MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS:
Every story has its origin and so has Cumann Luthcleas Gael Eochaill. In 1891 the men of Youghal formed the Youghal GAA Football club. Spearheaded by W.J.Broderick, John Collins, William Farrell, and Michael Browne as first Secretary, the foundation was laid. Organised Gaelic Football was played in Bill Farrell's Field at Frogmore. The club then transferred to Jimmy Lynch's field up towards the Asylum Cross in 1984, and to Copperalley in 1899. It may be of interest too, to recall, that during those early days handball also flourished, but regretfully declined in the early 1900's, and was revived in the early 1920's, for a long period of time, when the Garda Barracks, at Catherine Street, had a Ball alley. In the 1980's and 90's the game enjoyed a limited revival, once more, when a new court was built at the site of the new Vocational School, and the top of Windmill Hill.
Hurling began its growth in Youghal in the 1940's.
The grounds at Copperalley were owned by a Miss Avis Hilda Bennett, and it was'nt until 1934 that the club was accepted as legal tenants in their own right. The rent was the exorbitant fee of
20 pounds per annum and many members were unhappy with this. Negotiations began in 1966 for the outright purchase of the property and negotiations were finally completed in the early '70's and the club carried out substantial work and officially re-opened the field on 16th June 1974. The opening ceremony was performed by the then President of Ireland, Erskine Childers.
The next development milestone in the club was on 11th December 1985, when the contract was signed for the purchase of ground, from the Southern Health Board, at Magniers Hill, adjacent to St. Raphaels Hospital. This land was bought for 75,000 pounds collected inside three years. This ground is used daily by our schools and under-age players. The second phase of this development is currently underway, with an investment of almost 1 million pounds in developing a third playing field, the fencing in of the property and the building of a Community Hall.
OTHER SNIPPETS FROM Youghal GAA HISTORY:
Does The Get Rich Quick Policy Pay?
The Year was 1904. The Youghal Club was operating from within the League of the Cross Hall. An exhibition game was organised, between Dungourney and Blackrock. Household names, like Jamesey Kelleher, Tom Mahoney Martin Collins and Will Hennessy of Dungourney, as well as the Coughlans, Fitzgeralds and Kidneys from Blackrock would draw the crowds. The match was arranged for Copperalley on a scorching July Sunday. Admission was 4d. Followers began to arrive early, and it soon became evident that the game would be a sell-out. An astute committee member had a hurried discussion with some fellow committee members, which resulted in the admission charged being increased to 6d. There was strong objection to the newly increased fee, but without success. Now close to starting time a final appeal was made, to no avail. A roar from the crowd brought a march on the gates. 1,500 people removed all opposition including the gates. Tuppence Wise and Pounds Foolish!
NO MONEY:
There was no club treasurer elected on the founding committee, because in the words of James Power of Ballymacask, ''Money in those days was scarce and it went out as fast as it came in''.
CLUB JERSEYS:
The original club jerseys were a maroon jumper, knitted, with a yellow stripe. The club could not afford to purchase the jerseys and they were knitted by mothers, wives and girlfriends. In an effort to raise funds to purchase a set, Terrier Coursing was held in Copperalley in 1924. From one of these meetings, a sum of 15 pounds was the day's takings. This money enabled the club to purchase the first set of jerseys, which were Green & Gold, they being our national colours and only worn by one other club (Dungourney), in the East Cork Division at the time. They remained the club colours until the 1960's, when the club reverted to the Maroon and Gold.
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