Graiguecullen pledge allegiance to the name
Graigue Bridge and Castle Hill
Right, when you were with us last Carlow-Graigue were ‘kicking to touch’ in a Carlow County Final, a tactical defensive ploy which won the Young Ireland’s the title. That was 1909. Well dear reader as you join us this week the men from the little village on the West Bank of the Barrow are again ‘kicking to touch’ in a Carlow County final but before you say you feel a sense of Déjà Vu coming on, let us signpost two differences.
The first difference involves the result of the 1919 Senior Football final, or, in modern day coaching parlance, the potential negative outcomes of sticking to the process! Of which more anon …
The second difference is that Carlow-Graigue are no longer Carlow-Graigue, the village is now officially Graiguecullen, the Cullen added in 1918. Indeed so determined were the natives to have the Carlow deleted from before Graigue and the ‘cullen’ to be added after that many residents took a pledge to call their place by the correct new place name. In ‘The Nationalist’ of January 3, 1920 under the headline ‘Graiguecullen’ we read: “In view of the official change of name the above place to Graiguecullen, we have been asked to reproduce a copy of the pledge issued on August 28th, 1918, by the Graiguecullen Branch of the Gaelic League to all residents in Grauguecullen, and which is being strictly adhered to: “I hereby declare that from this day henceforth I will use the name Graiguecullen both in speaking and writing whenever I am referring to that Place or the Bridge of that name. I undertake to do this and have it done as a tribute of respect to the memory of our late patriotic Parish Priest, and I hereby subscribe myself on behalf of all this household who number … in all.”
Now I often heard it said that the main reason the name Carlow-Graigue stayed in the Carlow dialect, especially down south of the county was to to differentiate the St Fiacc’s Folk of Graiguecullen from the St Fiachra folk of Graiugenamanagh, the little Kilkenny town which, of course, also borders Carlow and like their namesake 26 nautical miles up river is separated from Carlow by a bridge over the Barrow. Fair enough reason you will agree. However what this scribe did not know until commencing research on the ‘Every Kick of the Ball’ supplement, the complete record of the Carlow Senior Football Championship (to be published before Christmas and in a newsagents near you!) is that the two Graigue’s actually played against each other way back then! And said discovery may be reason for a revision on the perceived history of Graiguecullen GFC?! Read on …
In ‘The Nationalist’ of October 8, 1948 we read: The Graiguecullen Senior Football Club celebrates their Golden Jubilee on Friday night next. To mark the occasion a social will be held in St Fiacc’s Hall, and some founder members of the 1898 team will be present. The first GAA game to be played in Graigue was contested on Mr Gaffney’s field, Killeshin, and Fr William Maher, CC, who provided the first ball, started the game. Captain of the Graigue team of that time was John Kavanagh, who was shop assistant at Messrs Corcoran and who later lived in Knoylen. He was succeeded by Michael Dowling a year later, who had relinguished his position owing to injuries received in a game. John McDonnell filled the vacancy. Since those early days the Graigue club has many glorious achievements. Many holds that the parish produces more Gaelic players to the acre than any other place in Ireland.” A lovely little piece celebrating the 50th anniversary of the club’s 1898 foundation. However, we have unearthed the fact that a club was in existence in Carlow-Graigue a couple of years before ’98 …
In ‘The Nationalist’ of December 7, 1895 under a small headline we read, “at a meeting of the Carlow-Graigue GAA on Sunday, 1st inst, Mr George Hore was elected captain and Mr James Holohan, Hon Sec, for the ensuing year., New members are requested to send their names to the Hon Sec. The practice begins at 12.30pm, every Sunday.” These Sunday practices, we can presume, took place throughout December and the January of 1896, seven Sunday’s in all, leaving the new club primed for their first match which took place on Sunday, February 2, 1896 and was, would you believe, against the ‘other Graigue’ …
On last Sunday the above match was played at Ullard, about two miles from Graiguenamanagh. The weather was all that could be desired and the ground was in first-class order. Carlow-Graigues won the toss, and after about ten minutes very stiff play Holohan drew first blood placing a point to the credit of the Carlow-Graigues. For the next ten minutes there was a brief spell of neutral play, and Holohan having gained possession scored a goal for the visitors, this was quickly followed by a point from McDarby. On half-time being called the scores stood - Carlow-Graigue 1 goal 2 points; Graiguenamanagh nil. Play being resumed Graiguenamanagh made several rushes to score in the first quarter, but owing to the visitors combination of backs the ball was sent back towards the the Graiguenamanagh territory and having got possession added another minor to their credit. The home team quickly followed with their first minor. On kick-out the home team got possession and scored another point. For some time a great amount of hand to hand play ensued and the home team succeeded in placing another point to their credit when the time was called. Score - Carlow-Graigue 1 goal 3 points; Graiguenamanagh 3 points. Mr Martin McDarby refereed the match and gave general satisfaction. Holohan, McDarby, Hore, Whelan and Haughney played a good game for the visitors. The following played for Carlow-Graigue: George Hore (Captain), John Ralph, Martin Haughney, Thomas Foley, Michael Whelan, Sandy Bradley, Thomas Hendrick, Michael Fennell, James Kearns, John Rice, William Roark, Michael McDarby, John McDarby, Pat Fenelon, Thomas Bolton, James Holohan, Thomas McDonnell, James Corcoran, Martin McDonnell, William Hore.” Now don’t the surnames on that first team sheet echo down the centuries, families forever associated with the red and green of ‘the village’.
The two Graigue’s played a return match three weeks later in Bagenalstown, a match that was abandoned early in play and there is no record of the Carlow Graigue playing any further matches that year. The club, though, does resurface in late 1897 as ‘The Nationalist’ of Saturday, October 9, 1897 reports that “ On Thursday evening a general meeting of the Carlow-Graigue football club was held in their club rooms for the purpose of organising the club for the coming season. A large number of members were present. Mr John Ralph was elected captain, Mr Thomas Lynam, Hon Sec, and a good working committee. The sec was directed to affiliate with the Queens County Committee. At the termination of the meeting a vote of thanks was passed to Mr Joseph Brennan for placing at their disposal a field for practice matches.” It is probably this affiliation to Queens County (now Laois) for 1898 that was considered the official foundation of the club as the games prior to that were unofficial ‘challenges’ or in the nature of tournament fixtures.
Now then, what about the 1919 Carlow Senior Football Championship Final mentioned at the top of the column? First fixed for November 16, then rescheduled for November 30th, frost proved a spoilsport on both occasions, the Ballon pitch rendered unplayable. The final finally went ahead on December 21 in Ballon and again the Weather Clerk dealt a cruel hand. “Just after the throw-in both teams and referee had to seek shelter from the hurricane.”
The umpires possibly scampered too and they could have remained where they were as not a single flag was raised! Yes, a scoreless draw. Yes indeed, this Palatine v Graiguecullen final was destined for a fourth fixture.
Ballon was again the venue for the replay on Sunday, January 19, 1920. “The weather was fine, though rather wild,” recorded ‘The Nationalist’. “ Graiguecullen were favoured by the wind in the first half and scored two points. On resuming Palatine were favoured by the breeze. The Graiguecullen backs were taking no risks, however, and ensured holding their lead by keeping the ball over the sideline, thereby depriving Palatine of any chance of scoring {echoes of Tinryland’s angst a decade earlier). Nearing the finish a free to Palatine taken by Wall was secured by Lar Sweeney who scored Palatine’s first point. From the kick-out the ball was {deliberately} sent across the field and went over the line, giving Palatine a throw-in that was captured by Matt Neill, a scrum ensuing some distance from the Graiguecullen goal. From this tussle James Sweeney shot the only sensational score of the day, raising the green flag for Palatine almost on the point of time.”
1-1 to 0-2, cue Palatine celebrations. The match report gives credence to a story that has become part of Palatine folklore, that of Lar Sweeney telling the Graigue players after the late goal went in, “Ye can kick the ball to Connaberry now, if you like!”, Connaberry being the next townland to the pitch!
Yes indeed, you win some, you lose some, the tactic that did the trick in ’09, backfired a decade later.
