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Club History
Sixmilebridge Hurling Club was founded in 1904. The first recorded
matches were at Junior hurling and football level against Newmarket on Fergus
with the hurlers winning and the footballers losing 2-7 to 0-2.
The first recorded championship success was in 1940. Kilkishen were
defeated in the Intermediate “B” championship in Newmarket. A further 10 years
elapsed before Sixmilebridge won the Junior “A” title and then in 1951 they won
the Intermediate Championship beating Turnpike of Ennis in the final.
The following year the ‘Bridge reached the County Senior final only to
be beaten by Scariff. In 1954 Sixmilebridge won their first ever senior trophy
winning the Clare Champion Cup against Newmarket on Fergus on a scoreline of
4-6 to 2-6.
The next county final appearance was in 1962, where they lost to Ruan
in a replay 3-9 to 2-8. After this defeat Sixmilebridge slipped into senior
wilderness for more than a decade.
1968 saw the formation of a minor club. In 1970 the Minor “A”
Championship came to the village for the first time, and the following year the
U.14 title was also a first time visitor to the ‘Bridge. The U.14 title was won
again in 1975 and they represented Clare in the Feile na nGael competition.
The U.21 “A” title and the Intermediate title came to the ‘Bridge in
1971. However they had to wait until 1976 to contest the third Senior County
final in the club’s history. Newmarket on Fergus were the opponents and they
emerged victorious on a scoreline of 1-11 to 1-5.
In 1977 Sixmilebridge won their first senior championship defeating
Kilkishen by 1-6 to 1-5 in the final. They were beaten in the Munster club
championship by St. Finbarrs of Cork in a replay. IN 1979 the ‘Bridge won the
senior championship, the U.21 (first of 3 in a row) and the Minor (first of 2
in a row) as well.
Seven and a half acres of land were bought in 1978 and the new pitch
and dressingrooms were opened by Paddy Buggy in 1982. They won the senior
championship in ’83 and again in ’84 winning their first Munster club
championship beating Patrickswell in the final. County titles also came in ’89,
’92, & ’93. In 1995 the ‘Bridge had three reasons to celebrate. The Tommy
Morey memorial stand was officially opened, the U.14 won the All-Ireland Feile
competition, and the senior hurlers won the senior hurling championship and the
Munster title and went on the win the All-Ireland senior club championship on
St. Patrick’s Day 1996.
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Chairman |
James O’Regan, Main Street |
Michael Corry, Mt. Ivers. |
James McNamara, Rathmore |
Tom Sheehan, Mountcashel. |
Paddy Begley, Fortwilliam. |
Paddy Carmody, Sixmilebridge. |
Anthony Cusack, Cappa Lodge. |
Jimmy Corry, Mt. Ivers. |
Johnny Moroney, Cappa Lodge. |
Tom Quinn, Cappagh |
Canon Ryan. P.P. |
Fr. Minogue, C.C. |
P.J. Fitzpatrick, Rathliam. |
John Nihill, Lodge Rd. |
Jimmy Corry, Mt. Ivers. |
Christy Sheehan, Lodge Rd. |
John Corbett, Woodview Heights. |
Christy Murray, Cappa Lodge. |
FR. Albert McDonnell. C.C. |
Christy O’Connor, Beechwood Grove. |
John Corbett, Woodview Heights. |
Pat Keane. Mt. Ivers. |
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SECRETARY / TREASURER |
Peter Mullane, BallyCullen |
Michael Reddan, Pound Street |
Anthony Cusack, Cappa Lodge |
Jimmy Frost, Clover Hill |
Paddy Begley, Fortwilliam |
Mick Barron, Ardkyle |
Paddy Casey, MainStreet |
John O'Connell, Station House |
Flan McInerney, Ardkyle |
| Note: The Post of Secretary and Treasurer were then seperated. |
SECRETARY |
Noel Murphy, Cappagh |
Pat Keane, Mt. Ivers |
Tom Sheehan, Soreeny |
Tim Crowe, Cappagh South |
Jim Markham, Castlecrine |
Corey Downes, Kilmurry |
Charolette & Ann Marie Murray, Cappa Lodge |
John O'Meara, Mill Court |
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Treasurer |
Andrew O'Dowd, Cappa Lodge |
Paddy Collins, Limerick Rd. |
Tom Sheehan, Soreeny |
Seamus O'Halloran, Cappagh |
Brian McNamara, Ballysheen |
Sean Griffin, Moygalla |
Vincent Delaney, Cappa |
Mary Corry, Ballysheenmore |
Mary Corbett, Mount Ivers |
Christy O'Connor, Beechwood Grove |
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Snippets
Some members of the 1916 Junior team that won the championship were:
Mickey O’Halloran - Jimmy Lynch - George Reidy - Clune Bros.
On June 1st 1924 Sixmilebridge formed part of the Mid Clare team that played East Clare to raise funds for the GAA in Clare. The teams comprised of the best of junior and Senior teams.Jim Markham played on the Junior team and Michael O'Halloran played with the seniors.
When James O'Reagan from SMB was county board delegate, one of the motions he purt forward was that the county secretary be directed to communicate with Mr. Sullivan manager of the West Cclare Railway, asking him to allow all gaelic football and hurling teams as well as delegates to meetings of the board to travel to all events at half fare.
Sixmilebridge played Clarecastle in the first round of the football championship in 1948.
In the Junior Football Championship of 1962 in the 1/4 final Sixmilebridge defeated Doonbeg.
In 1965 the Sixmilebridge G.A.A. Club had 2 AGMs, one for hurling and one for football, and two seperate committees were formed.
A.G.M. 1945
CHAIRMAN; Tom Sheehan
VICE CHAIRMAN J. Markham
SEC / TREASURER Paddy Begley
COMMITTEE: T. Quinn, Phil Flynn, T. Mulready, P. Carmody, J. McInerney, M. Conlon;
In 1944 the club had a credit balance of
£24. 2s 9d.
The main costs at the time were (SURPRISE !!!) hurling balls.
Prominent members of the Cappa team that qualified for the Junior Final of 1947 were :
Sonny O’Dea, James Liddy, Dick Barron, Joe Mc Inerney, Sean Meehan, - Jim Malley.
Cappa put forward a motion in 1948 to abolish the parish rule - It was defeated.
The 'Bridge team in the 1936 Junior final was:
Michael Reddan
Paul Carmody - Sean Carmody - Sean Flynn
Michael Power - John O’Meara - Patrick Flynn
James O'Malley - James McNamara
Patrick Fahy - Michael O' Halloran - Louis Hickey
Bobby Flynn - Fintan Flynn- Thomas Markham.
A.G.M. 1938.
70 members at 6d each for membership.
Tclub showed a credit balance.
CHAIRMAN; James McNamara (Feenagh)
SECRETARY Michael Reddan
TREASURER Paddy Begley
CO.BOARD REP. Peter Mullane
COMMITTEE; Tom Sheehan, Paddy Mullane, James O'Halloran, Anthony Cusack.
The late Paddy (Pa) Casey became an inter county referee in 1965. He refereed a Limerick V Carlow in the Gaelic grounds in Limerick, and also the All Ireland U-21 Semi final between Tipperary and Roscommon.
Mr. Behan O’Brian from Limerick who trained the Tipperary senior hurlers to a number of All Irelands, trained the Sixmilebrdge Senior team in 1967.
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