An Outline History of Baile Nóra Hurling & Football Club
A CLUB WITH A PROUD PAST; CONSCIOUS OF ORIGINS AND HERITAGE, PLANS CONFIDENTLY FOR AN ENVISIONED FUTURE
By John Brosnan
POST FAMINE YEARS TO CLUB FOUNDING 1924
“Full many a hard-fought battle, full many a stirring game,
Have gained for Ballinora, a proud and glorious name.
By the Owenahue’s dark waters, in Blarney Castle Lawn,
the Boys of Ballinora have clashed the ash caman.”
(from “The Boys of Ballinora” by Seamus O’Longaigh, 1924)
Ballinora G.A.A. Club is heir to a long and proud Hurling heritage and tradition. Records exist of Hurling being played in the area long before the foundation of the G.A.A. (1884), and of games against other parishes, the most notable being an epic home and away encounter with Kinsale in 1864. The newly introduced railway line, with its station in Waterfall, ensured a large following at both games. In the home game the action of the day was not confined to the players on the field and the result could be classed in the annals of military rather than of sporting history. Records from the early years are for the most part scant and unclear. There exists, however, a long poem from circa 1914, with this verse, eulogising a victory by Ballinora Primary School over neighbours Ballinhassig;
“The ball was thrown in and the game set in motion,
to your places our Captain Mick O’Riordan did cry.
Then he lifted the ball and sent to young Lucey
who scored a neat goal in the wink of an eye”
Young Lucey went on to become the legendary Bishop Cornelius Lucey. As with many rural areas, Ballinora was subject to a cyclic rise and fall in population, reflected in the chequered fortunes of the local GAA Club. The records from the local primary school, the sole nursery of the club, show that enrolment had reached a peak of approximately 150 by the early 1920’s. Experience gained in the School Shield for Ballinora N.S. and furthered by a few at post primary level, led to an improved standard of hurling in the area. The club, which had been allowed to lapse, was Reorganised and Affiliated with the Cork County Board in 1924 under the chairmanship of local teacher Séamus 0’Longaigh (Jimmy Long). Séamus, as secretary of the Cork County Board, introduced the present Divisional system within the County and he is also immortalised as author of “The Boys of Ballinora”.
CLUB FOUNDING (1924) TO DECLINE IN EARLY 194O’s
From the outset, the infant club displayed a vision far beyond the times, with the erection of a Club Hall in 1926, which became the social & cultural hub of the community. Hurling promotion and development remained paramount in Ballinora NS under Club Chairman & Principal; Jimmy Long, Thus, by the mid 1920’s a young and talented side began to emerge, that by 1930 ensured that Ballinora was recognised as a major hurling force within the County. The Mid-Cork Junior Championship was annexed in 1928 and again in 1929. Having opted for promotion without winning the County Junior title, Ballinora won the County Intermediate Championship and the Mid Cork Cup in 1932. A Mid-Cork Minor Championship was won in 1934 and thus the club fielded a strong Intermediate side during the 1930’s. The same fortune did not smile again on the club, and a narrow defeat in the County Final at the hands of Ballincollig in 1939, and a semi-final loss to Cloghduv in 1941, and with Ballinora NS numbers declining, all combined, signalled the end of a glorious era, not to be equalled until the 1990’s & into the new Millennium.
CLUB REVIVAL IN 1960s TO CONSOLIDATION IN THE 1990s
Winning the Muskerry 1962 Junior ‘B’ Hurling Title marked an awakening from a 20-year competitive slumber, signalling that the game, though not at the exalted level of the ‘30s, was still alive in the area. From circa 1970 the Waterfall-Ballinora area began to experience a steadily increasing population influx, totally transforming the club on several fronts, reflected firstly by the growing numbers in Ballinora NS. The Muskerry Jun ‘B’ Hurling Champ was won again in ’72 & Promotion to Jun ‘A’. Ballinora, for the first time since the ‘30s, became a recognised force at Underage, reflected in the winning of numerous School Shield and Divisional competitions in Hurling and Football since the mid ’70’s, and the resultant upgrading of all teams, allowing the club to compete in the ‘A’ Grades for the most part ever since. To cater for this progress and further projected growth, the Club was fortunate that in the late ‘70’s, a progressive Development Committee, spearheaded by John O’Shea and Tadhg O’Connor, began a process which led to the acquisition and development of a new playing field in Ballinora, and the erection of a modern Club Complex, including a Sports Hall, Meeting & Dressing Rooms. Success at Adult level arrived almost simultaneously, with our Footballers wining the Mid-Cork ‘B’ Championship & League in 1979, thus competing at ‘A’ since 1980, and our 3rd Muskerry Junior ‘A’ Hurling title in ’86, the 1st since 1928 &’29.
BALLINORA BECOMES A SEPARATE PARISH 1986
Though part of the Ballincollig Parish, it was traditionally accepted that Ballinora, due to its mainly rural composition, possessed a totally unique and separate identity. The influx of population made it desirable to implement separate status for the area, and on Sept 1st, 1986, Ballinora became a Parish in the Diocese of Cork & Ross. This development was greeted enthusiastically by all, but by none more so than the GAA Club, ever conscious that the appeal and strength of the G.A.A. nationwide are deeply rooted in parish pride and rivalry. From his arrival as our first Parish Priest, Fr. William Dinneen endeared himself to all the people of the parish and coming as he did with a strong GAA background, he quickly became associated with the local club. Within a year of his arrival he spearheaded, in conjunction with the GAA and, other parish groups, a major £300,000 draw which facilitated the building of a Parochial House, a new Club Hall, a major extension to the local N.S., extensive modernisation of Ballinora Church and the total clearance of substantial debts of the GAA Club, remaining from its years of major development. Thus, were laid the firm foundations for an infant parish which has officially adapted the GAA colours of Red and Green, which are also worn by sporting and other organisations from the parish. At his retirement in 1998, Fr.Dinneen was succeeded by Canon Donal Lenihan as PP, and in turn by present incumbent; Fr Declan Mansfield in 2012 , all, men of different visions and methods, who equally endeared themselves to an ever growing and changing parish, which they have helped nurture and grow. All shared the ideals of the GAA Club and have been most supportive in every way possible. Parish pride and identity continues to flourish thanks to their help and support.
The following verse from an old club poem titled “The Red & Green”, with its noble sentiments and strong sense of parish pride, could well serve as an anthem for all:
Down in Blackrock and Ballinlough and by the lovely Lee,
We play the game against them all, no matter who they be.
Although we play to win each day, yet should our efforts fail,
we take defeat and wait to greet whatever will maintain.
For fortune’s dame is still the same, now as she’s always been
and a tear or smile will ne’er beguile those wearing Red &’ Green
THE EMERGENCE OF GAELIC FOOTBALL IN BAILE NÓRA
No references to Gaelic Football exist from the early years. Football was played in the 1930’s and Ballinora also participated in competitions at Junior ‘B’ Grade into the ‘60’s early 70s, without any great measure of success. From the mid 1970’s, a team comprised of newcomers to the parish, blended with local players emerging from the School Shield Competitions, (Inspired by Principal; Vincie Cronin, recently deceased) and began to impact competitively. The Whitechurch Junior Tournament; won in 1978, was the 1st Adult Football Title to come to the Club. In 1979 the Mid-Cork “B” League and Championship Double was won, and since then the Club, has also competed at A level. In 1980 the club won its first Muskerry U21’B’ Title. In 1983, thanks to the foresight of Connie O’Shea & Richard Dineen, an U13 team, with School Shield experience, was entered in the City Bord na nÓg League which they duly won, attracting great support within the parish. This team went on to win the County U14’B’ Championship in Centenary year 1984, the Mid. Cork U.16 Champ and Co. League in 1986, and a County Minor title in 1987, all of these for the 1st time in the Club’s history, and in the process, Football became deeply rooted at Underage and on through to adult level.
Down the years the club has been fortunate that local bards have emerged to immortalise in poetry, various milestones in its history. For many years this mantle was adopted by our esteemed former president Dinny Joe Murphy. Now gone to his eternal reward, he was for many years a father figure in the club, a widely known character and raconteur, and fittingly he was tour leader in the club’s iconic Trip to New York in 1981. The general euphoria surrounding the U14 football victory over St. Finbarrs in the 1984 Co. Final inspired Dinny Joe to put pen to paper as oft since and before, with the following being brief excerpts:
You will read in history’s pages of sportsmen of great fame,
of deeds done, honours won and how they played the game,
but the team that made club history, to live forever more,
were our gallant Ballinora Football Boys of 1984.
Excitement then was rising high; it nearly reached the stars,
we were told we’d meet our lot in the County Final with the ‘Barrs’,
but we journeyed to Ballygarvan with our brave lads so true,
Where we hoisted Ballinora’s Red & Green and lowered St. Finbarr’s Blue.
Just 6 years later, in 1990, over half of this U.14 side teamed up with players remaining from our 1980 U21 Muskerry winning team, to win the Mid-Cork Junior ‘A’ title at the expense of Blarney. Few would have predicted in 1980 that a team of locally born and coached players would emerge as Mid-Cork ‘A’ Champions within the decade, and again in 1996 & 1997, when the County was also won, and promotion to Intermediate, in which we still compete. All of this has ensured that both games are now embraced with equal fervour within the Club.
CONSOLIDATION IN THE 1990s AND INTO THE NEW MILLENIUM
In the 1990’s there was major consolidation on and off the Pitch, of the progress made in the previous 2 decades. Our 1st Muskerry Junior ‘A’ Football title was won in 1990. Club & Muskerry Administrator supreme; Tony O’Mahony became Cork County Board Chairman in 1991. Purchase & Development of our 2nd Grounds in Ballymah from 1993 was a major milestone, and with the later addition of a Sand Based area, it has now become the main hub of club activity. It’s distance from our main pitch and Hall at Ballinora meant that separate Dressing Rooms were required and duly built, complementing the ever-improving new Pitch surface. Though much had been achieved by 1990, Adult & Underage success on the playing fields since then has also been unprecedented. Mid Cork titles were won regularly at Juvenile level, with the Minor Footballers in 1998, the U.16s in 2000 and the U14s in 2001, all winning County Football titles, and the U14 Hurlers winning County Féile in 1991.
The 1996 and ‘97 seasons will forever occupy an exalted position in the history of Ballinora.GAA. Titles at Adult level have always been cherished, mainly because they were few and far between. Thus, it was an immense achievement to win an incredible Back-to-Back, Double-Double of Mid Cork Junior’ A’ Hurling and Football titles in ‘96+’97. The Footballers also won the County Junior ‘A’ title in ‘97, thus gaining Intermediate status. Major Intermediate Football successes since then include winning the County League (2003), Tom Creedon Cup (2004) & Munster League (2005) and reaching the County Champ semi-final on three occasions (beaten by Youghal, Carbery Rangers and Nemo). (From 2006 the County Intermediate Football Championship was expanded & divided into Premier and ‘A’ Grades, with Baile Nóra being graded at Premier, competing very well in same until relegation to Intermediate ‘A’ in 2016) …Our Junior ‘A’ Hurlers won Muskerry Titles again in 2016 & 2021 but faltered in the 1st Round of the County for the 5th time since 1986. The goal for Adult Hurling remains; the winning of the County Junior ‘A’ Title and regaining Intermediate status, as in the glory years of the 1930s.
PLAYERS GAINING INTER-COUNTY SELECTION & TITLES WINS
Many Balllinora players have gained Cork representative honours at all levels in both Hurling and Football, beginning with Jeremy Lynch & Dan Callanan; both Cork Minor Hurlers in 1968… Derry Murphy was an All-Ireland winner with the Cork Junior Hurlers in 1987 and Darragh Holmes with the Intermediates in 2018… Brendan O’Shea became our 1st Cork Minor Footballer in 1988 & Eddie Carey and Tomás Conway were on the Cork Schoolboys U.17 Compromise Rules Football Team that toured Australia the same year.
Cathal O’Connor (1996), Cathal Sheehan (1999), Conor Brosnan (1999+2000), Denis O’Hare (2000) & Michael Murphy (2002) were all selected as Cork Minor Footballers. Cathal Sheehan and Conor Brosnan won Munster titles in 1999 and Conor Brosnan and Denis O’Hare were on the Cork Minor side which won Munster and all Ireland titles in 2000. Conor Brosnan was also on the County Minor Hurling team in 1999 and 2000, winning a Munster title and all Ireland runner up in 2000… In U.21 Football; Eddie Carey was selected in 1990 &’91, Conor Brosnan in 2001/’02 &’03, winning a Munster title in 2001, and Michael Murphy in 2005, also winning a Munster medal…Conor Brosnan was selected on the Cork Senior Football Champ Panel in 2004 and played in the National League games that year. He also won All-Ireland Junior Titles in 2007 & 2011.
There followed a hiatus until Mike Lordan became a Cork Minor Footballer in 2016, heralding another Golden Era of County selection honours, with his younger brother Neil winning an All-Ireland at that grade in 2019 & selected on the U.20s in 2021 & 2022. In 2020 Shane Kingston, Ronan Barrow and the Quirke Twins; Michael & Ivan were Cork Minor Footballers, as was Nathan Davis in 2021 & the 3rd Quirke brother; Robert, in 2022. Shane Kingston was also a Cork Minor Hurler in 2019 & 2020; Ballinora’s 2nd Dual Inter County Minor since Conor Brosnan in 1999 & 2000. In 2021; James Byrne won a Munster Minor Hurling title & went on to win the All-Ireland; the 1st Ballinora player to do so.
DOUBLE TRAGEDY
Tragedy struck in the club on Sun, May 24th 1981, when Denis O’Mahony, a long serving and most dedicated club officer, and Denis O’Hare, who had just transferred from the Millstreet club, were electrocuted in a freak accident while moving portable goalposts in the new Ballinora pitch. 25 years later, on the same Pitch, on June 26th, 2006, Liam O’Regan, his Leaving Cert just completed, passed suddenly while playing his beloved Hurling.
Their deaths cast a never to be forgotten shadow over Club and Community. All three will live forever in our memories. Now, many years later, it remains nigh impossible to capture the deep reverberations of both tragedies with words alone. In this respect, in our Club History; ‘Under the Dropping Ball’, our Club President; Michael O’Connor, in his unsurpassable accounts, manages to encapsulate the deep sadness and near despair of both tragedies, while simultaneously expressing hope for the future of the Families and the Club.
Two separate Commemorative Monuments have been erected by the Club in memory of the three, adjacent to the scenes of the respective tragedies. In May 1996, the GAA President Elect, Joe McDonagh, unveiled the Memorial to Denis O’Mahony and Denis O’Hare. Our new Ball-Wall, officially opened on Sunday April 7th, 2019, is dedicated to the memory of Liam O’Regan, bearing this apt inscription, referencing Liam’s own contribution as a player and his involvement in Juvenile Club Coaching & Development from a young age.
‘’Mol an Óige agus tiocfaidh sí’’
Ar dheis lámh Dé go raibh anamacha an trúir
CRUCIAL CONTRIBUTION OF SCOIL BHAILENÓRA
Few Clubs are as closely interlinked and indebted to their local Schools, as Baile Nóra GAA is to Scoil Bhailenóra (Founded 1863). It has been virtually the sole Nursery of the Club since its very inception. Seamus ó Longaigh set the pattern, arriving as a teacher in 1913, he was an inspired promoter of Hurling in the School & the infant Club. (In 1924 he was a founder member & first Chairman of Ballinora GAA Club, a guiding light in the introduction of the Divisional Structure and County Board Vice-Chairman; 1940-47). His pupils became the great side of the ‘30s, arguably the best Hurling team in our Club’s history.
The revival of Club fortunes in the ‘60s is mainly attributed to the then Principal; Dónal Ó Scannaill , through his dedicated promotion of Hurling in the school. On his arrival as Principal, Vincie Cronin (recently deceased), built on this foundation, (while also promoting Gaelic Football on an equal footing for the 1st time) & became a formidable driving force behind the unprecedented mutual School/Club success from the ‘70s, through to the new millennium, right up to the present day. Noel Scannell, Mick Bohane, Micheál Ó Droighneáin, among others, also played crucial roles in this unique School /Club liaison.
This unique Club/School cooperation is ongoing, with present Principal; Luke Foley, continuing in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessors, promoting Gaelic Games, with the club providing Coaching assistance. Baile Nóra GAA Club and Scoil Bhailenora look set to continue this mutually advantageous association into the future.
NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE
‘Is ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine’
The GAA club has always been central to the Ballinora way of life, and never more so than in recent years. Virtually every family in the parish is involved in one way or another in club activities. Our large numbers of Juvenile players from 5 to 17 are being excellently coached and catered for by our Juvenile Club. Our U.19, U21 and Adult teams are experiencing constantly expanding numbers and success in both Hurling & Football, and it is reasonable to expect continued upward trajectory in Grades, etc. Our Adult teams would appear to be on the cusp of another Golden Era. The often forgotten and unsung heroes here, were and are the many people involved in our Fundraising and Development Committees over the years, constantly providing and upgrading our Facilities, which now include a Community Walkway in Ballymaw and Electronic Scoreboards in both grounds. All of this provides a vital backdrop to our Coaching and Games structures. A special and growing bond exists with our recently amalgamated, local Camógie & LGFA Clubs, in our shared mission of providing Gaelic Games for the Girls & Boys of Ballinora.
Cultural, social and indoor sporting activities are now at an all-time high in the area, thanks in a big way to the facilities of our Club Hall. The local National School, Camogie/LGFA Club, Martial Arts, I.C.A, Red Cross, Tidy Towns, Men’s Shed, Scouts, etc, all work in close co-operation with the Club. Baile Nóra experienced a very active and successful involvement in Scór – the GAA National Talent Competition. Numerous Divisional, County, (and one Munster) competitions were won.
After more than 4 decades of outstanding service to Baile Nóra as; a Player, Teams Selector/Manager (All Age Groups), Club Trustee, Administrator & Delegate to Muskerry & County Boards, former Club Chairman & Treasurer; Dónal McSweeney, always conscious and proud of his Macroom Football heritage, was deservedly recognised and rewarded by being elected as Irish & Cultural Officer on Cork County Senior Board in 2022.
Great social change has taken place in the country since the foundation of the club, but people of vision have ensured that the club has not alone kept pace but have set the pace for change in its catchment area. These people are too numerous to mention in this outline history, but their legacy survives. Those who presently carry the torch, compare more than favourably with any former generation and the prospects for the future appear bright. The modem GAA Club often faces a crisis of identity as it endeavours to cope with the many side activities, often unconnected to its original aims and purposes. The Club is now involved in a diverse range of activities, but never falters in its primary aim & function of promoting Hurling and Football. The physical face of Ballinora today would be barely recognisable to its inhabitants of a century ago, but in the things that really matter, little has changed, as can be seen in this verse from “The Boys of Ballinora”, written 100 years ago.
“In dear old Ballinora, where the streams come rushing down,
and the glens are clothed over, with gorse and heather brown,
the boys at evening gather, with gambols like the fawn,
and mid shouts of joy and laughter rings the clash of the ash camán.”
AFTERWORD
An outline history, covering over a century in time, tends to be sketchy, especially for the early years. It is impossible to do justice to the many hundreds of people who have bequeathed this great club to us. Very few of our frontline volunteers of the last 25 years have gained mention, and numerous people from the early years do not feature. We are deeply indebted to all of them. Countless other events from over the years, likewise, also merited inclusion. Apologies to all involved.
For a more in-depth account, with photographic back-up, please refer to our superb Official Club History; ‘Under the dropping ball’ by our club President; Michael O’Connor.
