The first Gaelic Football Team

Naomh Barróg GAA Club

Introduction:

The response to last weeks issue

was amazing. People were de-

lighted to read the articles and

welcomed the opportunity to

travel back to a time that they

recall with much nostalgia. The

memories awoke in them many

fond remembrances of their

childhood in Kilbarrack at that

formative time for them and their

families.

The comments I received were

ones of gratitude for the oppor-

tunity to read the Naomh Barróg

Story and proud to be part of it.

This story reawakened so many

memories in their minds and in

their hearts. They welcomed it

and looked forward to the telling

of the stories in the Issues to

come.

Issue 2 continues recounting the

build up and the influences and

reason why Naomh Barrog would

eventually be founded. Scoil

Lorcáin would play a huge part in

other teachers who were delight-

ed that a school football team

was being formed.

The first team in 1971 had never

played Gaelic football and knew

very little about it. Yet they were

willing to give it a try.

September 1971 was a busy

time in Scoil Lorcáin. Many

families had just arrived or were

still arriving. One important

challenge for the teachers was to

integrate the boys originally from

the parish with boys moving in

from inner city and boys with

English accents having arrived

with their families from London,

Liverpool and many other places.

What better way to do this was to

get the boys involved in sport.

Dick Fields entered the boys in

Cumann na mBunscoil and

received the support of the

Principal, Liam Joyce and all the

Inside this issue:

Preparing the first Gael-ic Football team Sep-tember 1971

2

Evening Herald Head-lines-!971

2

Mr Sansome arrives in Kilbarrack

2

Scoil Lorcáin winning Corn na Laoch 1972

3

Choosing the colours for the school jersey.

3

The team that influ-enced the future.

3

Profile: Denis Dunne

4

Special points of inter-est: Comic Strip drawn by John Brennan, former Art teacher in De la Salle for Even-ing Herald 1972. John lives in Greendale Ave.

John Anderson who played on the first

school team and who was to win a

Championship medal with Naomh

Barróg in 1981. He had a very success-

ful career as a Professional Footballer.

Paul Brogan won a Leinster Medal with

Dublin in 1983.

Padraig Heffernan, Lar Mc Carthy, Paul

Croft and Cian Bennis played Senior

Football for Dublin.

History of the Club (1974-2014)

6th February 2014

Issue 2

Park in three years was influen-

tial in creating a love for Gaelic

Games and creating a status for

GAA within the parish. The boys

involved on the teams were

growing in confidence and belief

in themselves and developing a

respect for their school, parish

and love for Gaelic. This is the

preface of the story.

in the formation. From Sep-

tember 1971 the culture of

Gaelic Games were being es-

tablished and promoted. This

was been done through the

Boy’s School. The success the

school teams experienced in

such a short period of time,

getting to five finals in Croke

“First Round Games in Primary Schools football

Cup competitions provided a few exciting con-

tests last week, the feature being the victory of

newcomers Kilbarrack in the Donohoe Cup.

They had to battle hard against a gallant Rut-

lant St revival before emerging winners by 2 7

to 2 4, D Hutton, D Maguire (backs) M Cranley,

R Mc Kenna, John Anderson and J Smith were

prominent for the winners……..”.

Also on that team were David Slater, Eamonn

& Mousey Farrell, Michael Byrne, Vincent Brad-

shaw, Bernard Purcell, Tonner Dennis, John

Flynn, Lar Mc Carthy, Ronnie Ryan, Anto Stew-

art, Joe Mc Weeney, John Ansley, and some

more I can’t think of. John Anderson was to

pursue a career as a Professional Footballer.

Unfortunately no photograph of that team was

taken. We did not win many games in that

League. Yet the foundations had been sown

for many great victories that were to come.

Mr Sansome arrives in Kilbarrack

School Team in the Final at Croke Park

with Mr. Sansome and Mr. Fields, 1990

Mr Willie Sansome arrived to teach in Kilbar-

rack in May 1972. He was recommended by

his friend, Dick Fields which in those days was

enough to get you a teaching job. If Dick Fields

could get a teaching job in KIlbarrack-Foxfield

for his performance as Santa at a Christmas

Party then every thing was possible. Before he

arrived in Kilbarrack he had taught in Scoil

Chiarán, Donnycarney, Scoil Mhuire, Marino, St

Vincent’s Glasnevin, St Kevin’s,Ballygall Rd,

Roscommon CBS and in St Canice’s NCR. He

was originally from Belfast and had a great grá

for Gaelic Games. In all the schools he taught

in he trained school teams and experienced

many successes. With his teaching experience

and coaching qualifications he was an asset to

a new school, helping to lay foundations for

the education of many generations to come.

His influence on his students was to be enor-

mous. Himself and Dick Fields were to have a

huge influence in developing Gaelic Games in

Kilbarrack.

Preparing the first Gaelic Football Team September 1971

Evening Herald Headlines-1971 “Kilbarrack Surprise Newcomers”

If you have a memory about Naomh

Barróg that you remember please

share it with us. If you have a family

member or friend who would like to

receive our Newsletter please

forward the information to me at

dfields17@hotmail.com

Page 2 Naomh Barróg GAA Club

This was an exciting adventure and challenge.

The school succeeded in entering a team in

Cumann na mBunscoil because the school was

late applying for admission. The boys were so

excited with the prospect of playing against

other schools.

There was not much time to coach the boys

who never experienced Gaelic Football before.

At this time building was still going on in Kilbar-

rack-Foxfield. In Scoil Íosagáin and Scoil Lorcáin

phase two and three of the school plans were

being completed. It was a vacant site where

Greendale Community School was to be built,

and was often used as a playground for many

an adventurous lad. Across from Scoil Lorcáin

where the Shopping Centre is now, KIlbarrack

United had their soccer pitch. There was also

an excellent nine hole Pitch and Putt Club.

All the coaching took place on the soccer pitch

supported by Kilbarrack United. People won-

dered what were young fellows on a Soccer

pitch doing picking up the football. That is how

Gaelic football in September 1971 started with

two footballs and borrowed jerseys

The first match was played in Fairview Park

after school when Mr Joyce, Mr Twomey and

some of the teachers brought us in their cars

to the game. The following short excerpt be-

low, about the match was written in the Even-

ing Herald in October 1971.

In 1971 the team were thrown into the deep

end without much preparation. According to

legend we used a set of blue jerseys loaned by

Kilbarrack United.

Starting of in September 1972 everything was

going to be right with footballs, flags, proper

resources but especially a new set of jerseys.

These jerseys would become our colours to

identify us and give us a sense of pride in our

school and in our parish. Choosing the colours

was important and a decision was made.

Dick Fields and Willie Sansome decided that

the colours of Scoil Lorcáin would be green and

red because knowing that the Principal Liam

Joyce was a Mayo man they wanted to get him

on their side and have his support. Liam was

delighted with the gesture and loved to see the

boys being involved and occupied. He attend-

ed every game and was so proud when the

school won their first final in Croke Park. in

1972.

The team that influenced what was to happen in the future

Choosing the colours for the school jersey

Winning Corn na Laoch in Croke Park was

really the beginning of the Naomh Barróg

Story. The forming of a club in Kilbarrack at

this time was never spoken about or any

suggestion that one would be formed was

never mentioned. This idea to form a Club

did not materialize until 1974 when other

circumstances encouraged this to happen.

As we tell the story of Naomh Barróg this

will be discussed. At this period we were

only interested in giving the young boys of

Kilbarrack-Foxfield the opportunity to play

sport and experience the excitement of

playing Gaelic Games.

The team started their campaign well pre-

pared and full of confidence. Since the school

opened, many talented and skilled and ath-

letic boys joined the school. They took to

Gaelic football like a fish to water and came

to love the game. Many on that team are still

involved in Naomh Barróg and have been

involved developing our Club to the present

day,

This is an excerpt from the Evening Herald

November 1972 written by a Reporter called

C.P. He wrote, “St Laurence’s (Kilbarrack) are

newcomers to schools’ football. Nevertheless

they have proven themselves worthy of a place

in the final with sparkling wins over more expe-

rienced sides such as Howth, St Marnock’s,

Saggart and Kinsealy, the 1968 champions.

Their passage to the final was, if anything, a

more difficult one than that of their opponents

Scoil Colmcille and the Kilbarrack footballers

are quietly confident of taking their first ever

title”.

In Issue 3 we will tell you about that historic

final and replay and name the panel.

Scoil Lorcáin winning Corn na Laoch 1972 & the impact it had on the Parish.

The Kilbarrack United pitch that the

school trained on in the early years was

bought by Gubays (Tesco) in 1981.

Page 3 Issue 2

The aim was to get the boys involved and

through sport to challenge them to grow with

confidence, self esteem and with a pride in their

parish of Kilbarrack-Foxfield.

In September 1974 Dick Fields and Willie San-

some decided to prepare the school team to

win their first competition. To get the boys to a

high level of skills the training was intense and

challenging which the boys responded to in a

very positive way. Training took place nearly

every day after school on the Kilbarrack United

pitch across the road from the school. The

panel grew to love the challenge and their skill

levels went from strength to strength.

“That team picture brings back some mem-

ories. For winning that u10 final, Noel

Lonergan and Paddy Rankin took the team

to see Jaws in the cinema in Fairview which

was some experience for them and us. Noel

and Paddy took the teams to all the matches

in their cars. Noel had I think a black Anglia

which had a steel bar coming up through the

back seat and if you were that unlucky per-

son to get that position you walked funny

for most of the first half. Paddy had a Fiat

128 which you could hear before you could

see it”. (John Carty, originally from Briarfield

Rd and now living in Carlow).

“Great start here. I enjoyed reading it from

afar. I would love to share a story but I am

still carrying the scar of you telling me I

played GAA soccer style. Anyway I still

maintain I had the best left foot in

Kilbarrack”. (Martin Heffernan, originally

from Kilbarrack Gdns, now living in Cheshire)

Conclusion

Comments and memories from some of our readers

Denis was a Dublin man born in Ballybough in

1938. He attended O Connell’s Christian Broth-

ers Secondary School and after completion of

his Leaving Cert worked for CIE as an Advertis-

ing Consultant. He was a member of Civil Ser-

vice Harriers AC. Denis was a man with a great

sense of developing and creating Community

and supporting everything associated with it.

It was his belief and love for Gaelic Games and

Dublin Football/Hurling that influenced him to

attend the inaugural meeting that took place in

Scoil Lorcáin, Kilbarrack-Foxfield September

1974. From that historic meeting Denis was

committed and dedicated to the young people

of the parish and influential in developing the

ethos and work ethic that is Naomh Barróg to

this very day. Over the years Denis acted as

Registrar and more importantly as Secretary

for many years.

His greatest achievement was when Secretary

to play a huge part in the acquisition of our

ground Páirc Bharróg, using his skills of

intelligent negotiation and dialogue. He saw

his dream fulfilled in 1982 when the lease was

signed over to the Club by the OPW.

Denis loved more than anything else to

manage a team and this involvement earned

him the respect and loyalty of the young

players under his care. Denis died March 2010

and is fondly remembered in Naomh Barróg.

The response to Issue 1 has been excellent. I

received many interesting comments and

encouragement for this project. The message is

getting around about our e-Newsletter telling the

Story of Naomh Barróg. People are really

interested. I think it is good for people to know

about our history that connects them to where

we have come from, our ethos and what we want

to achieve.

It’s also important to share your memories with

us. They don’t have to be long.

Profile: Denis Dunne

Excerpt from the Evening Herald –1989.

“It’s a great scoop for a young Club to have

facilities like these. For our short time in

the game our level of development is

something to be proud of.... We are a

parish club and we are happy to be known

as much”, said Denis Dunne

Page 4 Issue 2

The ones above gives us a picture of childhood,

what was experienced and how it has remained

fresh in somebody’s mind and heart. One of the

suggestions I received was to write a profile on a

member who has given time and commitment to

the Club. It was an honour to dedicate it to Denis

Dunne a wonderful Naomh Barróg member.

Every week we will add to the story. If you have

email addresses of family members or friends,

send them to dfields17@hotmail.com so he can

forward by email or by post. Enjoy the memories