Glin GAA

Records show that football and hurling had been played previously (possibly under the team name of a Thomas Davis) but these games were quite rough and unorganised. Glin reached the County Final of 1903 but lost to the magnificent Commercials side of the time.

After many years in decline, the arrival of Father Patrick Lyons as curate to the parish in 1926 heralded a revival of fortunes for Glin. The renaissance began immediately with the club winning the Junior and Senior Football championships of 1926. The club won seven county football championships between 1926 and 1934. Glin contributed many players to the inter-county scene at this stage. Some of the heroes of the time Johnny Kelly, Seamus Duggan, Thomas Culhane, Thomas Mulvihill, Mick Dillane and Patrick Conway.

In 1957, a combination of Glin and Ballyhahill (under the title of Glin Rangers) won the County Junior Championship. The following year in 1958, Glin won the Junior Championship again, this time on their own. Stars of that era were Jimmy Reidy, Michael Dillane, Seán Finn, Frank Burke, Michael Adams and Thomas McKeon.

In 1984, Glin won the County Junior Championship again with John A. Culhane, Maurice, Davy and Con Fitzgerald playing an influential part in the march to success.

1990 was a remarkable year for Glin as regards hurling. Despite hurling having an almost non-existent profile, Glin won an U16 county title. Managed by stalwarts Johnny Lyons and Billy Martin, the team defeated South Liberties in the final.

In 1998, it celebrated its centenary with a contest between Kerry, (the then reigning All- Ireland Champions) and Sligo.

In 2007, the club was relegated from Intermediate to Junior A grade after a disastrous season. The following year, the team won the Junior A West Limerick Championship but were knocked out the county semi-final stage.

A year later, they also contested the West final vs Mountcollins with the sides finishing level at 1-12 apiece aet. The replay on October 17 at 1.30 in Abbeyfeale finished in a one-point win for Mountcollins 0-12 to 0-11. The team were still able to participate in the county championship, however, and on October 26 played Ballygran in Newcastle West. The Magpies ran out winners by 5 points. The county junior A football final was played on Sunday, November 15 ended in a draw.

The replay was set for Páirc na Gael on Friday night, November 20. The result after extra time was Mountcollins 0-12, Glin 0-11. This was hughly entertaining with the Magpies playing well throughout even though down to 14 men for much of normal time.

For the 2010 football season, Thomas Connolly was elected chairman unopposed replacing the outgoing Pat O'Shaughnessy. Glin combined with Gerald Griffins under the name of Shannon Gaels to compete in the West Limerick SFC and reached the quarter finals of the competition. The 2010 Junior A championship could be regarded as another disappointment for the Magpies. Initial signs were promising as Monagea were beaten in the West final replay and a gallant Milford side were overcome at the county quarter-final stage. However, Bruree proved to be a hurdle too far for the Shannonsiders in the semi-final.

In 2011, Thomas Connolly was re-elected unopposed for a second term. Declan Reidy stood down from his position as secretary, being replaced by Donie Shine and James Donovan as Secretary and Vice-Secretary respectively. Paddy Reidy continues in the position of Treasurer for another year and Ger Lyons replaced his father Johnny as PRO. After a mediocre league campaign, Glin began the championship well, with victories over Drom-Broadford, Castlemahon and Father Casey's. However the year ended once more in bitter disappointment with defeat to Seán Finn's in the County Final and Feohanagh-Castlemahon in the County League Final.

In January 2012, Thomas Connolly was again re-elected unopposed for a third consecutive term along with all other officers. Moss McCarthy from Drom-Broadford was at the helm of the Junior A team. After meandering through the early rounds of the championship group, Glin recorded a notable win over Fr. Casey's with a last minute winning goal from wing-forward Paul Sheehan. Defeat to Monagea in the West Junior final (after being reduced to 13 men) followed and Glin's championship challenge came to a conclusion when they went down by two points in the County semi-final to Cappamore, the eventual winners.

2013 saw the appointment of new management for tenth time in as many years. Recently retired Patrick Madigan was aided by Liam Long, John A. Culhane and Declan Reidy. Victory in the County Junior league and West Championship finals saw Glin go on 5 month winning streak in all competitions. However old failings came to light once more in the County Junior final. In a rematch of the West final, Castlemahon became County Junior champions.

In 2013, Shannon Gaels, a combination of Glin and Gerald Griffins, captured the County U21 A title.

For the first time in many years, Glin retained the same management for the 2014 season with Paddy Madigan as Manager/Trainer and selectors John Anthony Culhane, Liam Long, Declan Reidy & David Horan with kit man Billy Martin & physio Mike Shaughnessy.

The team began the year in tremendous form, winning 6 games out of 6 in the West Championship, running out comfortable victors against Newcastle West (8 points), Feenagh-Kilmeedy (8 points), Fr. Casey's (6 points), Monagea (11 points), Granagh-Ballingarry (8 points) & Cappagh-Kilcornan (11 points). After a narrow win in the West semi final against Cappagh-Kilcornan, the side won the West final against Fr. Casey's comfortably by 2-12:0-07.

A 6-point win in the County quarter final against Murroe-Boher was followed by an 8-point win in the County semi final against Patrickswell. In the County final, the scoreline was Glin 0-14:0-09 Kilteely Dromkeen, after a gap of 30 years since winning the last Junior county championship.

Next up was the huge occasion of a Munster quarter final against Tipperary champions Inane Rovers who were defeated on a scoreline of 1-12:2-08; and then the Waterford county champions Kill in the Munster semi final, winning by 1-08:0-08. In the Munster final against Brosna from Kerry, in front of 3,500 supporters, the team were narrowly defeated by 3 points.

Victorious 2014 Panel:- Goalkeepers:- Michael Stack, Michael Sheehy, Padraig Horan

Defenders:- Timmy O Connor, Kieran Scanlon, Tim Scanlon, Brian Donovan, Stephen Shine, Kieran McMahon, Hugh Dunne, Kevin Sweeney, Jack Fitzgerald, Bill Culhane, Padraig Costello, John Wallace, Paddy Fitzgerald (Captain)

Midfielders:- Edmond Horan, Philip Moloney, Michael Sweeney

Forwards:- Shane Culhane, Paul Sheehan, Mark Culhane, James Wallace, Aidan Mulvihill, Darren Sheehan, Gary Culhane, Kevin Moore, Tommy Culhane, Paul Culhane, Padraig Scanlon.

The club management structure for the 2014 season are as follows:

• Munster Junior Club Football Championship Runners-Up: 2014[2]
• Limerick Senior Football Championship Winners: 1926, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934
  • Runners Up: 1899, 1909, 1910, 1927, 1937, 1939
• Limerick Intermediate Football Championship Winners: 1995
• Limerick Junior Football Championship: 1926, 1954, 1984, 2014
  • Runners Up: 2009, 2011, 2013
• West Limerick Junior Football Championship: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014
  • Runners Up: 2011, 2012
• West Limerick Junior League: 2013
• Limerick Junior Football League: 2013
• Limerick Senior Football League: 1997

• List of Limerick GAA clubs

• GLIN, a market and post-town, and a parish from A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837) by Samuel Lewis