Club History
Stair
Bunaíodh Cumann Iomanaíocht Maigh Cuilinn i 1929 cé go bhfuil taifid á imirt iománaíocht i Maigh Cuilinn ó 1904. Cuireadh tús le club iomána sa bhliain 1914 ach tháinig deire le sin le linn Chogadh na Saoirse agus an Cogadh Cathartha. Ba é chéad rúnaí an chlub Tomás Ó’Lalaigh ó Baile na hAille. Ní raibh aon pháirc ins na laethanta sin agus imrídir cluife agus rinnedar oiliúint i réimse Colm O'Donncha i Cluan Aodh. Bhí na foirne maisithe ar dtús amach i glas agus bán, dathanna an chlub anois ach bhí athrú i 1944 go geansaithe bána agus maroon. Cheannaigh Tomás Ó’Madáin de Cill Eaguala agus Paidí Ó 'Conchubair, Poll na Clocha, in Elverys de Bhaile Átha Cliath iad.
Éirigh go maith ins na laethanta tosaigh leis an club agus bhain siad teidil contae shóisearach amach i 1937 agus arís i 1944. Thug fhoireann 1937 an chéad ghlóir chuig an pharóiste agus ba iad Paidí Ó’Cuaig, Seán Ó’Faharta, Risteard Breathnach, Seán Ó’Donncha, Matt Ó’Donncha, Peadar Ó’Ceallacháin, Seán Mac Risteard, Seán Seosamh Ó’Suilleabháin, Colm O'Donncha, Micheál Ó’Conghaile, Seán Ó’Conghaile, Micheál Ó’Duibheánaigh, Dáil Paddy, Liam Ó’Conghaile agus Micheál Seosamh Breathnach. Baill suntasacha den fhoireann 1944 san áireamh a bhí Hubert Ó’Faharta, Peadar Ó’Ceallacháin, Seán Ó’hAnnlaigh agus Pádraig Ó’Ceallacháin. I 1945, bhí bliain rathúil chomh maith le foirní a bhuaigh teidil contae idirmheánach agus mioniúr.
D’imir Maigh Cuilinn iomáint sinsearacha 1945-1953, ach bhí tionchar mór ar an iomáint ag imirce na gcaogaidí agus níor bhuadar ach teideal amháin, an shóisearach B i 1954. D’imigh naoi mbliana sular bhuaigh foireann Maigh Cuilinn teideal chontae eile. Sa bhliain 1963, fuair Mhaigh Cuilinn le Seán Ó 'Conchubair agus mar chaptaen ar an fhoireann, an lámh in uachtar ar Rathún, Carnmore, Liam Ó Maoilíosa, Órán Mór, agus ar deire Míleac/Dún an Uchta chun an teideal sóisearach a aimsú, agus an chur chun cinn a dheánamh go dtí an leibhéal idirmheánach. Chonaic 1964 Michéal Ó’Lalaigh mar chaptaen, mar buaiteoraí an chraobh idirmheánacha, Ceapaigh an tSeagail á chailliúnt. An bhlian dár gcionn, cuireadh tús leis an chomórtais sinsearach le tharraingt i gcoinne foireann Ard Raithin agus imreoirí contae cailiúl ag an am Padraic Ó’Níláin agus Seánaí Ó’Mhuiruisce ina measc. Bhí Maigh Cuilinn buailte ceithre phointe san athimirt ach bhí naoinar iománaithe ó Maigh Cuilinn ag imirt do tAth. Tomás i mBostún an lá céanna - léiriú ar an leibhéal ard imirce ag an am sin.
In ainneoin cluifí ceathrú ceannais agus cluife leathceannais amháin níor aimsigh an club aon teideal an chontae sinsearach idir 1965 agus 1978. Le linn na tréimhse seo, gnóthaigh an club baile láthair i Baile Dóite agus thosaigh siad á fhorbairt. In 1979, thit an club go dtí an leibhéal idirmhéanach, mar a thosaigh siad le cluife tharraingt in aghaidh Ard Raithin. Sin an áit ina bhfuil siad fós in ainneoin gur annamh iad a bheith taobh amuigh na cluife cheathrú cheannais nó leathcheannais. Aimsíú teidil chontae ag leibhéil eile, an chomórtais U-21 (A) i 1968 agus 1992, U-21B i 1983, agus Minor B freisin i 1983 agus arís i 1989.
Tá an club ag cothú d'alt faoi aois on am a raibh Comórtais Féile na nGael i nGaillimh ins an bhliain 1980 agus arís i 1981. Tháinig craobh contae U-16B agus craobh na Connacht ina dhiaidh sin i 1982 agus bhuadar teideal arís i 1991. Bhí an bua acu i craobh U14C i 1996. Cé nach bhfuil aon teideal ag an chlub faoi aois ó shin, seachas teidil 12 roinnt ag leibhéil éagsúla, déantar sé iarracht i gcónaí dul san iomaíocht ag an leibhéal is airde praiticiúla.
In ainneoin roinnt cluifí ceathrú ceannais agus cluife leathceannais amháin a bhaint amach, ní raibh a bheidh aon teideal contae sinsearach don chlub idir 1965 agus1978, Rinne an ghlúin seo na n-imreoirí comhionannas le ghlúin 1938 nuair a shroich cluife leathceannais Chontae 1971 i gcoinne an Caisleán Gearr ansin ceannasach.Le linn na tréimhse seo, gnóthaigh an club baile láthair i Baile Dóite agus thosaigh siad á fhorbairt. In 1979, thit an club go dtí an leibhéal idirmhéanach arís, mar a thosaigh siad le cluife tharraingt in aghaidh Ard Raithin. Sin an áit ina raibh siad le fada, in ainneoin gur annamh iad a bheith taobh amuigh do na cluife cheathrú cheannais nó leathcheannais.
Sa bhliain 2010 cailleadh cluife grúpa i Mheithimh in aghaidh Ceapach an tSagail chun críoch lua a cur leis an seasiúr Idirmheánach. Le imirce, ba gruama na hionchais do 2011 . Bhí na h-imreoirí ag oiliúint ina n-aonar, nuair a cuireadh foireann bainistíochta, Fergal Mac Fhlannchada, Tomtom O'Fatharta agus Brid Uí Nuadháin le chéile. Caillú an cheád cluife in aghaidh a roghnú cúlchiste An Mullach,club Sinsearach. Tháinig an foireann ar ais go taifeadach le bua cumasach in aghaidh Cill Fhéicín agusbua caol i gcoinne iomaitheoir 2010, Cill Íomair, chiallaigh go mbeadh bua thar Droichead an Cháirín a dóthain chun áit ceathrú ceannais a bhaint amach. Rinniú an beart ach le roinnt deacrachtaí. San Fhómhair, thug an ceathrú ceannais, Cill Íomair arís ach bhí bua níos cuimsithí an am seo. Teacht ar ais mór sa dara leath i gcoinneCeapach an tSagail a thug díoltais do 2008 agus 2010 agus cé go raibh an cluife an-teann, tháinig an chéad teideal Idirmheánach ó 1964 sa chluiche ceannais i gcoinneKillimordaly. Laistigh de choicís, tháinig teideal Chonnachta, i gcoinne, Four Roads de Ros Comáin ach láithreach bhí le turas go Londain ós ar comhar Cluife Ceathrú Cheannais Chlub Uile Éireann. Cibé mar gheall ar mhothúchánach nó tuirse taistil, chríoch aisling Croabh Uile hÉireann i láimhe Robert Emmetts treisithe le eisimirce,in ainneoin tacaíocht láidir ó dhaoine Maigh Cuilinn ó bhaile agus ar shiúl.
Aimsíú teidil chontae ag leibhéil eile, an chomórtais U-21 (A) i 1968 agus 1992, U-21B i 1983, agus Minor B freisin i 1983 agus arís i 1989 agus B1 i 2012. Tá an club ag cothú d'alt faoi aois on am a raibh Comórtais Féile na nGael i nGaillimh ins an bhliain 1980 agus arís i 1981. Tháinig craobh contae U-16B agus craobh na Connacht ina dhiaidh sin i 1982 agus bhuadar teideal arís i 1991. Bhí an bua acu i craobh U14C i 1996. Cé nach bhfuil aon teideal ag an chlub faoi aois ó shin, seachas teidil Roinn Fé12 ag leibhéil éagsúla, déantar iarracht i gcónaí dul san iomaíocht ag an leibhéal is airde praiticiúla.
I dúiche daonra láidir, tá an club iomána ag freastal ar thart ar 200 leanaí agus thart ar 100 óganaí agus imreoirí fásta. Sa seisúir 2008, chuir an club trí fhoireann fásta chun páirce don chéad uair ag leibhéil Idirmheánach, Sóisear B agus Sóisear C, cé go bhfuil laghdú ar ais go dhá fhoireann arís anois. Tá an club a léiríodh ag leibhéal contae Sinsearach chomh fada siar le Hubert Ó’Faharta ins na dathaidí, trí Tomás Ó’Botháin sna seascaidí agus Muirdheacha Ó’Dorcha, a bhuaigh teideal Sraith Náisiúnta leis an Gaillimh i 1996. Bíadar i chomhroinn ar na háiseanna i Baile Dóite leis na Cumainn Peile Gaelach, Peile na mBan, Camógaíochta agus Liathróid Láimhe. Ina measc seo, tá dhá pháirc méid iomlán, seomraí feistis, ardán beag clúdaithe, páirc uileaimsire 20m x 40m, balla iománaíochta, fad 20m, a bhfuil ar thaobh amháin féar nádúrtha agus taobh eile dromchla saorga dromchla, agus áit súgartha do pháistí. Tá chúirt liathróid láimhe faoi dhíon ar leith le cóiríochta féachana ann freisin ar an láithreán. Tá an tírdhreach spóirt i Maigh Cuilinn an-iomaíoch agus baill an chlub a bheith san iomaíocht go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta, ní hamháin i Peile Gaelaí agus Liathróid Láimhe, ach freisin i sacar, rugbaí agus go háirithe, cispheil
History
Cumann Iomanaíocht Maigh Cuilinn was thought to have been founded in 1929 although there are records of hurling being played in Moycullen since 1904 and a hurling club was started in 1914 only to disband during the War of Independence and Civil War. The secretary of that first club was Thomas Lally of Ballinahallia, who kept a minute book that can still be read today. Recent archive discoveries record a hurling game in 1925 between Mágh Cuilinn and the recently formed Óglaigh na hÉireann or Army team from Renmore barracks (see original cutting). There was no pitch in those days and the 1933 AGM bemoans the shortage of local playing fields. Matches and training took place in Colm O’Donoghue’s field in Clooniffe, a field that was still available and in use right into the 1970's. Teams originally lined out in green and white but club colours changed in 1944 to maroon and white jerseys bought in Elverys of Dublin by Tommy Madden of Killagoola and Paddy O’Connor Poulnaclough before reverting to the green with white sash again.
Those early days were successful for the club with junior county titles won in 1937 and 1944. The 1937 team were the first to bring glory to the parish and included Paddy Cooke, John Faherty , Dick Walsh, John Donohoe , Matt Donohoe , Pete Callaghan, John Richardson, John Joe Sullivan, Colm O’Donoghue , Mick Conneely , Sean Conneely , Michael Devaney, Paddy Rabbitte , Billy Conneely and Michael Joe Walsh (see press cutting from 1930's). That 1937 team went on to contest the Senior semi-final in 1938 losing out to Clarenbridge by three points. Back in Junior during "the Emergency" The 1944 title win meant a return to Senior. Prominent members of the team included Hubert Faherty, Pete Callaghan, John Hanley and Padraig Callaghan. 1945 was also a successful year with the minor team winning the county title.
Moycullen played senior hurling from 1945 to 1953 but mass emigration in the fifties had a severe impact on hurling and only a single Junior B title was won in 1954. It was nine years before a Moycullen team was to win another county title. In that year of 1963 the Moycullen team captained by John O’Connor defeated Rahoon, Carnmore, Liam Mellows, Oranmore, Monivea and Eyrecourt in the final to win the Junior title and were promoted to intermediate level. The had almost achieved that the a year earlin in 1962 when losing out to Killimordaly in the 1962 Junior final. The 1964 season saw Michéal Lally captain the team to immediate success when they defeated Cappataggle in the intermediate championship with resulting promotion to senior level (see a copy of original Connacht Tribune match report). The 1965 championship started with a draw against an Ardrahan team that included many county players of the time including Padraic Nyland Michael Howley and Johnny Whiriskey. Moycullen were beaten by four points in the replay on a day when nine Moycullen hurlers also played for Fr. Toms in Boston – an indication of the high level of emigration at that time.
Despite several quarter-final and a semi-final appearance there was to be no senior county title for the club between 1965 and 1978, although this generation of players did emulate their 1938 heros by reaching a County final against the then dominant Castlegar in 1971. The Seventies also saw the much disputed quarter final result against Turloughmore which played out in the committee rooms for many weeks afterwards but not to Moycullen's advantage. During this period, the present home of the club at Baile Doite was acquired and developed. 1979 saw the club relegated to intermediate level, where they were rarely out of quarter-final or semi-final contention but could overcome the final hurdles to regain Senior status
In 2010 a June defeat to Cappataggle ended the Intermediate campaign early. With emigration the prospects for 2011 looked bleak. With the players training alone, a management team of Fergal Clancy, Tom Faherty and Brid Noone was assembled but the campaign opened with a defeat to Senior team Mullagh's reserve selection. The team bounced back to record a comprehensive win over Kilbeacanty and a narrow win against 2010 finalists, Killimor, meant a victory over Clarenbridge would secure an automatic quarter final place. This was achieved with some difficulty. In the Autumn, the quarter final brought Killimor again but victory was achieved more comprehensively this time. A storming comeback against Cappataggle avenged a couple of recent defeats, while a first Intermediate title since 1964 was hard won in the final against Killimordaly. Within a fortnight, a Connacht title was secured against Four Roads of Roscommon but the club were immediately faced with a novel trip to London for an All Ireland Club Quarter Final. Whether because of emotional fatigue or travel weariness, the All Ireland dream ended with a defeat to an emigration boosted Robert Emmetts, despite strong support from Moycullen people from home and away.
County titles have been won at other levels including the U-21 (A) championship in 1968 and 1992 (see original 1992 cuttings and photos), U-21B in 1983, and Minor B also in 1983 and again in 1989 (see team photos) and a B1 title in 2012.
The club have maintained a vibrant underage section since competing successfully in the 1980 and 1981 Galway hosted Féile na nGael competitions. U-16B county and Connacht championships followed in 1982 and the county U16B title was won again in 1991. An U14C title was won in 1996. Little success has come the club’s way since then; it has always attempted to compete at the highest level practical, but apart from several U12 titles at various levels, recent history had been a story of disappointing final defeats until the U16B1 success of 2013.
In area of strong population, the hurling club caters for around 200+ children (100-125 children have attended the Cúl Camp annually since 2011) and about 100+ youth and adult players. In 2008, the club fielded three adult teams for the first time at Intermediate, Junior B and Junior C levels although this has since been reduced to two. The club has been represented at Senior county level as far back as Hubert Faherty in the 1940’s through Tommy Bohan in the Sixties and Morgan Darcy, who won a National League title with Galway in 1996.
It’s shares the facilities at Baile Doite with Gaelic Football, Ladies Football, Camogie and Handball clubs. Major developments were undertaken in 2009 and 2013 and the facilities now include, two full size pitches, 4 dressing rooms c/w showers and w/c, a separate ensuite referee's room, a multi-purpose hall with storage area and an adjacent kitchen, a small covered stand, an enclosed 20m x 40m all weather pitch, a 20m long hurling wall, which has a natural grass and an artificial surface on opposite sides, and a small soft surface children’s playground. There is also a substantial separate shed for secure equipment storage.
A separate indoor handball building housing a court with spectator accommodation and changing facilities is also on-site. A development to extend this accommodation has begun.
The sporting landscape of Moycullen is very competitive and club members have competed nationally and internationally, not only in Gaelic Football and Handball, but also in soccer, rugby and in particular, basketball.