Longford and Cavan GAA players set to battle it out during Ballinamuck 225th Commemoration

The committee organising the Commemoration of 'The Battle of Ballinamuck' have announced that they are to recreate a famous historic match between The Ballinamuck Kickers and The Mullahoran Dreadnoughts as part of the Commemoration celebrations taking place from September 7 - 10.

The match was originally played in 1898 some 100 years after The Battle of Ballinamuck.

News of this game is creating much interest and excitement locally.

It will be played in the field between the bridge and The 98 Bar, on Sunday 10 September at 1pm.

As we all know the GAA is at the heart of many of us, both in rural and urban surroundings throughout Ireland. Here in Ballinamuck we are no different, and hold our local club Fr Manning Gaels in high regard. It plays a major part of many of our lives.

The history of Gaelic games in this parish predates the formation of the GAA. Gaelic football has its roots in the ancient game of Caid (which is still the term for football in Corca Dhuibhne) and many varieties of it existed across the island until the game was codified in 1884.

PICTURES | Longford steps back in time as Battle of Ballinamuck commemoration weekend is launched

In fact, “Sports Flashes”, writing a column entitled “They followed the sun” in the Longford Leader in 1952, gave a response to many readers’ opinion that the British developed Rugby from the old “Irish Hayball” game played from “line to line with all the reckless abandon of men in full war paint”.

Although the GAA was famously formed in Thurles in 1884, the first club in the parish, Drumlish Robert Emmets, was not formed until 1889. The first annual county convention was held on 6 October 1890 and in attendance from Drumlish Emmets were Francis Sheridan and John Kellegher.

A new club “Ballinamuck ‘98s” had two delegates, Bernard Reilly and Michael Lennon.

Mostrim native, Fr Matthew McCabe wrote the following letter which was read out: “Dear Sir – The young men around Ballinamuck are anxious to establish a branch of the GAA in this side of the parish of Drumlish. I beg to say the clergy have sanctioned this project on the understanding that the officials of the new club be parishioners, and belong to a family possessing a card of membership with the National League”.

As part of our remembrance of our local history we felt it fitting to replay and recreate the famous historic match between The Ballinamuck Kickers and The Mullahoran Dreadnoughts.

This match was originally played in 1898 some 100 years after The Battle of Ballinamuck. It was subsequently recreated as part of its Bi-Centenary Commemoration in 1998, a day of sporting fun, pageantry and fun.

The teams for this year’s match are made up of Longford over 40s in conjunction with James Breslin and players from Fr Manning Gaels and players from Mullahoran GFC, with support of surrounding GAA clubs.

News of this game is creating much interest and excitement locally, and will be played in the field between the bridge and The 98 Bar, on Sunday 10 September at 1pm.

For further information,  or if you wish to donate to the running costs of the commemoration weekend please follow Battle of Ballinamuck on social media or check out www.battleofballinamuck.ie where a secure donation button is available.

Funding for the The Battle of Ballinamuck 225th Commemoration has been provided by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media through the Decade of Centenaries Programme. 

Longford History: Be part of the 1798 reenactment in Ballinamuck