History
February 1986 – Nottingham Evening Post – Eamonn Gavigan
After a lapse of more than twelve years Gaelic football returned to Nottingham with a bang. St. Barnabas Gaelic Football Club was resurrected and they celebrated their success in the sport at their recent presentation dinner and dance.
The original St. Barnabas became defunct about 1972 but since their reformation they have gone on to collect three trophies in Warwickshire during 1985, with one final still to be played.
The club played in the East Midlands during the fifties and sixties, but when that section folded so did that club.
Some of the players then joined St. Colmcilles in Leicester, who were members of the Warwickshire County Board.
About 1981 St. Colmcilles were starting to struggle and it was then that Chris Owens and Liam Fitzgerald, both Nottingham based players, decided to look for new blood in the city.
Chris said: “I knew there were lots of old players in and around the city. It was just a matter of coaxing them to get their boots out again. It was hard at first but gradually we got some of them interested. Then it snowballed to the extent that we were taking nearly a whole team to Leicester to play matches.”
Liam added: “It wasn’t fair asking players to travel all the way over there and then not get a game. It was just before Christmas 1984 that we decided to try and get it going again. Our success on and off the field has been unbelievable. We had a good bunch of backroom boys ( Leo McGuiness, Eamonn Harrison, and Padraig Sweeney) who have put us on a sound financial footing in less than a year”.
Martin Queally, chairman for 1986 says: “Last season is going to take some beating but I think we can do it. We had a lot of young players last season who were having their first taste of Gaelic football and they can only get better.
“But we will have to work even harder because the opposition won’t take us so lightly next time. We are always on the lookout for new players, regardless of what standard they can play.
“In the future we will have to rely mainly on second generation Irish who live in and around the city, or any nationality for that matter – a young Scottish lad was out Under 16 player of the year – out there with young lads who fancy player with us then just get in touch with the Irish Centre. We will welcome them with open arms.
“We had Under 12 , under 14, under 16, junior and intermediate teams last season but you never have enough players.
“We would also ask the parents to come and join us, and possibly meet old friends from years ago. I know one thing they will certainly make a lot of new friends.
After a lapse of more than twelve years Gaelic football returned to Nottingham with a bang. St. Barnabas Gaelic Football Club was resurrected and they celebrated their success in the sport at their recent presentation dinner and dance.
The original St. Barnabas became defunct about 1972 but since their reformation they have gone on to collect three trophies in Warwickshire during 1985, with one final still to be played.
The club played in the East Midlands during the fifties and sixties, but when that section folded so did that club.
Some of the players then joined St. Colmcilles in Leicester, who were members of the Warwickshire County Board.
About 1981 St. Colmcilles were starting to struggle and it was then that Chris Owens and Liam Fitzgerald, both Nottingham based players, decided to look for new blood in the city.
Chris said: “I knew there were lots of old players in and around the city. It was just a matter of coaxing them to get their boots out again. It was hard at first but gradually we got some of them interested. Then it snowballed to the extent that we were taking nearly a whole team to Leicester to play matches.”
Liam added: “It wasn’t fair asking players to travel all the way over there and then not get a game. It was just before Christmas 1984 that we decided to try and get it going again. Our success on and off the field has been unbelievable. We had a good bunch of backroom boys ( Leo McGuiness, Eamonn Harrison, and Padraig Sweeney) who have put us on a sound financial footing in less than a year”.
Martin Queally, chairman for 1986 says: “Last season is going to take some beating but I think we can do it. We had a lot of young players last season who were having their first taste of Gaelic football and they can only get better.
“But we will have to work even harder because the opposition won’t take us so lightly next time. We are always on the lookout for new players, regardless of what standard they can play.
“In the future we will have to rely mainly on second generation Irish who live in and around the city, or any nationality for that matter – a young Scottish lad was out Under 16 player of the year – out there with young lads who fancy player with us then just get in touch with the Irish Centre. We will welcome them with open arms.
“We had Under 12 , under 14, under 16, junior and intermediate teams last season but you never have enough players.
“We would also ask the parents to come and join us, and possibly meet old friends from years ago. I know one thing they will certainly make a lot of new friends.
