THE GAA IN CORK 100 YEARS AGO – 1921
December 6th marked the 100 anniversary of the signing of the Treaty in London. It was a very difficult year in the country with the prevailing war of independence and the horrid English administration perpetuated by the Black & Tans along with the Aulillilaries. Meetings, games and public gatherings were no longer safe places to be. People were being shot at random and GAA members, many of whom played key roles in the war of independence, were prime targets. The President of the Cork County Board Mr. J. J. Walsh was arrested early in the year.
Restrictive measures were introduced to curtail the movement of people. There was a curfew between 10pm at night and 5am, Cycling was prohibited, People who refused to halt on being called on by English forces could be shot, The Railway line from Cork to Raffeen and onwards to Carrigaline and Crosshaven was closed. The Country was almost in a siege situation.
There were numerous raids on the above said railway by volunteers capturing arms, ammunitions and supplies destined for Fort Camden in Crosshaven. In the month of June an attempt was made to sink a destroyer in the Naval Dockyard in Haulbowline.
The bomb which exploded in the engine room failed to sink the vessel. The fall out saw the yard being closed and all employees sacked for a while. Many of them were local people. These attacks prompted questions from MPs in the House of Commons.
No GAA meetings were held (not unlike the Covid 19 dilemma). They had no phones, but they were great letter writers and did not lose touch with one another. The Chairman of the Cork County Board was a former Ringaskiddy NS Teacher Sean McCarthy. The men who represented Shamrocks on the County Board were D.J. Lynch NT Club Secretary and Bernie Flynn NT (Father of Fr. Silvester our current Club Senior Vice-President). Shamrocks were hurling in the Senior Ranks and their footballers were in the Intermediate grade, captained by Abie Brennan ( father of our esteemed Club President Michael Brennan).
In 2021 the Club is still going and with so many young talented hurlers and footballers the future must surely be bright.
Sean O’Tuama : December 2021
