Club History
1863
As reported in the Kerry Chronicle newspaper of 24th July 1863, the men of Lixnaw and Kilmoyley had a long hurling rivalry with the latest episode taking place in the vicinity of Ballinclogher bog. The result of the match, if it could be described as such, was inconclusive and a rematch arranged for Ahamore was unplayed.
1877
Again as reported in the Kerry Chronicle newspaper, Lixnaw and Dromartin contested in Ballincrossig on the 13th March 1877 with Lixnaw returning in triumph and placing the match ball on top of the Monument (i.e. the Fitzmaurice Mausoleum) in Lixnaw. Many tales were told of the feats of strength and skill of the hurlers of this period such as Dick Grady, Bill Fitzmaurice, Sonny Grady and Shaneen Lyons and the contests between Lixnaw, Ballyduff and Kilmoyley in particular.
1888
While the history of hurling in Lixnaw long precedes the founding of the GAA, the club was officially founded in 1888. As reported in the Kerry Sentinel newspaper on Saturday, 17 November 1888, the new club was designated Erin's Hope - Lixnaw and Irremore Branch. The first president was John Trant with Michael Ryan as vice-president. William O'Halloran and John J. Quilter were honorary secretaries with Denis Daly as treasurer. The first club captain was Thomas McCarthy with John Brosnan as vice-captain.
1889
During 1889 the separation of the sporting codes became evident with hurling being principally played in Lixnaw and football in Irremore. The hurling club in Lixnaw went by the moniker Sir Charles Russell for a time, in honour of an Irish statesman and supporter of Irish Home Rule and the Irish Land League. The naming of clubs and teams in such a fashion being commonplace at the time. The division of the Lixnaw and Irremore elements of the branch took place at this time and the latter competed with some success in the Kerry Football Championship. The Irremore area continues as a source of players for both Finuge and St. Senan's gaelic football clubs. While football was also played in Lixnaw at this time, the predominance of hurling was increasingly evident.
1891
When neighbouring Ballyduff, representing Kerry, successfully contested the 1891 All-Ireland hurling final,they included players from Kilmoyley and Ardfert and three men from Ahabeg in Lixnaw, Maurice Fitzmaurice, Maurice Kelly and John Murphy, who are remembered with pride in Lixnaw.
1894
The first mention of Lixnaw competing in the County Championship occurred in 1894 – though in the football code and against erstwhile clubmates, Irremore. This was the only match played in the Championship that year with walkovers being an unwelcome feature. On the 16th December 1894, Lixnaw made their first appearance in the County Hurling Final. The age-old rivalry with Kilmoyley was revisited. The Kerry Sentinel newspaper reported that the Final was well worth witnessing “composed, as it was, at both sides with All-Ireland champions of 1891”. “After a really fast and brilliant game, Kilmoyley were declared the winners by 3 goals and 7 points to 1 goal and four points for Lixnaw”. Goalkeeper Jack Grady and Eugene Fitzgerald were mentioned in the match report for Lixnaw but one supposes that Maurice Fitzmaurice, Maurice Kelly and John Murphy were also in the team.
1895
Lixnaw recorded the first match win in the County Championship on the 21 st July against Causeway by 2-3 to 1-2.
1897
As reported in the Kerry Sentinel newspaper of 21 st April 1897 – “Lixnaw and Ballyduff are old opponents on the hurling field. The old rivalry has been handed down from generation to generation. Formerly the contest was often fierce, and sometimes stirred up "bad blood"; But a better spirit possesses the hurlers of the present generation, and the contests are now generally characterized by good temper and good humour, with a result that, the play, though not a whit less interesting and exciting, is much more enjoyable. Easter Sunday appears to have usually been "the great trial day" - let nobody think the eggs have anything to do with it. Both parishes have successes to boast of and defeats to explain away. Last Easter the victory was with Ballyduff; this time the laurels come to Lixnaw. There was an amusing delay before the play came off. The Lixnaw men assembled where the two parishes meet and there awaited the Ballyduff men, who had taken up a position on the side of Drummartin height, a mile distant, and thus they remained for hours. At last "Bawn" M'Carthy, who is captain of the Lixnaw hurlers, and whose temperament is not of the holding out kind, proposed to storm the Ballyduff position, and the cheering crowd set out for Drummartin. It was 6.15 p.m. when the teams faced each other, and though the scoring was one-sided, the match was one of the most exciting and best contested I have ever witnessed. Mr. M. Bunyan acted as referee.
Teams:—
Lixnaw—J. M'Carthy (captain), J. Brown, M. Connor, J. Joy. D. Carroll, T. Fitzmaurice, J. Carroll, E. , P. and W.Walsh, W. M'Kenna, M. Roche, J. Hanlon, etc.
Ballyduff—J. Barrett (captain), J. Fitzgerald, J. Halloran, J. Harrington, — Guerin, P. Sullivan, M. Mulvihille, J.Barrett, E. Barrett, — Rourke, — Fitzgerald, — Callaghan, Hayes, etc.
There was no choice in the ground as the field was fair and the weather delightful. For the first 15 minutes the leather was kept in the Lixnaw territory, and the goalkeeper had his hands full, but Hanlon's aim was true and his camán leal. Then the tide turned and the Lixnaws became the invaders, and matters looked dark for Ballyduff.
A 40 yards puck resulted in a goal for Lixnaw, which was soon followed by a point to their credit also. At call of time the score stood—Lixnaw, 1 goal 1 point; Ballyduff, nil.
Then followed a half-hour's play as exciting as any I have ever witnessed without the least gain by either side. The field was seldom seen without two or three "laid out"; though very much alive. Every clever hit was emphasized by wild cheers from the crowd of backers. At last the excitement became so intense that the onlookers would not be kept back, and for the last few minutes the field was one cheering mass, though up to that time the best order prevailed. The final score stood as at the end of the first half-hour.”
As reported in the Kerry Chronicle newspaper of 24th July 1863, the men of Lixnaw and Kilmoyley had a long hurling rivalry with the latest episode taking place in the vicinity of Ballinclogher bog. The result of the match, if it could be described as such, was inconclusive and a rematch arranged for Ahamore was unplayed.
1877
Again as reported in the Kerry Chronicle newspaper, Lixnaw and Dromartin contested in Ballincrossig on the 13th March 1877 with Lixnaw returning in triumph and placing the match ball on top of the Monument (i.e. the Fitzmaurice Mausoleum) in Lixnaw. Many tales were told of the feats of strength and skill of the hurlers of this period such as Dick Grady, Bill Fitzmaurice, Sonny Grady and Shaneen Lyons and the contests between Lixnaw, Ballyduff and Kilmoyley in particular.
1888
While the history of hurling in Lixnaw long precedes the founding of the GAA, the club was officially founded in 1888. As reported in the Kerry Sentinel newspaper on Saturday, 17 November 1888, the new club was designated Erin's Hope - Lixnaw and Irremore Branch. The first president was John Trant with Michael Ryan as vice-president. William O'Halloran and John J. Quilter were honorary secretaries with Denis Daly as treasurer. The first club captain was Thomas McCarthy with John Brosnan as vice-captain.
1889
During 1889 the separation of the sporting codes became evident with hurling being principally played in Lixnaw and football in Irremore. The hurling club in Lixnaw went by the moniker Sir Charles Russell for a time, in honour of an Irish statesman and supporter of Irish Home Rule and the Irish Land League. The naming of clubs and teams in such a fashion being commonplace at the time. The division of the Lixnaw and Irremore elements of the branch took place at this time and the latter competed with some success in the Kerry Football Championship. The Irremore area continues as a source of players for both Finuge and St. Senan's gaelic football clubs. While football was also played in Lixnaw at this time, the predominance of hurling was increasingly evident.
1891
When neighbouring Ballyduff, representing Kerry, successfully contested the 1891 All-Ireland hurling final,they included players from Kilmoyley and Ardfert and three men from Ahabeg in Lixnaw, Maurice Fitzmaurice, Maurice Kelly and John Murphy, who are remembered with pride in Lixnaw.
1894
The first mention of Lixnaw competing in the County Championship occurred in 1894 – though in the football code and against erstwhile clubmates, Irremore. This was the only match played in the Championship that year with walkovers being an unwelcome feature. On the 16th December 1894, Lixnaw made their first appearance in the County Hurling Final. The age-old rivalry with Kilmoyley was revisited. The Kerry Sentinel newspaper reported that the Final was well worth witnessing “composed, as it was, at both sides with All-Ireland champions of 1891”. “After a really fast and brilliant game, Kilmoyley were declared the winners by 3 goals and 7 points to 1 goal and four points for Lixnaw”. Goalkeeper Jack Grady and Eugene Fitzgerald were mentioned in the match report for Lixnaw but one supposes that Maurice Fitzmaurice, Maurice Kelly and John Murphy were also in the team.
1895
Lixnaw recorded the first match win in the County Championship on the 21 st July against Causeway by 2-3 to 1-2.
1897
As reported in the Kerry Sentinel newspaper of 21 st April 1897 – “Lixnaw and Ballyduff are old opponents on the hurling field. The old rivalry has been handed down from generation to generation. Formerly the contest was often fierce, and sometimes stirred up "bad blood"; But a better spirit possesses the hurlers of the present generation, and the contests are now generally characterized by good temper and good humour, with a result that, the play, though not a whit less interesting and exciting, is much more enjoyable. Easter Sunday appears to have usually been "the great trial day" - let nobody think the eggs have anything to do with it. Both parishes have successes to boast of and defeats to explain away. Last Easter the victory was with Ballyduff; this time the laurels come to Lixnaw. There was an amusing delay before the play came off. The Lixnaw men assembled where the two parishes meet and there awaited the Ballyduff men, who had taken up a position on the side of Drummartin height, a mile distant, and thus they remained for hours. At last "Bawn" M'Carthy, who is captain of the Lixnaw hurlers, and whose temperament is not of the holding out kind, proposed to storm the Ballyduff position, and the cheering crowd set out for Drummartin. It was 6.15 p.m. when the teams faced each other, and though the scoring was one-sided, the match was one of the most exciting and best contested I have ever witnessed. Mr. M. Bunyan acted as referee.
Teams:—
Lixnaw—J. M'Carthy (captain), J. Brown, M. Connor, J. Joy. D. Carroll, T. Fitzmaurice, J. Carroll, E. , P. and W.Walsh, W. M'Kenna, M. Roche, J. Hanlon, etc.
Ballyduff—J. Barrett (captain), J. Fitzgerald, J. Halloran, J. Harrington, — Guerin, P. Sullivan, M. Mulvihille, J.Barrett, E. Barrett, — Rourke, — Fitzgerald, — Callaghan, Hayes, etc.
There was no choice in the ground as the field was fair and the weather delightful. For the first 15 minutes the leather was kept in the Lixnaw territory, and the goalkeeper had his hands full, but Hanlon's aim was true and his camán leal. Then the tide turned and the Lixnaws became the invaders, and matters looked dark for Ballyduff.
A 40 yards puck resulted in a goal for Lixnaw, which was soon followed by a point to their credit also. At call of time the score stood—Lixnaw, 1 goal 1 point; Ballyduff, nil.
Then followed a half-hour's play as exciting as any I have ever witnessed without the least gain by either side. The field was seldom seen without two or three "laid out"; though very much alive. Every clever hit was emphasized by wild cheers from the crowd of backers. At last the excitement became so intense that the onlookers would not be kept back, and for the last few minutes the field was one cheering mass, though up to that time the best order prevailed. The final score stood as at the end of the first half-hour.”
Lixnaw Hurling Club
Founded 1888