St Brendans GAA Grangegorman

St Brendans GAA Club Grangegorman Our Website play their home games at St Brendans Hospital in Grangegorman on Dublin's northside between Smithfeild and Phibsboro.

The hospital is undergoing work as Dublin Institute of Technology are to move onto the site in the next few years and so DIT GAA teams now also play at the "Gorman".

St Brendans field a Hurling team in the Dublin Junior Championship and Cup competitions and a Gaelic Football team in Dublins Junior Football leagues and Championship. St. Brendans field 2 Gaelic Football teams in the Dublin Junior Cup Competitions and host the Frank Dardis Cup each year.

As well as taking part in these competitions St Brendans competes in the hospitals competitions and travel to Ballygar to play the local Hurling and Gaelic Football teams each year in the Lohan Cup Competitions Photo's Available here.

St Brendans GAA Club has no underage teams and relies on the staff of the St Brendans hospital, other local Hospitals and players from Ireland and abroad who have come to join St. Brendans.

The club colours are black and amber.

A Quick Who's Who

The current club chairman is John Brennan a Kilkenny native. John played on the 1980 Dublin Senior Hurling Championship winning team for St. Brendans and has recently retired from working in the hospital. The current football manager is Brendan Sharkey who took over from John Michael McLouglin. Brendan is also the current Football Captain. The Hurling team are Ably trained by Shane Foley and his training staff. Mark Kinsella is the current Hurling Captain.

Our History

The Glory Years: Part 1 (1920 - 1969)

Founded in 1920 by Jim Doyle, (father of Canice and Jim), the club was originally known as the Richmond Asylum Hurling Club. The name was changed in 1923 to St. Dympna's and the team was comprised of players from Portrane and Grangegorman. The club finally became known as St. Brendan's in 1958 to coincide with the change in title of the hospital.

Players who starred in those early years were the Ryans - Paddy, Mick and Tom, Bill Flanagan and Tony Moore. Bill Flanagan won an All Ireland Junior Medal with Dublin in 1924.

St. Dympna's Hurlers provided the Club with its first major success when they won the Dublin Junior Championship in 1950. They went on to sweep the boards in 1952 by winning the Intermediate League and Championship as well as the Corn Ceiteann. Grangegorman based players central to this success were Mick Forde, Tommy Brogan, Jackie Brennan, Tommy Conroy, Barney McCabe, Joe Tyrrell and Dinny Dunne. Players from Portrane who filled the remaining places on the panel included Jimmy Manton, J. Carney, J. Rogers and the Stanleys.

Tommy Brogan and Tommy Conroy won all Ireland Junior Medals with Dublin in 1952 to cap a truly magnificent year for the Club. In 1954, a football team was formed based on Inter County players J.J. 1 Fitzgerald (Dublin), Christy Burke (Kildare)and Des Taffe (Meath) and Morny Murrihy (Kildare).

In spite of lack of success, the Club continued to fulfil its fixtures for the rest of The 50's and right through the 60's. Staff members who ensured this were Dinny Neville, Mick Somers, Eddie Gilligan, Paddy Hanley, John McHale, Oillie Flynn, Paddy Gahan, Paddy Kearns, Seamus Glennon, Jack Farrelly and Eddie Cullen.

In the Intermediate League Final played at Islandbridge, a most remarkable incident occurred. From the puck out by Mick Forde at full back for St. Dympnas he put the ball in the opposing goal. This hit the headlines of the sports columns of both the evening papers the following day. A remarkable feat surely.

The Glory Years: Part 2 (1970 - 1980)

The most successful period in the Club's history began when the hurlers won the Junior Championship and the League double in 1970. In 1971 they won the Intermediate League and completed the collection with the Intermediate Championship in 1972.

Members of the panel - many of whom won all four medals - included P. O'Sullivan, F. Kearns, M. Roban, M. Reilly, Jim Brennan, T. Neary, W. Shanley, J. Buckley, P. Ryan, F. Beale, 0. Flynn, K. Bernie, P. Storey, W. Walshe, S. Furey, Joe Kelly, M. Kearns, M. Healy, J. Coughlan, F. Madden, J. Mahoney, D. Harris, C. O'Driscoll, John Brennan, H. Brennan, F. Spellman, J. McCormack, A. Farrell and P. Denieffe.

The truth of the saying "success breeds success" was proven spectacularly by the exploits of the St. Brendan's Club at this time. Inspired by the achievements of the hurlers, the footballers proceeded to win the Junior League and Championship double in 1971 playing football of the highest calibre and described in one report as “the best team ever to win the Junior Football Championship”. They followed this success by winning the Intermediate League in 1972. They agonisingly lost the Inter Championship Final to an overtime goal by Ballyboughal.

The panel included: S. Murphy, M. Doyle, T. Smyth, C. MeGee, J. Cassidy . O'Neill, S. Furey, J. Leslie, J. Hughes, P. Ryan, F. Spellman, P. Storey, J.J. O'Connor, P. Barnett, J. McHale, W. Shanley, J. Higgins, P.J. O'Connor, J.J. Fitzgerald, W. Walshe, C. Kearns, P.J. Carty, K. Bernie, and J. Kelly.

The footballers continued to contest the latter stages of the Inter Championship for the next 7 - 8 years without success while competing in the Senior League Division 3.

The Glory years: Part 3 ( 1981 - 1996 )

After the successes of the previous decade, the fortunes of St. Brendan's went into decline during the first half of the eighties. Two factors contributed to this - firstly, the retirement of a number of longserving players and, secondly, the lowering of staff recruitment numbers. As a result, both hurling and football teams had returned to Junior ranks by 1986. The brief decline was followed by a brief revival, particularly by the hurlers. In 1987, they won the Junior Hurling Championship and League Double and, in 1988, won the Intermediate League and were, unluckily, defeated by the narrowest of margins to miss out on the Double Double.

Players who contributed hugely at this time were C. Paimer, S. Hayes, D. Harris, F. Delaney, F. Brennan, A. O'Reilly, W. Shanley, P. Lohan, P. Brennan, James Brennan, B. Hobbins, P. Jordan, B. Walshe, J. Walsh, G. Grey, V. Reddin and John Brennan.

Unbelievably, D. Harris, W. Shanley and W. Walshe were assembling their second set of Junior and Intermediate medals 17 years after their first successes.

Promotion to senior ranks followed but, this time around, the demands were too great and the hurling club disbanded in 1989.

The football team, however, continued to fly the black and amber colours mainly through the dedication of Gerry Ryan, J.J. Fitzgeraid, E. Ryan, Frank Dardis and J.J. Reilly and laterally John Brennan. They were rewarded with the Junior B Championship in l993 and Division 4 of the Junior League. The Mooney Cup was also won in that year.

Amazingly, Joe Cassidy, T. Smyth and J.J. Fitzgeraid - all winners in 1971 - still tog out for St. Brendan's and were involved in the 1993 success. Other players who shared in these victories were M. Crehan, P. Lohan, F.Delaney, P. Newman, E. Walsh, N. Finn, S. Forde, A. Henchy, T. Healy, S. Martin, M. Munnelly, T. Breslin, R. Ryan, G. Ryan, B. O'Connor, P. Scott and P. McEnenley.

Senior Championship 1980 - The Crowning Glory.

The hurlers continued to build on their success of the early 70's by winning Division 2 of the Senior League in 1974. They went on to become one of the top Senior Hurling teams in Dublin at that time. They confirmed their status by reaching the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship Final in 1979. The game against Crumlin ended in a draw after a nail biting contest. A long delay of 5 weeks before the replay seemed to affect St. Brendan's form and they never reached the heights of the drawn game losing by 5 points to Crumlin.

However, all the disappointment was forgotten one year later, when they qualified for their second final in a row. Playing precise hurling of high quality, backed up by exceptional teamwork and fitness, they accounted for Naomh Fionbarra, Whitehall Colmcille and Na Fianna to reach the final against Faughs.

A measure of the task facing St. Brendan's can be judged by the tradition and quality of the opposition. Included in the Faughs team were All Ireland winners Ned Rea, Jim O'Donnell and Seanie Buckley, as well as, the Burkes of Offaly, Newmans of Westmeath and Cunnighams of Tipperary.

St. Brendan's finished a see-saw battle in a high scoring game on a triumphant note, winning by 3 points, 6-10 to 4-13. St. Brendan's team consisted of C. Palmer, T. Finn, D. Harris, Jim Brennan, M. Prendergast, W. Shanley, P. Brennan, G. Hayes, F. Spellman, W. Walsh, P. Storey, M. Barnett, J. Walsh, S. Dowling and M. O'Donnell. Subs included M. Roban, B. O'Connor, G. Kelly, P. Holland, James Brennan, M. O'Brien, 0. Flynn, K. Kenny, P.Hynes and F. Beale.

The Men Behind The Scenes Over The Years

Chairmen, secretaries, Treasurers, managers, motivators, magic bottle carriers and bagmen all play a vital role behind the scenes in a successful club. Over the years St. Brendan’s have been very well served in this area.

At the time of the St. Dympna’s success Larry Byrne and Benny Cambell were in command of the clubs fortunes off the pitch. That role was carried on throughout the fifties and sixties by staff members such as JJ Fitzgerald, E Gilligan and M Somers.

In the mid sixties Paddy Kearns took over the training of the teams and many will attribute the success of the early seventies to his meticulous preparation of players at this time. Always a fitness fanatic, Paddy led by example and had the happy knack of making training sessions enjoyable. From here the spirit and teamwork required to be successful was built. Mick Somers, PJ Carty, Mel Doyle, G Kearns, F Dardis, B Walsh, and J Leslie all shared the running of the club during the successful seventies.

Mick Forde took over the chair in the club and for ten years he acted as a father-figure to the players, as well as being one of the best singers on the Sunday night sessions. T Finnerty, J Brennan, F Dardis and M Boyle gave him great assistance.

Jimmy Reilly spent twelve years as chairman from 1982 - 1984. Always associated with him are the tireless Gerry Ryan, M Farrell, P Lohan, JJ Fitzgerald and Eddie Ryan.

Frank Dardis was the chairman at the time of his untimely death in December 1994. John Brennan now carries the can and the magic bottle. Junior hurling is again played at St. Brendan’s since September 1997 with the continuing services of Charlie Palmer and Michael Jordan, senior championship winners in 1980. Bart O’Connor and Gerry Kelly of the junior team of that year along with Vincent Reddin (Nephew of the famous Tipp. Goalie, Tony Reddin), Brendan Hobbins, Padraig Lohan and Fintan Delaney come together to give solid background to the present squad which is looked after by Jon Brennan, Frank Beale and John Clarke.

St Brendans Role of All-Ireland Honours

• 1924 Bill Flanagan - All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship with Dublin
• 1952 T. Brogan and T. Conroy - All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship with Dublin.

Des Taffe - All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with Meath.

• 1975 Willie Shanley - All-Ireland "B" Championship (Hurling) with Westmeath.
• 1983 Tommy Conroy - Won All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with Dublin.
• 1995 Dessie Farrell - Won All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with Dublin.
• 1996 Martin Storey - All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship with Wexford.