The search for an alternative pitch?

Naomh Barróg GAA Club

In July 1976 the controversial

site to build the Shopping Centre

in Kilbarrack-Foxfield was sold to

Tancot Ltd representing Albert

Gubay and three Guys. Naomh

Barróg knew then that the day

would come when the bulldozers

would move in to commence

their work building their Shop-

ping Centre and to witness the

erosion of more open space in

the Community to the developer.

At a Public Meeting in the Com-

munity Centre in Kilbarrack-

Foxfield on Tuesday the 3rd May

1977, a Panel Discussion took

place on the proposed Shopping

Centre by Mr Albert Gubay. The

attendance was approximately

500. The Chairman of KADCA,

Mr Fred Rankin opened the

meeting by welcoming Mr Albert

Gubay, the Minister for Posts

and Telegraphs Dr Conor Cruise

O‟Brien, Local Councillors Joe

Cosgrave, Tom Duffy, Séan D

Loftus and Ned Brennan.

After the preliminaries Michael

Woods took the chair for the

Panel Discussion. The panel

consisted of Mr Albert Gubay

and his representatives Mr. T

Spence and Mr. O‟Malley, Mr.

Noel Mannion, Planning and

touch with Dublin Corporation.

Their response was to say „we

will look into the matter‟. They

met and listened to us but had

no solution. The Corporation

were developing the open

space between Foxfield Park

and Grove. We tried unsuc-

cessfully to get the temporary

use of that. The Club then

looked at the land owned by the

22 residents of the Howth Junc-

tion. Cottages. This was a quiet

oasis for generations of families

until it was immersed during the

construction of thousands of

houses during the 60‟s & 70‟s

The Executive of Naomh Barróg

realized the importance of look-

ing for an alternative site within

the parish. They had received

the support from Clanna Gael to

use their Pitch 14 in St Annes.

This was appreciated by the

Club and were indebted to them

for their support. The Club felt

not having its own pitch within

the parish, where our members

could play at home, where the

parents could see their children

play and support them, would

make our development and

growth as a Club difficult.

In September 1977 we were fielding

teams at, 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, 12,

13, 14,15,16,17 and Adult. For a

Club only four years in existence to

be fielding so many teams was won-

derful. It was imperative for the

survival of the Club to find another

pitch in the parish for the young

people and children of our communi-

ty. A miracle was needed to locate

an alternative pitch within the com-

munity. The Club early on in 1977

began the task of looking around to

see was it possible. Firstly we got in

Issue 13 History of the Club (1974-2014)

24th August 2014

Environment Committee, KADCA, Mr T Brennan, Donaghmede Communi-

ty Association, Mr R Wallace, Wholesale Grocery Trade and Mr Dick Fields

representing all sporting groups in the area. The questions which had all

been put in writing before hand were then put to the panel by Dr Michael

Woods.

The first question put to Mr Gubay was “Why did Mr Gubay decide in 1977

to open his chain of Discount Stores?” He replied, “..that 1977 was not

picked out specifically to open in this country. My marriage had broken

down and I wanted to start up in business again. I have been in and out of

Ireland secretly for the past 2 years and as I wanted an English speaking

country, I found Ireland entirely satisfactory”.

Everybody was in favour of a shopping centre being built in Kilbarrack-

Foxfield. A compromise was needed and that was what the majority of the

people desired.

Scór: Inter Club Talent

Show.

This was an Inter Club Talent

Competition between Gaelic

Clubs in Ireland. We first en-

tered this competition in 1977.

In our second year we were

very successful in an area final

that took place in the Player

Will‟s Theatre, South Circular

Road on the 30th of January

1978. There were eight events

in the competition. Naomh

Barrog entered in six of them,

winning four and came second

in one.

We won the following events

1. Novelty Act:. The

script was written by

Luke Brodigan and the

performers in the Act

were John Whelan,

Liam Carroll and Luke

Brodigan.

2. Recitation Performed

by Glenna Walsh the

sister of Enda Walsh

the play writer.

3. Solo Singing: Jenny

Hyland

4. Instrumental Group:

Ray Mc Manus, Paul

Byrne, Dixie Byrne All

teachers in Scoil

Lorcáin at the time

5. The Ballad Group: It

came 2nd. Singers

were Marianne Reyn-

olds, June Matthews,

Ray Mc Manus and

Dick Fields. All were

teachers in Scoil

Lorcáin at the time.

Seán Ó Síocháin was present

in the packed Player Wills

Theatre‟s audience that night

and was mildly surprised at the

wealth of talent from Kilbar-

rack.

Ray Mc Manus, Paul Byrne, Dixie Byrne performing in Scór representing Naomh Barróg in Jan 1978

Jim Butler as Secretary of Naomh Barróg

1976-1977 was very active along with other

members in progressing the Club further.

As well as trying to obtain our own pitch in

the community, the Club was ambitious to

develop our own Social Centre. Joe Cos-

grave who was a Fine Gael TD at the time

and was also a Member of Dublin Corpora-

tion gave us great help and support dealing

with the Corporation. The Club only two

years in existence at the time was even at

that stage of our development showing a

vision and ambition that would lead us .

On the 2nd of February 1977 Jim wrote to

David Byrne, Principal Officer of Dublin

Corporation, Planning and Environment

Section.

This is a synopsis of his letter.

“ I write on behalf of Naomh Barróg Hurling

and Football Club, Kilbarrack. As you know

due to the proposed Shopping Centre Com-

plex at Greendale the site, which includes

our pitch is due for development……...I

would like to apply for a pitch as the Corpo-

ration intends to lay out pitches in Baldoyle

in connection with a new Comprehensive

School….Perhaps you could also tell me

who is the legal owner of the land on which

the present Health Centre is sited. We have

no Club House at present and as I under-

stand a new clinic is to be provided on the

Greendale Rd site. We would be interested

in buying or renting the present building

when it is vacated”.

Response from Dublin Corporation

On the 24th of February 1977 the Club

received a response from Dublin Corpo-

ration Community and Development

Department. It read

“ Dear Mr. Butler, I wish to reply to your

letter of the 2nd February on behalf of

Naomh Barróg . The proposed park at

Seafield, Baldoyle to which you refer in

your letter is at present under develop-

ment . It is expected that playing pitch-

es will not be available there for two

years,

The site at the junction of Briarfield Vil-

las and Foxfield Green on which the

Greendale Comprehensive School and

Health Centre are located. The Health Centre

has been disposed of to the Department of

Education for some time……”

On the 1st March Councillor Michael Joe

Cosgrave arranged a meeting for the 22nd of

March 1977 between the Club and the Com-

munity and Environment Department. The

Club was represented by Jim Butler, Denis

Dunne, Paddy Rankin and Dick Fields. All

our proposals were listened to but nothing of

any worth for the Club came out of it except

leasing Pitch 12 in St Anne‟s from them, We

knew if we were going to make progress, fulfil

our vision it would be up to us and our mem-

bers.

The land in Howth Junction?

Negotiating with Dublin Corporation

possibility of renting the land for a pitch, to

give the Club time to plan its future vision

and direction. They listened with interest

and were agreeable to try and support us.

The name of the Club in Howth Junction was

Star of the Sea. They won the Dublin Junior

Championship in 1942. When Naomh

Barróg was founded in 1974 we were not

aware of the existence of this Club. I believe

the Club disbanded in the 50‟s. In those

days there was a great community spirit in

Howth Junction. They had their own

Community Centre , where dances were

held, a full size snooker table and a place for

the young and the neighbours to gather.

They could even field their own Gaelic team.

Page 2 Naomh Barróg GAA Club

The first houses in Howth Junction Cottages

were built over a hundred years ago. The

cottages at that time were surrounded by

farms owned by the Flood‟s, Barnwall‟s and

Loftus‟. The people mostly found employ-

ment working on the farms, working for CIE

on the railways, as signalmen and in Howth

Junction Station. They were part of Baldoyle

parish and their children went to the local

school there. They had their own Gaelic

Football Team called Star of the Sea and

won the Dublin Junior Championship in 1942.

John Anderson‟s father was on that victori-

ous team. The Kilbarrack Road as we know

it today was a bóithrín, (Boreen) or country

road that linked the Howth Rd with the parish

of Coolock. The way of life for the people

who lived in this environment before the huge

housing development in the 60‟s com-

menced, was simple, peaceful, a rural way of

life with the advantage of living close to the

sea and to the city. When Naomh Barróg was

founded in 1974, the Howth Junction Cot-

tages Community got involved and supported

the Club. David ‟Budser‟ Flood, John Ander-

son, former West Bromwich Albion, Newcas-

tle and Ireland International, Shay Brady

whose son Robbie, formerly with Manchester

United and now with Sunderland, Philip Red-

mond, Seán and Brendan O‟Connor, Joe

Styles were all natives of Howth Junction

Cottages and played for Naomh Barróg. Bet-

ty Flood, David‟s mother ran the Weekly Draw

in Howth Junction supporting the Club finan-

cially.

The residents of the cottages owned the land

around their houses where Redmond Court is

today. The Club approached Tom Redmond

and Richie Brady, the father of Shay Brady.

These two men represented the people of

Howth Junction Cottages. On the 4th of April

1977 Naomh Barróg enquired about the

The Club forwarded the result of the survey

to the P & E Section of KADCA who dis-

cussed our survey. They had to tell us that

the Corporation would not provide a pitch

since it was clearly against residents wishes.

Some residents had got together to oppose

our proposal. Their numbers were at vari-

ance to ours. The Club not wishing to create

discontent among neighbours decide to

pursue a different course.

We held our Mini Leagues in Foxfield Park

for a few years, when we had no pitch in the

area with great support from the vast major-

ity of the residents who encouraged us..

The Planning and Environment Section of

Dublin Corporation developed the Park

between Foxfield Park and Foxfield Grove,

a wonderful facility for the families and chil-

dren who lived on those roads and for the

adjoining roads of the community. This

development took place in 1977 when Na-

omh Barróg were negotiating with Dublin

Corporation .to provide them with a pitch.

Many of the Mentors and players in Naomh

Barróg lived on these roads. The Club de-

cided to do a survey of the houses in Fox-

field Park to get the opinion of the resi-

dents, to see what support we would receive

as we did not wish to upset any of the house-

holders. The Mentors, Denis Dunne, Jim

Butler, Noel Lonergan and others who lived

on Foxfield Park canvassed the people. A

letter explaining our proposal was deliv-

ered to each house explaining that the pitch

would be only for a temporary period as a

Gaelic pitch is envisaged in the final devel-

opment at Greendale Rd. 147 houses were

canvassed with the result as follows, 70 in

favour of a temporary GAA pitch in the

Park, 42 against, 28 not in, 3 undecided

and 4 with no opinion.

In spite of our problems the Club continued to thrive.

Foxfield Park

The Club were using all their contacts and

resources to resolve their dilemma for a pitch.

Seán O Síocháin was the 16th Ard Stiúrthóir.

He became a great supporter of our Club and

encouraged us to achieve and aim for the

stars. It was a time when you could call into

him in Croke Park for a chat without having to

make an appointment. It was a different time.

Dick Fields became great friends with him and

received great guidance and advice from a

wise and shrewd West Cork man from Cill na

Marta, near Macroom. In April 1977 he wrote

the following reference for our Club. He saw

great potential and future for Naomh Barróg.

“A Chara,

Club Naomh Barróg are doing very necessary

and very important work for the children and

teenagers of their community in arranging

games and other physical and cultural activi-

ties for them to occupy their leisure hours and

to help them develop as healthy and responsi-

ble citizens.

All our efforts to obtain a pitch in the parish

were thwarted. It was suggested at one

stage that if we failed to obtain a pitch in

our own community, that it would be better

to amalgamate with one of the local Clubs

e.g. Trinity Gaels who had better facilities

and plenty of pitches and not to far away.

Trying to promote Gaelic Games, organis-

ing training, transporting players would be

very challenging and difficult. These obsta-

cles made us more determined to keep

going and view other options. Possessing

your own pitch in your own community is

the best incentive to get young people

involved in sport.

The members began to realize that they

needed a miracle to achieve their vision. In

spite of the set backs the Club continued

to go from strength to strength.

By February 1978 we had 200 boys in our

Mini Leagues, 11 football teams and 4 hurling

teams. An Adult Hurling team was formed

and we started a Handball Section. On Satur-

day mornings Cecil Halpin coached the boys

in Kilbarrack Fire Brigade Station where they

had a fine Handball Alley. Unfortunately the

Handball Section did not succeed and we

abandoned the idea.

Our Oíche Gaelach in Scoil Lorcáin was very

popular. In the Adult Scór the Club entered for

the second year running. It took place in the

Player Wills Theatre on the South Circular Rd

on the 30th January 1978. The Club won four

out of the six events. We also entered Scór

na nÓg which took place on the 1st of De-

cember 1978. Our 1st Dinner Dance took

place in the Claremont Hotel Howth on the

21st April 1978. .

Seán Ó Síocháin Ard Stiúrthóir (1964-1979) lends his support-1977

Page 3 24th August 2014

The Club is working under insuperable diffi-

culties in that they have no playing area or

Community Centre of their own, both of

which are essential if the Kilbarrack commu-

nity is to develop along normal, progressive

lines.

The Gaelic Athletic Association is very con-

cerned that any community should be so

handicapped and particularly so where there

are dedicated and highly reputable teachers

and motivated and spirited parents and

young men prepared to do the work…….

The GAA support the Club in their efforts and

will help them financially when the oppor-

tunity offers…..

The work the Club is planning to undertake

goes far beyond the immediate needs of a

cultural and sports organization. It embraces

the social, cultural and physical needs of the

present and future young people of their area

both at their present age levels and when

they grow to young manhood…………”,

Scór

Seán ó Síocháin speaking at a Naomh Barróg Function 1978

Truly incredible”.

Damian O‟Connor is a Quantity Surveyor

living and working in Dubai for the past five

years. His family originally lived on St Mar-

garet‟s Ave. He attended Scoil Eoin and cap-

tained the team to a great win in 1990 when

the school team beat St Brigid‟s NS

Blanchardstown in Corn Chumann na nGael

Div 1 Final in Croke Park. After Scoil Eoin he

attended St Joseph‟s CBS in Fairview. His

father Tony O‟Connor was a loyal member of

our Club for many years managing teams and

involved on committees. Damian loves to get

our e-Newsletter and sharing the following

memories with us.

“Just a short note to say thank you for the

Newsletter. The background to the founda-

tion of the Club and the history of the Commu-

nity is really interesting.

My own memories of Naomh Barróg start with

being brought by my Dad to the Official Open-

ing of Páirc Bharróg in September 1984. I

think Dublin played Meath. Well that and you

halting a class lesson in Scoil Eoin to give us

34 odd and slightly bewildered 11 year olds‟ a

detailed lecture on how the drainage system

on the main pitch worked! Your pride was

infectious. Playing wise we had our moments.

Winning a schools cup in Croke Park with

Scoil Eoin, thanks to Mick Deering‟s scores

and Bernard Harris‟s spectacular goal line

save (Our goalkeeper John Paul Martin had

gone walk about) gave us memories that will

last a life time. On the Club front we were

reasonably successful during our u12 to u16

period. I think we won u13, u14 and u16

leagues under your expert management along

with Bill O‟Neill and Alan Martin. At one stage

because of constant fixture clashes, a few of

us who were playing soccer for Stella Maris

had to decide whether to stick with playing for

Barróg or pursue our dreams of wealth and

fame with the “foreign sport”. I think I lasted

about six months away. There‟s a difference

between playing for a team and being a mem-

ber of your parish Club.

Despite all of the above when I read your

Newsletter and recall my memories of Barróg

it‟s not the games, goals or freezing cold Sat-

urday mornings that springs to mind. It‟s that

men like yourself, Bill O‟Neill, Alan Martin,

Seán Murphy, John Kiernan, Pat Ryan, Mick

Featherston, Austin Seagrave, Dave Fitzger-

ald Denis Dunne, Jim Butler, Noel Lonergan

and Joe Potter (miraculous procurer of Dubs

tickets) among others, gave your time to

coach us so freely and with such enthusiasm.

This enthusiasm might not have always been

reciprocal but the qualities you all tried to.

Instill in us about respect, discipline, loyalty

and sportsmanship might not have been ap-

preciated by a gang of unruly 15 year olds,

but they‟re understood and accepted today.

The odd time I get home and wander down to

the Club, I hear the same values now being

taught to my nieces by many of the same

faces, 30 years after it all started for me.

Memory Lane

Jim Butler was one of the founder members of

Naomh Barróg when he attended the first meet-

ing in Scoil Lorcáin when the new Club was

being formed in 1974. Jim‟s love for hurling was

legendary and he was one of the main motivators

for the introduction of hurling into the Club. He

was a gifted coach who was responsible for so

many young boys getting to know and love the

game. Under his management and coaching

skills the Club was to experience many success-

es and memorable occasions over the years.

This love for hurling began in his native and

beloved Kilkenny, He was born in the town land

of Shanbough, Rosbercon in 1933 across the

Barrow River from New Ross. Jim‟s two sisters

and himself attended the local National School in

Shanbough where his mother was one of the

teachers. In Kilkenny in those years the County

Council offered two scholarships to assist young

boys financially to attend Secondary School. Jim

was one of the successful candidates and won a

Scholarship to attend the prestigious Good

Counsel Augustinian College in New Ross, Wex-

ford as a boarder. Jim represented the school in

football and hurling and lost an u18 Leinster

Football Colleges Final in 1952 v Knockbeg

College, Carlow?

Jim played football and hurling for his local Club,

called Tullogher and played Senior football at 16

years. He tells a story about reaching the Kilken-

ny Minor Football County Final when his Club

played Kilmaganey. Jim described the game as

„warfare‟. The match was played on a Saturday.

At that game the Manager from a team called

Insurgents from Enniscorthy, Co Wexford was

present. He asked Jim and two other players

from Tullogher would they tog out on the Sunday

to play in the Wexford County Final. Jim and the

two lads obliged and were delighted because

they knew there would be a great feast after-

wards. Jim and his two friends made history that

weekend, playing in a Kilkenny and Wexford u18

County Final. They lost both finals.

The skullduggery that went on in the GAA in

those days was legendary! (To be continued in

Issue 14)

Profile: Jim Butler

Page 4 24th August 2014

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Jim Butler former Secretary of Naomh Barróg