Fohenagh

On 22 July 1888 a tournament at Lowville drew up to 3,000 people in the rain, and on 8 September 1888 the first GAA social was held at Kilconnell. A History of Fohenagh records both days. On 15 July 1890, Tim Glynn (1890)’s Fohenagh met Gurteen for fifty minutes in a field lent by the Cormican family, and the teams were called off with the score nothing all[1]. The club was re-affiliated on 21 January 1907, despite a strong objection fromAhascragh, after the parish priest, Fr Harney, newly elected president, wrote that the players were “respectable men”[2].

The North Board junior final of 29 March 1942 put Fohenagh into the county series. They beat Cussane at Menlough, and the Tuam Herald of 4 April, page 2, said they were “superior most of the hour”[3]. The final. The 1941 junior semi-final against Claregalway was fixed for Athenry on Sunday 24 May 1942, at 4.30 p.m., and was abandoned[4]. The game. A History of Fohenagh dates that day 23 May[5]. On 6 June 1942 the County Board met at the Royal Hotel, suspended both clubs for twelve months, and declared Eyrecourt the 1941 junior champions. The Connacht Tribune of 13 June reported the meeting[6]. On 12 June 1943 the chairman told the board, “Fohenagh is definitely in the North Board.”[7] The 1943 North Board junior final, played at Menlough on 28 May 1944, went to Cussane, 5-3 to Fohenagh’s 2-4, in the Connacht Tribune of 3 June[8]. The final. On 25 September 1949 Fohenagh won the East Board junior hurling final at Duggan Park, 5-8 to Lawrencetown 0-3, reported in the Connacht Tribune of 1 October[9]. The final.

On 13 October 1946 the camogie team beat Ballinasloe at Duggan Park. The Connacht Tribune of 19 October carried the result[10]. The game. The county senior final was played at Galway on 16 November 1947: Fohenagh 3-1, Erin’s Hopes 3-0. The Irish Press reported it the next day[11]. The final. The Connacht Tribune of 15 November had called it the club’s first appearance in a county final[12].

The Clare Champion of 19 July 1952 prints an intermediate win, Fohenagh 7-5, Gort 0-3[13]. The game. The Tuam Herald of 16 August 1952 prints the county final draw, Fohenagh 3-6, Skehana 4-3[14]. The draw. The replay at Castleblakeney on 24 August went to Skehana, 3-7 to 2-1, in the Tuam Herald of 30 August[15]. The replay. The intermediate semi-final at Loughrea on 18 October 1953 went to Maree, 4-2 to 2-3. The Connacht Sentinel of 20 October carried it[16]. The game.

The first county senior final was 1958, at Duggan Park: Castlegar 5-9, Fohenagh 2-4[17]. On 30 August 1959 the sides drew at Pearse Stadium, Fohenagh 2-8, Castlegar 1-11[18]. The draw. At the replay in Kenny Park on 13 September, Castlegar led by ten points at half-time. Fohenagh won 3-9 to 4-5, and another printing gives 3-9 to 2-5. Both scores stay. Marty Glynn lifted the county senior cup[19]. The replay. In 1960 the cup was retained at Pearse Stadium. The Galway GAA table and the September papers print Fohenagh 4-9, Castlegar 2-7[20]. A Connacht Tribune look-back of 29 January 2021 prints 5-13 to 2-4[21]. The final.

On 15 October 1960 six Fohenagh men were named for Galway against Tipperary on 30 October: Tony O'Gorman, P.J. Lally, Tim Sweeney, Frank Glynn and Jimmy Moclair. J. Sweeney is the sixth name. Two players fit that initial, so this page does not guess[22].

The 1961 county final is one point in the book and two in the Galway GAA printing, Turloughmore 3-6, Fohenagh 3-4[23]. The final. In 1963, at Pearse Stadium, Turloughmore won 5-13 to 2-4. The Connacht Tribune of 17 August reported the final[24]. The final.

The Connacht Tribune of 7 December 1990 names Fohenagh county under-12 B champions[25] and Minor C champions[26]. On 13 September 1996, with Phillip Lohan as captain, Fohenagh won the county Minor C final at Duggan Park, 5-15 to Cappataggle 0-6[27]. A History of Fohenagh gives the school roll as 96 in 1988 and 46 by 2000. The underage teams joined Ahascragh in 1999 and won county under-14 B and Minor B titles that year. The Tuam Herald of 12 June 1999 notes the under-14 B final[28]. On 21 January 2002 the two clubs amalgamated as Ahascragh-Fohenagh[29].