The Story of Gaelic Games in the Parish of Grangemockler & Ballyneale
The parish of Grangemoockler-Ballyneale lies at the foot of Slievenamon in the south of County Tipperary.
The first club in the parish was formed in 1885. Early on the predominant game was football but today hurling plays an important part. The history of both games is recorded in detail on this extensive publication.
While the book is primarily a history of Gaelic games in the area, it also seeks to present the context in which these games were played.
Gaelic games impinged on most families in the parish, either as participants or supporters and it’s important that the context is included in a book of this nature.
Many of the memory pieces included describe the way of life of the people involved and the social and economic background to their lives.
One of the great athletes and players in the parish was Tom Kiely. His mantra was, ‘For Tipperary and Ireland’, and he was born in Ballyneale. For fifteen years this towering figure dominated not only Irish athletics but also the world stage, winning the World All-Round championships in 1904 and 1906, collecting the gold medal at the Olympic Games at St. Louis and a World Championship in Boston at 36 years of age. His versatility was unsurpassed and his greatness as Ireland’s premier athlete was recognised when he was selected to lead the opening parade at the Tailteann Games in Croke Park in 1924, proudly carrying the national flag. At a local level he played football with Ballyneale before joining Grangemockler and winning their first county final in 1890. Later he played for Tipperary, won a long puck competition in hurling, acted as referee and became a Vice-President of the G.A.A. in 1896. What a hero to have in the parish! What achievements!
If Tom Kiely put Ballyneale on the map, Michael Hogan did the same for Grangemockler. His name will ever be associated with Bloody Sunday and Croke Park and, of course, he has a permanent monument in the Hogan Stand. Two other members of the family were also famous. His brother, Dan, the close friend of Eoin O’Duffy and Michael Collins, became Chief of Staff of the defence Forces in 1927 and resigned in 1929. The last that was heard of him was in the U.S. in 1941. The third brother, Tom, became Brother Thomas Wilfred Hogan and served as a teacher and promoter of Gaelic Games until his early death at the age of 43 years. In recognition of his contribution the trophy for the All-Ireland Colleges football championship was named after him.
Launch of Grangemockler-Ballyneale G.A.A. History by Seamus J. King in the parish church on September 26, 2020
A major family in the history of the parish were the Brownes. The father, Maurice, came to teach in Grangemockl;er N.S. in1869. He married Kate Fitzgerald and the couple had six children, five of whom survived to adulthood. David joined the Dominicans, eventually became the Superior-General of the Order, and a Cardinal as well. Patrick, better know as Monsignor de Brún, became a brilliant mathematician and linguist and later President of University College, Galway. Maurice became a priest, was later parish priest of Ballymore-Eustace and wrote the widely acclaimed book, The Big Sycamore, a fiction based account of the family growing up in Grangemockler. Margaret became a university lecturer and married Sean MacEntee, who was later Tanaiste and Minister for Finance in a Fianna Fáil Government. John, the youngest, died at the age if 25 years as a result of complications following an injury at football training.
The book records the lives of much lesser known natives of the parish also and it includes a large number of outstanding illustrations making the publication a delight to browse through.
This year is the centenary of an extremely important event in the history of the parish of Grangemockler and Ballyneale. One hundred years ago it was in the forefront of a major happening in the War of Independence, Bloody Sunday.
On that day footballers from the parish were part of the Tipperary team attacked in Croke Park by the forces of the British Crown. Fourteen people were killed on the day, including one of the players, Michael Hogan, and it is appropriate that this book, which records that event, as well as the wider contribution of the G.A.A. to the parish, should make its appearance.
The Story of Gaelic Games in the Parish of Grangemockler & Ballyneale
Published by Grangemockler-Ballyneale G.A.A. Club on September 26, 2020
Printed by Lion Printed, Cashel, Co. Tipperary
482 pages in A4 size
ISBN 978-1-9993543-1-2
Price : €30
Copies available from Michael Murphy, Grangemockler-Ballneale G.A.A. Club, +353 51-647069.