Murroe Boher GAA Club
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Murroe Boher GAA Club Maigh Rua BÓthar GAA Strategic Vision & Action Plan 2014-2018 1 Contents Chairmans Introduction 3 History of Club 4 Club Teams 8 Roll of Honour 9 Methodology 10 Mission, Vision, Values 11 Parish and Club 12 5 Year Plan – Key Core Activities:- 13 Club Structures and Administration 14 Coaching and Games Development 15 Finance and Fund Raising 16 Facilities & Development 17 Communication/PR, Social and Cultural 18 References 19 Next Steps 21 2 Club Chairman Introduction It gives me great pleasure to introduce Murroe Bohers GAA Club 5 year plan. This document sets out what club members including Bord na nOg, Camogie and Ladies Football deem to be the critical projects for completion between now and 2018. These selected projects build on the work of club members and officers who have worked tirelessly down through the decades to promote the ideals of the Gaelic Athletic Association within our parish. With the ideas generated at the initial brainstorming session, coupled with the hours invested in various focus groups and the diligent work of our Plan Steering Committee, I believe we now have a blueprint that offers an opportunity for real progress into the future. However, in many ways the real work begins now. Meeting the ambitious goals set out in this document will need the input and assistance of a large number of people and requires all club members to put their proverbial shoulders to the wheel and actively seek out ways to make a positive contribution. Indeed, one of our key priorities is to attract new members, and I hope that those reading this, not currently involved in the club, will see within these pages, signs of a vibrant, forward thinking and inclusive organisation. It is critically important that we grasp with both hands the opportunities that this plan provides, and ensure that Murroe Boher GAA Club continues to effectively serve our members, supporters and the community that sustains us. Paul Byrnes Chairman, Murroe Boher GAA Club. 3 History of the Club The Gaelic Athletic Association was founded in Hayes’ Hotel, Thurles, on the 1st November 1884. Representatives from both the Boher and Murroe clubs travelled to a special congress held in Thurles on 27th September, 1886. Both clubs also attended the inaugural county board meeting in the Town Hall, Limerick, on 15th January 1887. The names of the Murroe representatives at these meetings are not known. John Ryan ‘Jim’ of Killonan and Michael O’Neill of Brittas attended on Boher’s behalf. Murroe beat South Liberties in the first county final at the Grocer’s Field on 17th July 1887 on a 1-02 to 0-03 scoreline. The Murroe team was Pat Godfrey (Captain), Dan Godfrey, Pat Power, Mick Clarke, Jimmy Simmons, John Ryan, Mike Fitzgibbon, Denis O’Malley, Paddy Ryan, Dan O’Brien, Pat Rainsford, Jim Healy, Patsy Ryan, Tom Fleming, Philip Fleming, Tim Humphreys, Ger Foley, John Foley, Tom Gleeson, John Hartnett and Denis Cooke. The championship had not been without its hiccups and the County Board later readmitted semi-finalists Boher, bringing Murroe and Boher together in what amounted to a second county final. This was played at Ballysimon and ended in a Murroe win. The Boher team was John Ryan ‘Jim’ (Captain), William O’Connor, Michael McDonnell (‘the best scoring forward in the county in his day’), William Ryan ‘Ger’, William Meade ‘The Merchant’, Timothy O’Donnell, all of Killonan; Richard Power, (Goalkeeper), Joseph and Thomas Goonan, Caherconlish; James and Edward O’Brien, Kishikirk; Patrick Harty, Highpark; Denis Hayes, Boher; John Mulcahy, Knockeen; Patrick Hayes, Brittas; Kennedy O’Brien, Ballyart; James O’Brien, The Huts, who later went to Barronstown; James and Patrick Lloyd, Grange; Paddy O’Brien, Bohermore; and James Ryan ‘Vil’, Teneteriffe. Several players from the parish earned representative honours during these early years. Mick Danagher of Murroe won a Munster Senior medal with Limerick in 1910, when his clubmate, Bill Dunlea, was beaten on a toss of a coin for the corner forward position. Paddy Barry of Boher captained Munster to victory over Leinster in the All-Ireland Colleges Championship of 1914. He won an All-Ireland with Limerick in 1918, and played in all championship matches up to the All-Ireland win of 1921 when illness denied him a place. Jimmy 4 Humphreys of Murroe won two All-Irelands and three Munster finals (1918, 1921 and 1923) with Limerick, and captained the Irish hurling team at the 1924 Tailtean Games. Natives of the parish, were active on the administrative front. Dr Harty, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly and patron of the GAA, was a native of Knocknagurteeny. Tim Humphreys of Boher was Vice-Chairman of the Limerick County Board from 1920 to 1939. William P. Clifford was Chairman of the County Board from 1921 to 1939 and was the driving force behind the purchase and development of the Gaelic Grounds. He was President of the GAA from 1926 to 1928. The parish of Murroe and Boher also provided seven chairmen to the East Board – Canon Gilmartin, Tom Rainsford, Niall Hayes, Jimmy Kirby, Michael Finucane, Willie Walsh and Henry Cooney. There is a record of Murroe holding an AGM in 1935. Those elected were P Walsh, chairman; J Murray, vice-chairman; M Walsh, treasurer; M Phillips, secretary. Murroe affiliated to the newly- formed East Board in 1944, Boher in 1950. Parish leagues, with Glenstal, Eyon, Cappanahannagh and Abington taking part, were held in 1944 and 1953. Boher remained on their own for two years, but amalgamated as Murroe Boher in 1952, and as Murroe from 1954 until 1957. Boher reformed in 1957 and reached the East final in 1958. In 1964 Boher made the breakthrough, defeating South Liberties in the East final on a scoreline of 5-03 to 2-06 and did the double in 1965 defeating Doon 2-08 to 2-06 in the final. In 1966 Fr. Kennedy organised juvenile leagues in hurling and football, leading to the winning in 1969 of a first minor crown. Both Murroe and Boher adult clubs gained in the medium term through County Junior (1973, ’80 and ’87) and East Senior (1982 and ’83) Hurling Championships. The clubs decided to pool playing resources in 1991, naming teams Murroe and Boher in alternate years. Seán O’Neill won a Munster Championship with Limerick in 1994, and won a second with his brother Owen in 1996. In 1997, our U-21 hurlers won East and County titles while the Junior B’s won an East title before losing the county final by a point. In late 1997 it was decided to disband both clubs, Boher and Murroe, and establish one new GAA club in the parish. The amalgamated Murroe Boher club was born in 1998, with John Walsh as chairman, Tomás Hickey as secretary and Thomas Ryan as treasurer. In 1998 James Butler, Pat Laffan and Owen O’Neill won All-Ireland Intermediate medals. Murroe Boher achieved senior status on the eve of the new millennium by defeating Knockainey by 1-14 to 1-11 in the County Intermediate Hurling Final. The team also won the East Intermediate Championship in 1999. Kevin Tobin and Willie Walsh won Munster and All Ireland medals with Limerick U21s during 2000. 5 In 2001 our senior hurlers qualified for the quarter-final of the championship. We emerged from a group containing Monaleen, Hospital Herbertstown and Bruree to play Garryspillane but went under by four points. Our U21A hurlers won a first-ever East title by defeating Pallasgreen in the final. The club also won a football double of Junior B and U21B East titles. Limerick retained their All-Ireland U21 crown in 2001 with Pat Tobin joining his brother Kevin and Willie Walsh on the winner’s podium. Both the U21A hurlers and Junior B footballers retained their East titles in 2002. Also in 2002 saw Kevin Tobin winning a third, his brother Pat a second and John O’Connor a first All-Ireland U21 medal. The Senior Hurling championship was restructured in 2003, and Murroe Boher were one of eight teams that were placed in the B championship. Winning the inaugural senior B championship meant we were through to the quarter-final of the championship proper where we lost narrowly to reigning county champions Adare. Earlier that year the seniors won Division 4 of the all-county hurling league. The minors won division 2 of the City East championship, defeating Caherline in the final. 2003 was also a successful year for the junior B hurlers who won the East league and championship double. In 2004 the junior B hurlers retained their East title. Our minors had an excellent year, winning the City East Division 1 hurling title with a victory over Ahane in the final. In 2005 the club won its first East Senior Hurling Championship since the clubs merged, defeating Doon on a 3-11 to 1-14 score line. The team was managed by former Clare hurler Sean Stack with selectors Mike Ryan and Pat Walsh. The minor hurlers repeated their success of 2004 with another win over Ahane in the City East Division 1 final. In 2006 the our junior B hurlers won the East championship but were unfortunate to lose to Cappamore in the County Final. In 2007 the senior hurlers had victories over Patrickswell, Kilmallock and Claughaun before going under to Adare in the county semi-final. Seamus Hickey, Kevin Tobin and Pat Tobin all played in the All-Ireland final against Kilkenny, Tony Hickey was a selector and David Moriarty was team trainer. Seamus Hickey was rewarded for his fine performances during the year with the Young Hurler of the Year award.