THE
BEGINNING
The
origins Of Gaelic football in Asdee
goes back to the beginning of the
century and in this article I shall
attempt to breeze through many of
the glorious moments which are now
inscribed into the annals of local
history. This is not a history of
the club, but hopefully will provide
the community with an insight into
the many people who kept the tradition
going over the years and the great
feats achieved by local teams during
this period. The first local team
emerged in 1905 and were called Craughdarrig
Emmets. At that particular time the
game was played with 17-a-side. A
North Kerry Board did not exist at
that time and it was up to each individual
team, to arrange their own games against
teams from the North Kerry area. Games
were not just confined to 'the locality
and the Craughdarrig team regularly
boated across the Shannon for games
against Clare teams which often turned
into great social occasions. A close
camaraderie was built between the
teams, over the years and the Bannermen
also made return trips to Asdee.
The
games were usually played in the
Sliss Field and this went on until
well into the The 30s. The first
North Kerry League was established
in 1919 with Faha entering a team
which included a number of Asdee
players including Jack Boyle, Maurice
Wren, Sean Coughlan and Garret Boyle.
The emergence of the Black and Tans,
the tragic Civil War and general
political strife that followed brought
football to a standstill throughout
Kerry for a few years. in 1925 the
North Kerry League was kick-started
again and Jack Walsh and Bob Stack,
two of the county's all-time greats,
had now appeared on the scene and
a great Faha team was built around
them. They reached the final in
the first year and lost to a superb
Moyvane side in the final after
a replay. The games attracted huge
crowds and provided the North Kerry
Board with badly needed finance.
Gate receipts from the drawn game
reached £104 at 6 old pence
per head and £98 was collected
at the replay. In 1927 Craughdarrig
were also back in harness again,
this time as a junior team and reached
the North Kerry final but were beaten
by Ballydonoghue. In 1934 a great
team was put together that brought
the first North Kerry title to the
area, but unfortunately shorty after
this match the North Kerry Board
was disbanded due to political differences
and no medals were presented. The
1934 panel was: Jack Boyle, Ger
Kennedy, Jack Walsh, Con Carmody,
Johnny O'Hanion, Bill Finucane,
Mick Lynch, Bill Moran, Eddie Walsh,
Tom Healy, Jack Boyle (Clounamon),
Vinnie Deenihan, Mick Gorman, Bill
Boyle, Jack Moriarty, Eddie O'Connor
and Jim O'Carroll. Many players
from Beale were on the team even
though they were in the Ballybunion
parish, but at that time there was
no parish rule. The North Kerry
Board was formed again in 1936 and
the next big day in Asdee football
was the North Kerry semi-final against
Ballylongford in Tarbert, a game
that is still spoken about in the
locality. It was a novel pairing
between two teams from the same
parish and not surprisingly, it
got the adrenaline going among players
and supporters. The team by now
had accumulated a big following,
and every able bodied person from
Beale Hill to Ballybunion were in
Tarbert for the eagerly awaited
showdown. The game hung in the balance
all through but Bally emerged victorious
by two points at the final whistle.
The highlight of the game was a
magnificent performance at corner
forward by 45 year old Jack Moriarty.
At this stage many of the older
players retired while others were
forced to emigrate and the team
in general went into decline. The
club was back in business again
in 1947 where they competed at intermediate
grade with the present president
of the local club Tommy O'Connor
elected as chairman. Their rise
to fame was rapid and in 1950 they
created a further piece of history
for Asdee by bringing the first
intermediate title to the village
by defeating Listowel in the final.
The team was: Batty Whyte, Johnny
Culhane, Michael Deenihan, Timmy
Carr, Eddie Walsh, Patrick Carmody,
Jack Flavin, Tommy O'Neill, Patsy
O'Carroll, Tom Sheehy, John Ryan,
Tom Hennessy, Der Mulvihill, Tommy
O'Connor and Fonty Stack. Patrick
Carmody sustained an injury during
the game and was replaced by Johnny
Whyte. in the mid 50s Asdee again
produced some great teams and they
had a great run in 1955 but were
defeated by Moyvane in the final.
However, the team hit the victory
train again in 1956 when they defeated
Tarbert at the Shannonside village
in a memorable final. The team was:
Joe Murphy, Mossie O'Carroll, Ned
Joe Lyons, Timmy Carr, Tony Stack,
Mikie Whyte, Johnny Whyte, Tom Keane,
Pat Moriarty, Brendan Boyle, Conor
Finucane, Tom Fitzgerald, Tom Sheehy,
Tommy O'Connor, Neilie O'Mahony.
Fonty Stack missed the final. 1958
marked the last year of Asdee as
an intermediate team as they decided
to go senior. Even though no honours
were achieved they turned in many
fine performances.
JOINED
BALLY
At this stage the teams went into
decline again and in the early 60s
it was decided to join forces with
Ballylongford, culminating in the
formation of a most formidable team
who won numerous honours. In a twelve
year period from 1965 to 1977 they
contested 11 North Kerry senior
championship finals winning five.
They captured three North Kerry
senior league titles and won three
county intermediate championships,
as well as many tournaments throughout
North Kerry and West Limerick with
Asdee well represented in all the
winning teams.
THE
GLORIOUS 70's
However,
in 1974 Asdee were back in the picture
once again, still part of the set
up in Ballylongford. Asdee were
affiliated to the North Kerry Board
as a junior side and took North
Kerry by storm under the chairmanship
of the present vice-chairman of
the North Kerry Board, Tom O'Sullivan.
The team took part in all North
Kerry competitions and the county
league and novice championship.
Highlight of the year was their
remarkable feat in winning the North
Kerry division 2 championship at
the first attempt, defeating hot
favourites Ballydonogbue in the
final in Ballylongford. in the same
year we finished third in the county
league and also reached the semi-final
of the North Kerry league. The winning
1974 team was Mike Culhane, Tim
O'Connor, John McCarthy, Jerry Keane,
Richard McEllistrim, Pat Holly,
Jack Hennessy (capt.), Eddie Anthony
Walsh, Mick Keane, John Joe O'Carroll,
Eddie Joe Mulvihill, Ned O'Connor,
John Hanrahan, Tim McEllistrim and
Mike Wren. Subs., Mike Walsh for
John Hanrahan, Paddy Collins for
Eddie Joe Mulvihill, Mike Doyle,
John Paul Galvin, P.J. O'Connor,
John Pius Walsh, James Collins,
Matt Flynn, Pat Joe MeElligott (R.I.P.),
and Louis Heaphy. This great triumph
also brings back very sad memories
with a good friend Jimmy Mulvihill,
who no doubt would have been a member
of this successful unit for many
a year only for a tragic accident
in April 1974 that took him away,
a man who was one of Asdee's best
loved sons. Over the next two years
the team did Asdee proud and even
though they failed to collect any
silverware the team finished well
up in the county league table and
held their own on the North Kerry
scene. By 1978 the team had collapsed
with the team failing to fulfil
club fixtures and walk overs the
order of the day. One of the last
matches played was a North Kerry
league division 2 game against Tarbert
in Ballylongford who won on a scoreline
of 1-4 to 0-8. The team that day
had some familiar names on the sheet:
Leo O'Donoghue, Liam florgan, John
Pius Walsh, Ned MeElligott, Tim
O'Connor, Jack Hennessy, Gerdie
O.Carroll, Fddie Anthony Walsh,
Paddy Dee, Tom Gorman, Mike Walsh,
Edsic Horgan, John Paul Gaivin,
Patsy Coughlan, Mike Doyle. Once
again for all those interested in
continuing their footballing careers
it was back to Ballylongford and
many players from Asdee were once
again part of some successful sides
both at senior and underage level
with O'Rahillys. |