The Past
Gaelic games play an important part in the lives of the people of Kilkenny and the parish of Conahy is no exception. Conahy Shamrocks G.A.A. club has flourished for almost one hundred and twenty years. Two years after the founding of the G.A.A. in 1884 in Thurles, Conahy registered a football team and played two practice games against Firoda and Donaghmore. They registered the clubs colours as orange and green and entered a team in the Senior Football championship of that year. In 1888, Conahy made national headlines through the achievements of Mark Downey, who won Long Kick Championship of Ireland at a Sports event in Kilkenny. In so doing he beat the legendary J.P. O'Sullivan of Killorglin, Co. Kerry into second place. Following these early successes one would have expected the Conahy name to be in the forefront in the 1890's but there is no record of even a team entry again until 1914 when they qualified for the Northern Junior Football Final but lost to Burnchurch who went on to beat Harristown in the County Final. The club's first major success came in 1918 when they won a four team hurling tournament, organised by the Tullow Club, which also included Dicksboro and Clomantagh. This tournament was organised because no county championships were played that year.
In the 1920's Conahy acquired their own grounds in Ardaloo, the Polo Grounds, for it is said, the princely sum of £80.00. In the early years, the majority of the club's successes came on the football field. The highlight of their footballing efforts was in 1928 when they qualified for the junior footballing county final against Corbettstown in James' Park on April 8th, 1928. Conahy travelled with high hopes, but following a real thriller the match ended in a draw - Conahy 2-2 Corbettstown 2-2. The replay was fixed for Nowlan Park, which added to the excitement, as this was to be the first county final in any grade to be played there, but it brought no luck to Conahy as they lost 2-4 to 1-2. However record books will show that Conahy man Mick Maher was the first man to score in a county final in Nowlan Park. The following year did not bring any success on the field but this particular year was an extremely important one, however, as it marked the arrival of local teacher Joe Dowling who for the next 30 years served as secretary and treasurer in the club.
While the initial years of the club mainly centred on success in football, they made a significant breakthrough into Kilkenny hurling circles when they captured the Intermediate hurling title in 1930 and did so again in 1932. They continued to be competitive in football in which they were called Conahy Sarsfields, and they soon secured their highlight of that era, the winning of the senior football championship in 1947, the club's only senior title in either code. 7 years previously, the club moved from the Old Polo Grounds in Ardaloo to the New Polo Grounds in Jenkinstown, where the club remains to the present day.
The 1950's and 1960's were a barren period for the club as they were defeated in a number of Northern junior hurling and football finals. The club's golden era was surely in 1976 when under the guidance of future Offaly and Kilkenny manager Diarmuid Healy, Conahy won the Northern Final by beating Danesfort, before accounting for Carrickshock in the County final. The footballers had their own success that year when they themselves captured the junior title beating Bigwood in the County Final. A double success came in 1977 when Conahy edged out Dicksboro by a single point in a thrilling Intermediate County Final. It took another nine years before Conahy tasted success, winning the Intermediate County Final for a record fourth time, defeating Piltown in the 1986 final. A first-ever success followed at special junior level in 1988 and again in 1997 after an epic three match struggle with John Lockes (Callan).
The Present
The club suffered relegation back to the junior ranks in 1998 and have come close on a number of occasions to winning promotion to intermediate level, the major highlight being in 2002 when they won the All-County Hurling League. The club have also consolidated their strength in football, but despite this were desperately unlucky not to win a county title having lost 2 intermediate football finals in a row in 2003 and 2004. The club were similarly unfortunate in hurling in 2004, when they narrowly lost to eventual county champions Galmoy in the Northern final.
The greatest period in the club's existence, however, was not far around the corner. The county junior title that had eluded the club for a number of years was finally captured in 2007 by defeating Tullogher-Rosbercon, and in doing so, the club went forward to represent Kilkenny in the Leinster club junior championship. The club was also fortunate to win this competition by defeating Castlepollard from Westmeath in the Leinster final and subsequently defeat Armoy from Antrim in the All-Ireland semi-final.
The club's most historic day took place in Croke Park on February 9th, 2008, as Moyle Rovers from Tipperary provided the opposition in the All-Ireland Junior club final. A fantastic performance saw the club crowned All-Ireland champions, winning 0-19 to 1-9.
The club grounds, the Polo Grounds in Jenkinstown, have been continually updated and modernised over the last number of years. Major development concluded in 2007 with the refurbishment and extension of the squash court building into meeting and function rooms and a clubhouse facility. Parish support for this work was incredibly positive. With the additional benefits of this facility, the club hopes to provide one of the major G.A.A. grounds in Co. Kilkenny. Also, the club has been especially fortunate to have local businessman and former club chairman Tommy Downey of Downey Logistics, Foulksrath as their official club sponsors.
Players & Administrators
Conahy Shamrocks has been represented on the county and national stage in both a playing and administrative capacity throughout its existence. Some of its major stalwarts throughout the years are as follows:
Shem Downey
Shem played both hurling and football with Conahy, and began his inter-county career as a minor in 1939. In 1946 he forced his way onto the Kilkenny senior team. He subsequently played a major role in Kilkenny's 1947 All-Ireland victory, the first Conahy man to do so, and also produced a star performance in the National League victory of 1950. Shem was said to be the first player to develop the solo-run with the ball dead on the hurley. In the recent past, his daughters Angela and Anne were great stalwarts of Kilkenny camogie, together winning 25 All-Ireland medals in similarly distinguished careers.
Dick Kelly
Dick was a founder member of Conahy Shamrocks and a member of the 1930 and 1932 Intermediate Championship winning teams. He also served the club passionately as chairman for many years and was held in high esteem by all. Dick was also a distinguished referee, officiating at many county final and matches throughout Ireland.
Joe Dowling
Joe was a native of Kilkenny city and came to teach in the parish in 1920. Subsequently, he was a major influence in the club for many years as a founder member and as secretary of the club from 1929 until 1959. While he was involved in all aspects of the club, he took a particular interest in the young people and imparted to them a great love of both hurling and football. He served as secretary of the Northern GAA Board and also of the County Under-16 Board at various times.
In 1946 Joe Dowling along with Tom Waldron (Freshford) and Brother James (a teacher with the De La Salle Order in Kilkenny) established the Kilkenny Cumann na mBunscol (Primary Schools Board). This Board has played (and continues to play) a significant role along with Primary teachers and clubs in the development of Gaelic games throughout Kilkenny. Indeed, this development has been at the core of the numerous successes of Kilkenny teams in all grades over the decades.
A key decision which was made by the newly established Cumann na mBunscol in 1946 was that all schools within a Parish would join together to form a Parish Primary Schools team. The exception was within Kilkenny City where each individual school was deemed to have sufficient resources to field on their own. This decision was in effect establishing what has now become known as the Parish Rule in Kilkenny GAA.
Joe Phelan
Probably one of the most unsung heroes of Conahy hurling throughout the early years was Joe Phelan. Joe, or "Suggins" as he was known, was the first man to begin under-age coaching of young hurlers in the parish and his work and influence was later seen when those hurlers progressed to adult level in the 1970's, winning junior and intermediate hurling titles.
Toddy Lacey
Toddy served as both a player and administrator in the club, his major role being as club secretary for 23 years between 1975 and 1998. During his time as secretary, he oversaw major development of the Polo Grounds with dressing rooms and the squash court and continues to do so as chairman of the club's clubhouse committee. His son Brian now serves as club secretary.
Nickey Brennan
One of the major events in the club's history took place in 2005 when former club player, coach and administrator and present club member Nickey Brennan was elected Uachtarán Tofa of the G.A.A. Nickey was part of the team that won junior and intermediate titles with Conahy in 1976 and 1977 as well as 5 Senior plus an Under 21 All-Ireland titles with Kilkenny. He served as Kilkenny County Board Chairman from 1991-1994 and as Leinster Council Chairman from 2001-2004. He also managed the Kilkenny senior hurling team in 1996-1997. He was installed as GAA President in Killarney in April 2006 and served until the GAA Congress in Cork in April 2009.
Kieran Brennan
Like his brother Nickey, Kieran was a masterful servant to Conahy as a player throughout the '70's, '80's and '90's. Throughout his club and county career, he won almost all the major honours in the game and holds the distinction of being the only Conahy man to have won a hurling All-Star (in 1984) and also to have captained Kilkenny in the All-Ireland Championship. He holds three All-Ireland Senior medals as well as an under-21 All-Ireland title (1977) and a minor All-Ireland title (1975).
