (Dolphins), J. Whelan (Isles), T. Lawless (Isles) and Val Harris (Isles). Val Harris went on to play soccer for Shelbourne, Everton and both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland international football teams.

 

As the first side to win 3 Dublin Senior Football Championships, the Isles were allowed to keep the trophy. The trophy was proudly displayed in the front window of Murphys home on Cambridge Road for many years. One of the players, Thomas Doyle then took it back to Canada with him but returned it to his grandson, Jackie Mooney years later. Jackie, of course was a famous Centre Forward for Shamrock Rovers. In 1984, the Centenary of the GAA, Jackie offered the cup to the newly opened Museum in Croke Park but they turned the offer down. Jackie set up a Trust to look after it and it presently lies in the Collins’ Barrack's Museum. When we get our Heritage Shop opened in Ringsend, we will be asking the Trust to transfer it back to its true home of Ringsend.

 

Isles of the Sea ceased to compete in 1908 but were reorganised as a Junior Football team in 1914. Prominent players at that time included Bob Fulham (later Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers and Ireland soccer fame) Pat North, James Daly, John Reilly, Michael & William Penstone, Pat Geoghan, J. Nelson, Pat Quinlan, Tom Murphy, (Capt.) and the Lawless Brothers. This team competed for a few years but was again disbanded. What happened to the club in the year after they won the All-Ireland for Dublin in 1901 is still open to conjecture and certain facts have yet to be established as to why the Club first folded in those years after 1901.

 

In 1924 Isles were revived yet again and entered teams in both Junior Football and Junior Hurling. The Cleary brothers, The Stensons and The Whelan’s were the mainstay of these sides but the club was finally disbanded in 1927. Isles of the Sea had huge support in the Ringsend area and it was reported that over 4000 supporters attended a league match against Dolphins (Dolphins Barn) on Sunday 3rd March, 1901 in Irishtown.

 

1890: Charlie Thompson (Captain), Tommy Dunne, J. Joey, Fran North, Bartle North, Peter North, F. Rourke, T. Wheelan, Kevin Dunne, J. Reid, K. Fitzgerald, William ‘Punch’ Connolly, Phil McGrath, K. Byrne, J. Hennesey, M. Kearns, R. Lalor, Peter Hoare, D. Kennedy, M. Downes.

1895: Tommy Dunne (Captain), Denny Adams, M. Ward, Bartle North, J. Dunne, F. Wall, J. Whelan, J. Behan, P. Rourke, J. Hoey, Charles Dunne, T. Knott, Peter Hoare, G. Murphy, M. Brien, William Connolly, K. Lawlor, P. Walsh.

1900: Dan Holland (Captain), J. Gaffney, Edwards, Gale, Michael Whelan, John Whelan, Thomas. Whelan, James Whelan, (all brothers) William Boland, J. Fitzpatrick, C. Kelly, Peter Byrne, Thomas Lawless, Dan Dunne, B. Connor,

Honours:

All Ireland Champions, 1901

Dublin Senior Football Champions, 1890, 1895, 1900

Dublin Senior Football Championship Runners Up, 1892, 1904

Dublin Honours:

C Thompson

P Walsh

D Holland

T Dunne

R Lalor

W Connolly

C Dunne

F North

B North

P North

G Stroker

M Kearns

K Fitzgerald

K Quinn

JJ Hoey

P Rourke

G Kennedy

P Hore

D Whelan

P Hennessy

S Holland

S Cullen

M Ward

F Wall

J Matthews

P Byrne

D Adams

M O'Brien

A Murphy

T Knott

J Darcy

Tommy Doyle

L Kelly 

J Whelan 

T Lawless

Val Harris

B Connor

J McCann

 

Peadar Mackens.

The Club was founded in 1917 as a football club only and catered for the Pearse St and Ringsend area and named after Peadar who died in the fighting at Boland’s Mills Garrison during the 1916 Rebellion. Other Volunteers from the Boland’s Mills Garrison including Chris Carberry, Sean Quinn and Thomas Quinn were among its founding members. Phil Shanahan TD, a member of the first Dail, who was in the Garrison at Jacob's Biscuit Factory in 1916 was the Club's first President. Andy Clerkin, a businessman in Pearse St was its first Vice President and later became Lord Mayor of Dublin. Sinn Féin Councillor, Lorcan O'Toole would later replace him and Lorcan also served as Secretary of the Dublin County Board from 1915 to 1940 and served thus with Harry Boland as Chair in the years 1915 to 1918. In 1919 the club won the Donnybrook Tournament but were beaten in the Dublin Junior Football Championship final by St Brendan’s in the same year. In 1920, they again lost the final. Early players with the Club were:

Tom Duffy, 

Barney Higgins

Jimmy Dunne

Sean Quinn

Tom Quinn

Chris Carberry

Jim Kinsella

Willie Nolan

Peter Berry

Jim Kinsella

Charlie Noble

Andy Doyle

Pat Miller

Martin Walsh

When Dublin won the Leinster Junior Football Championship in 1922, the Macken's trio of Pat & Barney Higgins and Sean Quinn were on the panel.

In 1923 both Martin Walsh and Barry Higgins played with the Dublin Junior Football team. Mackens had to wait until 1934 to win the Dublin Junior Football Championship with Charlie Kelly, Gerry Bolger (Pearse Square) Sam Delaney, Joe Delaney, Dinny Doyle, Eddie Dunne and Matt Fletcher (Strasburg Terrace) prominent. In 1935, Jackie Carey, later Man Utd and Ireland soccer player represented Peadar Mackens on the Dublin Minor football team, beaten by a point to Louth. In 1939, Paddy 'Beefy' Kennedy from Mackens won an All-Ireland Junior medal.

 

Arguably the greatest achievement associated with Peadar Mackens was their representation of Charlie Kelly (goalkeeper,) Paddy Kennedy, Matt Fletcher, Joe Delaney and Mick Richardson on the 1942 Dublin Senior Football team that won the All-Ireland that year beating Galway 1-10 to 1-8 and ending a 19 year gap since Dublin last won it. (Note the exact same score and opposition as in 1983 and Dublin's '12 Apostles' win) 

Honours:

Minor Football Champions, 1935, 1944, 

Junior Football Champions: 1934, 1947,

Intermediate Football Champions, 1948. 

Senior Football Championship Runners Up: 1942, 1944.

Dublin Honours:

Sean Quinn

F Higgins

Martin Walsh

D Doyle

Matt Fletcher

J Delaney

J Hoey

T Driver

Paddy Kennedy

T Walsh

M Cashin

J Keogh

Dan O'Sullivan

Pat Walshe

Gerry O'Donoghue

Vinny Russell

P Kennedy

B Halpin

C Dignam

JJ Hughes

D Forde

Cyril Kelly

R Fagan

P Walsh

N Fingleton

W Brown

M Tobin

Jackie Carey

P Egan

B Masterson

W Gibson

J McWade

T Nolan

J Sherry

C Meighan

D Cannon

P Moran

Kevin Lockhead

M Sowden

S Prenderville

A Byrne

Gerry Bolger

Ned Dunne

 

Sons of the Sea. Irishtown.

Strangely not much is known about this club other than they contested the 1891 Dublin Senior Football Championship Final only to be beaten by Young Ireland GAC at Clonturk Park. Young Ireland then went on to win the first ever All Ireland for Dublin. Sons of the Sea, it is believed were formed about the same time as Isles of the Sea and were mainly from the Irishtown area. This scribe has heard stories of challenge games between the two clubs being of a very feisty nature. Whatever the nature, Sons of the Sea are not reported on after 1891 until suddenly they reemerge as winning the Dublin Intermediate Football Championship in 1919 and promotion to Dublin Senior Football Championship. After that the trail goes cold so it’s not sure if they ever played in the Dublin Senior Football Championship after 1919.

Honours

Dublin Intermediate Football Champions, 1919

Dublin Senior Football Championship Runners Up 1891

 

Fontenoy’s

The name Fontenoy itself comes from a small town in Belgium. It was scene of a battle on May 11^th 1745 as part of the War of the Austrian Succession between the French on the one hand and the British and Dutch on the other. The latter were assured of victory, or so it seemed, until the Irish Brigade – fighting for the French – made one last charge. To the cry of ‘Remember Limerick’ – a reference to the long defence of Limerick from the Williamites – the Irish Brigade, led by Lord Clare, Charles O’Brien, routed the British and Dutch forces and won the day.  The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Joseph Nanetti from the United Irish League unveiled The Celtic Cross Memorial at Fontenoy on August 25th, 1907.

It is reported that this area was greatly represented in the same Irish Brigade. When the first meeting took place at 20 Bath Avenue on October 7^th 1887, the name Fontenoy’s was proposed for the new Club and passed.  The first meeting was chaired by Mr J.J. Murphy. After a large number of members were enrolled, the following officers were elected: President, W. Nolan; Vice President, E. Mongoven; Captain J.J. (Joe) Byrne; Vice captain, C. Purfield; Treasurer P. Redmond; Hon. Secretary J.J. Murphy, 6 Havelock Square West.  Committee Members: P. Dunne, W. Moore, L Mooney, P. Ricken and J. Reade.

 

Fontenoy’s’ first match was a Gaelic football match in Elm Park (now St Vincent’s Hospital) against John Mitchells on 23rd October 1887. Fontenoy’s scored first but didn’t score again as they were beaten 1-15 to 0-1. The team on that day was D. Holland, J. Reade, P. Wall, C. Breslin, J. McLoughlin, M. Downes, J. Byrne, W. Walsh, A. Breslin, J. McCaul, F. Looney, W. Byrne, W. Keogh, A. Wilson, H. Cullen, E. Eustace, W. Allen, E. Fox, J. Keating, J. Kavanagh and J. Yoe. (Possibly Roe)

There is a record of a notice from the Secretary for all members to be at ‘Fontenoy Hall, Bath Avenue, Monday 18th March 1888 for the first production of The Harvest Storm with grand variety, songs, dances, recitations, etc.’

The next team on record playing for Fontenoy’s is on 13th July 1888 against Belfast Gaelic’s which Fontenoy’s won by 0-13 to 0-0. The team on that occasion was: J Reid (Capt.) J Moore, J Kane, J Sparks, J Bull, P Wall, P Kearney, M Redmond, J Long, J Murphy, M Murphy, J Darcy, P Halligan, P Doherty, J.J. Gilltrap.  In the next match added names include J Lee, P Fagan, G Whelan, J Rooney, W Carpenter, T Abby.

The first reports on Fontenoy’s as a hurling club don’t appear until 1901 when the ‘Freeman’s Journal’ states: ‘Fontenoy’s Hurling Club, – All members are requested to meet on their practice grounds at Londonbridge Road, next Sunday morning, 10th ins., to play friendly with Metropolitan H.C. at 10.30 sharp.’  From the Dublin County Board minutes of that time. Mr James Mullaney, of 4 Rosemount Terrace, Londonbridge Road, affiliated Fontenoy as a Hurling club.

 

It is noted for the first time that Fontenoy’s are using Ringsend Park for training on No 5 pitch and the first fixture fixed for this venue is 14th May, 1910. Fontenoy’s seem to have made attempts at underage football and a John Lyons is listed as part of the Dublin Minor Football team in 1930. From 1900 until 1910 prominent names in the Fontenoy’s lineout were Behan, Boggan, Campion, Connor, Cullen Donohue, Dunne, Flanagan, Halton, Kiernan, Mullany, McCormack, Quigley, Rossiter, Ryan, Treacy, Tully, Finn, Ryan, Quinn McCann, Bissett and Tobin. In 1914 the first reference to the famous Fletcher family from Strasburg Terrace in Irishtown is made when Josh lines out for the team against Collegians in Croke Park. 

 

Fontenoy’s has a continued, uninterrupted presence in this area ever since and enjoyed their best spell ever in the 1980's playing out of Division One Senior Hurling League and reaching the Semi Final of the Senior Hurling Championship in 1983. The team was backboned by the clubs only Dublin Juvenile Championship winning team of 1972.

Honours:

Dublin Junior Hurling Champions, 1905, 1945, 

Dublin Juvenile Champions, 1972

Leinster Special Junior Hurling Champions, 2012.

 

Dublin Honours 1887 -2000

T. Dennis

H. Quinn

John Condron

Joe Coyne

Pat Cleary

John Lynam (F)

Matt Fletcher

D. Buckley

M. McCabe

D. Coakley

Pat O'Grady

Joseph Fletcher

W. Fletcher

Ray Hamill

Sean Fletcher

B. Maher

T .Hallinan

P .Walsh

C .Boggan

J .Sweeney

Eugene Davey (Eugene was on the last Dublin Minor Hurling team to win and All Ireland in 1965 and was the first Fontenoy's man to play Senior Hurling for Dublin in 1968,

Peter Delahunty

Tom Cooke

Declan Kavanagh

Shay Connolly

Declan McGrath

Sean Lane

Mick O'Brien

Cecil Beggins

Marc Campbell

Johnny Cullen

Pat Wallace

Brendan Kelly

Declan Conroy

Pat Quinlan

C. O'Donovan

Johnny White

 

Clanna Gael GAC

Clanna Gael, (Family of Ireland) was set up as a Teachers Football club in 1929 and was named after the movement in America that raised funds for Irish Independence. It had a strong country mix and many of its players over the next few decades won All Ireland medals with different counties. From the 60's onwards it became more Dublin based and more from this area began to play with them. Gerry Davey form Church Avenue in Irishtown scored the winning goal for Dublin in the 1963 All Ireland football final against Galway. Clanna Gael had 5 players on that 1963 Dublin winning All Ireland team. Mickey Whelan, Paddy Holden, Aidan Donnelly, Christy Kane and the aforementioned Gerry Davey.

 

Clanna Gael played their matches out of Pitch no 14 in St Annes Park in Raheny but had started roots in the Ringsend area from the late 1950's. In the 1960's Clanna Gael entered a hurling team for the first time and won the Dublin Junior Hurling Championship in 1968.. The team drew members from the Ringsend area. Clans won the Senior Football championship three times, 1936, 1937, 1968. The 1968 team had many players from the Ringsend/Pearse St area including corner forward Mick Byrne later to become the Physio for the Irish Soccer team during Jack Charlton’s reign. 

Honours: 

Dublin Senior Football Champions: 1936, 1937, 1968. 

Runners Up: 1949, 1953, 1957, 1962, 1963, 

Junior Football Champions, 1955

Junior Hurling Champions, 1968.

 

Dublin Honours 1929-2000

P Heenan

Sean Healy

M Judge

R Nutty

Sean Óg Ó'Callaghan (RTE Broadcaster)

J Reilly

D Redmond

D Carroll

Reggie Healy

K Travers

D Fogarty

P Hipwell

J Ingle

Eddie Gilbert

Des Sweeney

C McSweeney

P Lacy

Tony Gillen

Paddy Holden

J Sweeney

Bernard Groves

S Devine

Victor Black

Eugene Davey

Denis Kane

Brian Agnew

Declan Kavanagh

Peter Delahunty

P Loughran

Declan McGrath

J Colleran

J Foley

F Ryan

S Crotty

D Gallen

J Cahill

S Dunne

JJ Connolly

P Nolan

J Dunne

Christy Kane

J Houlihan

F Madigan

Johnny White

Anthony Darcy

Ian Kavanagh

Mickey Whelan

Aidan Donnelly

Gerry Davey

Johnny Boyle

Seamus O'Dowd

P Whitty

J O'Driscoll

J Brosnan

S O'Dubhda

L McAuliffe

L Keaney

Sean O'Síocháin (Later General Secretary and Director General of the GAA from 1964 to 1979)

S Healy

J Leonard

Paddy Agnew

 

In 1969 Clanna Gael Fontenoy was formed through the amalgamation of Fontenoy’s and Clanna Gael. As both clubs Clanna Gael, predominantly football and Fontenoy’s, predominantly hurling were drawing out of the same area it was a 'no brainer' that both clubs should amalgamate. The merger went through seamlessly. Clanna Gael Fontenoy's their first senior football match was in Ringsend Park was in 1976 against St Margarets after Clanna Gael relinquished its lease back in St Annes Park, Raheny to Dublin City Council. Naomh Barróg have been the recipients of that lease ever since.

 

After operating out of Ringsend Park since 1910 Clanna Gael Fontenoy moved to their current location with Clubhouse (Opened December 15th, 1989) in Sean Moore Park in 1989 and also continued to use the pitches in Ringsend Park. A more detailed account of Clanna Gael Fontenoy’s up until 1950 is captured in the book 'Clanna Gael Fontenoy’s, A History of Dublin's GAA club', in which you can find nearly all the names of the local people who played with them and those who administrated through from 1894 to 1950. In the latter half of the 1970s there was an attempt to move the Club, Clanna Gael Fontenoy out to the Clonkeen area in South County Dublin and a County Council pitch was secured and a few Junior Football matches were played there. However, there was a revolt against this move and the project was short lived. Ringsend and District was secured as the homestead for the Club and the serious business of setting up proper facilities here began in earnest thereafter.

Saint Andrews

Founded in the Pearse Street-Ringsend area in 1906, the Club competed in Junior football competitions. When Dublin won the County’s first Leinster Junior Football title in 1908, Chris Carberry represented Saint Andrews. In the 1909 Leinster Final, Edward Bailey, Joe Dunne and James Quinn from St Andrews made up the entire full back line for Dublin and Michael Kennedy was at No 5. Other club players included Sean Quinn, Thomas Quinn, James Kerrigan, Chris Byrne, Joe Nichol and George Clarke. The Club was disbanded just before the 1916 Rising and many of the players joined the Peader Mackens club.

Dublin Honours: 

Chris Carberry

Ed Bailey

J Quinn

Joe Dunne

M Kennedy

 

Port and Docks Hurling Club.

Founded in 1949. It is not known at present if any Ringsenders played with this club but some of the prominent players were Jim King, (later Sec' of Dublin County Board,) Paddy Dunne, (later Lord Mayor of Dublin) A. Kelly, M. Killeen and J Furlong. 

 

Brother Sheares GFC

Founded in the Baggot Street area in 1887 and named to commemorate the brothers executed for their role in 1798. James Cunningham, 9 Pembroke Road was first captain and secretary. In 1894 Brothers Sheares was unable to field a team but a year later they were revived with James Geraghty, 11 Grants Row as secretary. The Club was disbanded about 1898.

 

Desmond GFC 

This side from Donnybrook competed at Junior level in the early 1920s and had several of the Darcy family on the team.

 

Ed Gray’s GFC

In 1886 a GAA club was established in the Merrion area and named after Edmund Dwyer Gray, the journalist and nationalist politician. The Club’s first secretary was William Horgan of 1 Eden Terrace, Merrion Rd and the captain was J Walsh.  In 1887, E.D. Gray’s lineout against Parnell’s (Thomas St) included McLoughlin, Dowdall, Squires, Costigan, P. Ryan, H. Nolan, Cullen and McGuinness. In August 1888 a hurling side was started in the club with Michael O’Grady of Merrion House the organiser.  When the E.D. Gray’s footballers travelled to Blessington in the same year to play the local ‘98 club side, the match was witnessed by several thousand spectators. E.D. Gray’s disappeared from the scene at the time of the ‘Parnell Split’.

 

Erins Isle G.F.C.

This minor football club from the Ringsend district was founded in the early 1900s. Thomas Condron, 30 Irishtown Road was recorded as club secretary in March 1904. It had no connection with the later club of the same name founded in Finglas.

 

Henry Joy McCracken’s

A Gaelic football club named after the United Irishmen was formed in the Ballsbridge area early in 1887. David Byrne captained the club that had its home in Ballsbridge.  Early members included Christopher Nolan, Chas. Byrne, Pat Flynn, Edward Lambert, Chris Byrne, John Dillon, James Moran, Michael Manley and Pat Kelly. When McCrackens beat Gladstonians of Balbriggan in the 1890 football Championship, Mike Lee and David Byrne starred.  In January 1903 McCracken’s held their A.G.M. at 12 Ballsbridge. J. Woods was elected president, J. Stapleton vice president, E. O’Toole, secretary and treasurer, H. Nolan, captain and Thomas O’Neill, vice-captain. Pat Bramble, the chairman of McCracken’s in 1904 served the club well for a number of years as did J. Moran, J. Gaffney, J. Hennigan, J. Gunning, P. Mullen and J. Humphries. Val Harris, a member of the Isles of the Sea team of 1901 and Irish International soccer player fielded with McCracken’s for a time.

 

In 1917 captained by Bob Mockler, the Faughs and Dublin inter-county hurler, McCracken’s won the Intermediate football championship. Jim ‘Builder’ Walsh and Ned Tobin, two other prominent hurlers with Faughs and Dublin, also played with McCracken’s.  The brothers Joe, Peter and Hugh Stynes played with the Ballsbridge side in the early 1920s before they moved to O’Toole’s. Joe Stynes was the star forward of Dublin’s 1923 all-Ireland winning side over Kerry. The McCracken’s disbanded in the late 1920s.

Dublin Honours:

Joe Stynes

 

Hillside GAC

This short lived Club, based in the Westland Row district, was founded at a meeting held in 4 Sandwith Street in January 1893.

 

Inisfael’s

In the early years of the 20th century two teams named Inishfael, a poetic name for Ireland, competed in the Dublin league; one, which still survives, was from Balgriffin whereas the city club of the same name based in Leeson St-Pembroke St district had a short life.  Henry Brierton of 21 Leeson Place was the secretary and also a player. Other members included M. Doyle, B. Doyle, P. Doyle, E. Dunne and D. Quinn.

 

Kevin Barry G.F.C.

Shortly after the execution of Kevin Barry in November, 1920 a junior football club commemorating his memory was founded by Martin Kelly of 115 Haddington Road. It folded soon after.

 

Michael Dwyer G.F.C.

This juvenile football club was formed in Ringsend in 1891 with Tom Knott of Bath Street as club secretary.

 

St Marys Donnybrook

This team existed in the 1909-1910 period and included 6 sets of brothers– Daly, Kinsella, Burke, Pope, Byrne and Howlett.

 

Shamrocks G.F.C.

The Shamrock club was founded in 1887 in the Denzille (Fenian) Street district where it had a clubroom. Martin Masterson was secretary. John Coakley and Pierce Ryan were delegates to the County Committee in 1888. Prominent players included, J. Williams (captain) Kennedy, Daly, Coffey, Rice, Costello, Maher and Dan Holland. Shamrocks failed to survive the Parnell split.

 

O'Connell's Bodyguards GFC.

Founded as a Juvenile Football Club in February 1888. John Noonan, of 9 Mark St was elected its first Secretary and T O'Neill its first Chairperson. The following year, 1889, John O'Grady of Townsend St was elected as Secretary, William Pidgeon as Chair, J. Boyle as Vice Chair and Thomas Brabazon as President at their AGM in their Clubrooms at Princess St. The Club only lasted a few seasons.

 

Sandymount GAC

Founded in early 1900s. They won the Dublin Junior Championship in 1906 and Jim Brennan played on Dublin Senior football team in 1911.

Dublin Honours:

J.J. (Jim) Brennan

 

Liffey Dockworkers GFC

Paddy Byrne founded this football team in 1960 from employees of the Dublin's Liffey Dockyard in 1960. It is not known if any workers from the Ringsend and District area played with them but names associated with them included Brendan Smith, Paddy Kellett, Austin Kavanagh and Tony Chaney.

 

Michael Malone GFC

Founded in 1919 and affiliated as a Junior Football team and named after Michael Malone, born in Bath Avenue in 1888 and killed in the fighting at Northumberland Rd in 1916. A number of his comrades from the Ringsend's Third Battalion, Dublin Brigade, IRA were members of the club. However, it folded after a short time.

 

St Declan’s GAA

Formed in 1926 in the Grand Canal St area but not much is known about this club, other than a photograph of the team still exists and is held by an associated member here.

If you have any information to add to this story, first names, corrections or even clubs we have missed, please get in touch.

(c) The Ringsend & Districts Historical Society

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[1] GFC stands for Gaelic Football Club

[2] GAC stands for Gaelic Athletic Club