History of the Club / Stair an Cumann

Ag Tosú Amach / Getting Started

Téann stair an Chumainn Lúthchleas Gael i Maigh Cuilinn siar go dtí tús an chéid seo caite. Bhí sé eagraithe go maith faoin bhliain 1914. Tá taifead scríofa ar fáil faoi thoscaireacht de chúigear ón Chumann Peile ag freastal ar chruinniú den Chumann Iománaíochta 12 Aibreán 1914 ar mhaithe leis an dá Chlub a chomhnascadh. D'ainmnigh na Clubanna comhaontaithe na hoifigigh seo leanas.

The history of the G.A.A. in Moycullen goes back to the beginning of the last century.  It was well organised within the parish by 1914. There are written records of a five-member delegation from the Football club attending a meeting of the Hurling club on the 12th April 1914 for the purpose of amalgamation of the two clubs.  The joint clubs appointed the following officers:  

Uachtarán. - P Ó Droighneáin (Clooniffe)

Cisteoirí - Mark McDonagh (Ballyquirke), Michael Morris (Clooniffe)

Rúnaí - Walter Regan (Moycullen)

Tháinig an chéad fhoireann geansaithe agus brístíní ó Elvery's i mBaile Átha Cliath ar 31 Bealtaine 1914 ar chostas iomlán de 1 - 17s - 6d(€2.38 i luach airgid an lae inniu). Ceannaíodh liathróid pheile amháin agus ceithre sliotar ó Murphy's, Port Láirge ar chostas 1-3s-0d(€1.40). Socraíodh ballraíocht an Chlub ag 3d.

The first set of emerald green jerseys and togs arrived from Elvery's of Dublin on 31st May 1914 at a total cost of £1-17s-6d (€2.38 in today's money).  One football and four hurling balls were purchased from Murphy's of Waterford at a cost of £1-3s-0d (€1.40).  The membership fee to join the club was 3d.

Na Blianta Tosaigh/Early Days. 

Ba iad Uachtar Ard a bhí mar phríomhchéile comhraic sna blianta tosaigh. Imríodh comórtas laistigh den pharóiste sa bhliain 1914 idir foirne ó Chúlachaí, Poll na gCloch agus Tulach Uí Chadhain. Bhí an bua ag foireann Cúlachaí. Táimid faoi chomaoin ag Tomás Bairéad as an eolas seo, atá bunaithe ar na miontuairiscí óna chéad chruinnithe. Tháinig cúrsaí polaitíochta chun cinn sa bhliain 1914 nuair a ritheadh rún ag iarraidh tacaíochta i ngach bealach arbh fhéidir do Ghluaiseacht Náisiúnta na nÓglach Ã³na mbaill ar fad sa pharóiste. Go deimhin dhúnmharaigh na Dúchrónaigh Seán Mac Eoghagáin ball sinsearach den chlub.

Oughterard provided the main opposition in those early days.  A parish competition comprising of teams from Coolaghy, Moycullen village, Poulnaclough and Tullykyne was played in 1914.  Coolaghy won it.  We are indebted to the late Tomás Bairéad, who preserved the minutes of those early meetings, for the above snippets.  Politics entered the GAA scene in late 1914 when a resolution was passed calling on all members in the parish to support the Irish National Volunteer Movement in every way possible. Indeed, a prominent member of the Football Club - John Geoghegan (Ugoole) - was executed by the Tans.

Blianta ar an nGannchuid/The Lean Years.

Chuir an chéad chogadh domhanda, Cogadh na Saoirse agus an Cogadh Cathartha a lean é isteach go mór ar an gClub agus bhí sé i dtreo dheireadh na bhfichidí sular cuireadh eagar ar an gclub in athuair. Glactar leis go forleathan gur i 1928-29 a bunaíodh an club reatha. 6d a bhí mar tháille bhallraíochta sa bhliain 1928. Thosaigh an Club ag glacadh páirte i gcraobh shóisearach an chontae. Ní raibh mórán áidh leis sna fichidí, na tríochaidí, na ceathrachaidí nó luath sna caogaidí gur shroich sé an pointe sa bhliain 1955 nach raibh foireann ar bith ag glacadh páirte sna comórtais contae. Ní amhlaidh an scéal áfach le cúrsaí iománaíochta agus bhain siad roinnt buanna cáiliúla, ina measc craobh chontae sóisearach sa bhliain 1937 agus 1945 mar aon le craobh idirmheánach agus craobh mhionúir sa bhliain 1945.

The First World War, the War of Independence and the ensuing Civil War brought the usual problems to the GAA in the parish and it was not until the late 1920's that the clubs were re-organised again. It is widely accepted that the present club was formed in 1928-29. The membership fee in 1928 was 6d.  The club began to take part in the County GAA at junior level.  It did not have any great luck in the 20's, 30's, 40's or early 50's in football so much so that in 1955 there were no football teams entered in the county competitions. However the hurlers recorded some famous victories in these years including county titles in 1937, 1944 (junior) & 1945 (intermediate & minor).

Aiséirí/Resurgance.

Sa bhliain 1956 socraíodh foireann shóisir agus foireann mionúir a chur chun páirce in athuair. Bhí rath orthu ar an tort agus bhain siad Craobh Iarthair an Chontae sa bhliain chéanna. Chuir an bua sin tús le Ré Órga (1956 - 1973) Chumann Peile Mhaigh Cuilinn agus ó shin tá an Club imithe ó neart go neart agus go leor comórtais réigiúnda agus contae buaite aige ( féach liosta Ã©achtaí). Sa bhliain 1961 rinneadh dhá chlub faoi leith in athuair den Chumann Peile agus Iománaíochta i ndiaidh dóibh a bheith comhnascatha le 47 bliana.

In 1956 it was decided to enter Junior and Minor football teams again.  The club met with instant success and won the West Board Championship Cup the same year.  This victory was the beginning of the "Golden Age" (1956-73) of Moycullen football, as from then on the club has gone from strength to strength and has won several divisional and county competitions (see list of achievements).  In 1961, the Hurling and Football clubs became separate independent clubs once again, having been amalgamated for 47 years. 

Stádas Sinsir/Senior Status.

Bhain an Club stádas mar Chumann Sinsir sa bhliain 1964 trí Chraobh Shóisir an Chontae a bhuachaint agus seachas seal gairid mar chumann idirmheánach, bhí Maigh Cuilinn ina chlub sinsir go dtí gur chaill siad an stádas sin sa bhliain 2006. Sa tréimhse sin áfach tá teipthe ar Mhaigh Cuilinn craobh shraithe nó craobh an chontae a thabhairt leo in ainneoin gur shroich siad trí chraobh chontae. Faoi láthair glacann an Club páirt i ngach comórtas faoi aois, sóisear agus idirmheánach sa chontae. In imeacht na mblianta is iomaí imreoir i ngach grád ar tugadh aitheantas dó trí é a roghnú ar fhoirne an chontae.

The Football club achieved Senior status in 1964 by winning the County Junior Championship and, except for a short stay at intermediate level, Moycullen has been senior ever since until 2006. However, Moycullen has yet to win a County Senior League or Championship, despite reaching 3 County Finals.  Presently, the club takes part in all under-age, junior and senior competitions in the county.  Over the years, many of our players have been honoured in all grades by the county.