- Killyclogher St Marys, 36, Drumnakilly Road, Omagh, BT79 0QA,
An CLG was founded on 1 November 1884 and almost twenty years later the first County Board was put in place in Tyrone – 31st January 1904. The fact that our parish could answer the call for affiliation in that same year, 1904, shows that football and hurling were already being played in this parish.
Killyclogher St. Patrick’s became an affiliated club in 1904 and by 1906 were county senior hurling champions, county junior football champions, mid Tyrone senior football champions and were winners of the McAnespy Cup, a senior football competition. The upheaval and tumult of the decades 1910 – 1920 and the 1920s made it very difficult to play and promote games on an organised basis. We did have short lived affiliated clubs in the 1920s – one in Arvalee and one in Beltony. There were also strong area teams in Knockmoyle and Castleroddy.
Entering the 1930s there was a great revival of the GAA in West and North Tyrone. A West Tyrone Board was formed in 1932 and it functioned until 1974.
Killyclogher St. Mary’s registered as the parish club in 1932 and competed strongly at senior football in the 1930s, winning the McAleer Cup in 1932 and 1937. In the period 1933-37 Killyclogher and Mountfield both fielded at junior level in addition to the senior team in Killyclogher. Hurling and Camogie also flourished. The level of involvement declined in the 1940s although Killyclogher continued to compete at senior level until 1946 and at junior level 1947-49.
A hurling club was formed in the Knockmoyle end of the parish in 1947 and won 3 Senior hurling titles between 1947 and 1954. This club also competed at junior football level, 1950-1954, winning the Davis Cup, 1951 and 1953 and playing in two junior football championship finals.
A serious dispute arose with the club and the West Tyrone Board and County Board in total disagreement about clashes of fixtures, football and hurling. The club eventually disbanded and thus Cappagh was without an affiliated club.
This state of affairs lasted 1954-1965 until a meeting was called in February 1965 to reform a club in Cappagh. There was opposition at West Tyrone Board level to the affiliation but following meetings with that Board and an appeal to the County Board the registration was accepted. The first game in the West Tyrone League was played in April 1965.
The rest, as the saying goes, is history. From fielding 1 Adult team in 1965 we have progressed to the situation where going into the 2009 competitions we will be represented as follows: 2 Adult football teams and teams at Under 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18 and 21 levels. Hurling – 1 Adult and youth teams; Ladies Football – 1 Adult and full range of youth teams. Handball – Adult and Youth. We also actively participate in Scór and Scór na nÓg.
That’s where we were…
this is where we are
In 1965 we had the use of McCrossan’s Field (now Richmond Park) and we also had spells in McAleer’s field, Cloughfin; McGrath’s field Erganagh (the Forge Field) and the Christian Brothers’ Park and St. Patrick’s Park. So thanks to the generosity and cooperation of the owners we were able to train and fulfill our fixtures, 1965-1981.
A home of our own, or at least a suitable site for a home, was purchased from the Curran family in Ballinamullan in the mid 1970s. Through hard work, most of it voluntary, we were able to use our own playing field in 1982 and also finish off work on the Dressing Room Complex.
Since then we have upgraded our main playing field with a sand based carpet, 2002; purchased and opened a second playing field in 2001 which we upgraded in 2008. Covered accommodation was erected for spectators in 1993 and the dressing room complex, with its handball facilities, meeting rooms and kitchen facilities, completed.
In 2006 a new dressing room complex complete with a fully equipped modern fitness suite was added and the existing building totally refurbished. That graph with its steady curve of improved facilities and increasing participation is the success story of our club from 1965 to the present day.
Equally as important is that it is an ongoing story – pages and chapters are still being added.
What about success in terms of cups, trophies and titles?
Well judge for yourself.
Since 1965 we have won every league and championship title from Under 12 through every youth age group as well as at adult level – junior, intermediate (league only) and senior. The only title missing is the intermediate championship and we want it to remain missing because we have no intentions of giving up our senior status.
Hurling was revived in 1975 and since then we have won the full range of titles Under 14 right up to the senior championship.
Ladies football and Camogie are more welcome recent developments and already we have tasted success at youth and adult levels.
Our new Handball facilities are being fully utilised and we can point to success stories in terms of coaching and competitions.
Our reputation as a promoter of, and a strong contender in, Scór continues to be enhanced with success in county, provincial and All Ireland finals.
