General Facts

Shamrocks Hurling & Football Club was founded in 1898 by John Murphy (farmer), Michael Henry Murphy (teacher)and John Francis McSweeney (coal merchant). The game of hurling was prominent in the area long before the club was formally founded. The very first game recorded was in 1828 on the 17th of December when a team from the Ringaskiddy area played a team drawn from the neighbouring parish of Carrigaline. The team from Ringaskiddy was orgainised by a well known landlord Captain Connor who had served in the British Navy. Capt. Connor was an officer on the English warship which took Napeoleon to exile on Elba.

The Clubs jersey’s are green with a white sash and a shamrock emblem. This arrangement has remained unchanged over the years.

In 1904 the club won their first Cork County Championship title when their Hurling team defeated Shanballymore in the final.

In the year of the illfated Irish rebellion of 1916 Shamrocks played in the Cork Senior Hurling Final, only to be beaten by one point by Midleton.

In 1923 Shamrocks won the Cork County Intermediate Football Final when they defeated Doheneys from Dunmanway.

The clubs president up until January 2001 was Mr. Jim Russell RIP who was 101 years old in May 98, the centenary of the club. Jim won a County Hurling medal in 1915 and also played with Cork.

He spent forty years in New York where he played hurling with the Cork teams. He had the distinction of being older then the club itself.

Mr Florrie McCarthy, late of Coolmore, was a President of the club. Florrie served as Groundsman and Vice-President of the club for many years beforehand. Unfortunately, Florrie passed away on Jan 4th, 2004.

Where Is The Club?

The Club’s catchment area is the parish of Monkstown including the villages of Monkstown, Shanbally, Ringaskiddy, Coolmore and Raffeen.

The clubs premises are in the village of Shanbally, 2 kilometres from the Ferryport of Ringaskiddy and approximately 12 kilometres from Cork City and Cork Airport. The complex is known as the ‘Ted Hanley Memorial Park’.

Famous Players

Michael Prout

Michael is the first in the new group of young Cork players currently playing with the club. In his short career up to now, he has captained his County U15 Hurling team (in Shanbally!) before winning an U16 Munster Championship Football medal with Cork County a year later. He then went on to represent Ireland against the Australians in the U17 Compromise Rules encounter in 2000, winning the Man-of-the-Match award. He was a dual Cork Minor Hurler and Footballer in 2001. He played right half back on the Cork team which won the Minor Hurling All-Ireland in September 2001 (Cork’s last). He has also represented Carrigdhoun at Senior level in both codes. He also won an All-Ireland Intermediate hurling edal with Cork in 2003 and a Munster U21 Football medal in 2004. He recently captained Cork to the 2005 All-Ireland Junior Football Championship title, becoming the first player from the division to captain a successful Cork All-Ireland football winning team. He played corner back on the Cork football team that won the Munster Championship against Kerry in 2006 and has represented Cork junior footballers the last few years

Adrian O’ Driscoll

Adrian O’ Driscoll was a member of the Intermediate Hurling Team from Cork that won the

County’s 101st title in 1997. He also represented Carrigdhoun on many occasions.

Dan Kelleher

In the year of 1919 Cork won the All Ireland Senior Hurling Title and wore the red jersey for the first time. Dan Kelleher, a member of the club, played on this historic occasion.

Gerald Hanley

Gerald Hanley has a unique record in the club as he holds five All Ireland Medals, three as a Cork Minor, one with his Alma Mater, North Monastery and one Junior medal.