Tipperary Club Focus – Ballyporeen GAA Club

In the second of our monthly club focus articles, we are in South Tipperary as we take a trip to the famed Ballyporeen.

• Club Name: : Ballyporeen GAA Football Club
• Eircode:  E21YP99
• Football: Senior
• Club colours: Red and Black
• Main Sponsor: O’Connor Machinery Contractors

Club officers:

• President- Ed O’Gorman
• Chairman-Tom O Gorman  086-3850725
• email: ogorman_thomas10@yahoo.ie
• Secretary- Mag O Donoghue  086-3362116
• email: secretary.ballyporeen.tipperary@gaa.ie
• Treasurer- Kevin Kenneally 086-8502377
• email: kevinkenneally1@gmail.com
• P.R.O- PRO: Billy Macken  087-2147985
• email: billymacken64@gmail.com

Club Social Media details:

• Twitter:   @BallyporeenGAA
• Facebook:  Ballyporeen GAA Club
• Instagram:  @ballyporeengaa

Brief History of Club  

The GAA was founded in 1884 and Ballyporeen’s football club was formed between 1885 and 1890. This shows how involved the Parish was in the formative years of the Association. In those day’s, our club was known as the Templetenny Rangers. In the early 1900’s Ballyporeen had some great battles with Clonmel Shamrocks, one of the top teams in the County. The club had to wait until 1928 to win the County Junior Football Championship.

Medal from the 1928 Intermediate winning football team which was returned to the club in 2015

The early 1950’s produced one of the best teams in the County. Unfortunately, lady luck did not shine on them, as we were two points down in the South final of 1953 against Drangan when we were awarded a penalty in the last few minutes. The shot hit the crossbar and Drangan went on to win the County Final. Michael Walsh (The Rock) an accomplished footballer who played inter County football for Dublin trained that 1953 team.

Football in Ballyporeen went through a lean period in the late 1950’s and the present club was reformed in1963. In 1964 Ballyporeen reached the South Tipperary Junior ‘B’ final. In 1966 our minor team won the south championship and were beaten in the County final by Arravale Rovers. Many of that team were to form the 1969-70teams that won two South Finals and lost 2 County finals by slender margins.

In 1972, 1973 & 1978 Ballyporeen won the U14 South Tipperary Rural Football Championships. In 1977 Ballyporeen lost to Newcastle in the South Intermediate Football final by a point. The club was relegated to Junior in 1983 and won the South Junior Championship in 1985.  In 1986 our minor team amalgamated with our neighbour’s Fr Sheehy’s under the name ‘Brian Boru’s ‘and went onto win the County minor ‘B’ Final. We won U21 County final in 1990 and South title in 1994.

After a gap of 59 years Ballyporeen beat Arravale Rovers in the County Junior football final of 1987. The team was now flying and the following year we won the South Intermediate title and were denied a County final win against Nenagh after a last-minute penalty was awarded against us.

Ballyporeen County Intermediate Football Champions 2013

We lost the following 3 South Tipp finals before we came good again in 1992 winning the South final against Fr Sheehy’s and the County final against Aherlow. In our term up in Senior ranks our finest hours were beating Clonmel Commercials in the championship and beating them in the Clonmel oil league 1994-1995. We went back to intermediate again and we would have to wait until 2007 to win another south title. We won the U21 ‘C’ County final in 2001 and a minor ‘C’ championship in 2006 also a South U21’B’ championship in 2004. Probably the finest Senior team was built in the success of 2011 when Ballyporeen won both minor and U21’B’ County finals. Our intermediate team won South and County honours again in 2013 to go Senior once again and remain there to this present day. Over the years Ballyporeen have produced many players to represent the County teams. But the recent success of Tipperary winning a Munster title and our very own Conor Sweeney to Captain the side will stay long in the minds of every Ballyporeen Supporter.

Club Development

In 2018 a field development committee (FDC) was formed with the goal of upgrading and adding to our current facilities. The FDC comprises of members from Ballyporeen Football, Skeheenarinky Hurling, Ballyporeen Ladies football, Ballyporeen Handball, Ballyporeen Skeheenarinky Juveniles and community representatives.

Our existing facilities are the product of a huge amount of work by previous committees as far back as 1995 when our dressing rooms were built. Following from that our main pitch was realigned, fenced and ball stop nets placed behind both sets of goals. We followed this up by installing match standard lighting making us one of the few pitches in South Tipperary suitable for nighttime games. We also completed a full-sized training pitch within the time period of 1995 and 2010.

These facilities are a credit to the men and women who put in countless hours fundraising so that we can have the current facilities which we are immensely proud of. It has been 10 years since any meaningful work bar general maintenance has been carried out to our facilities, so it was felt it was time to look to improving our grounds further.

A community meeting was called along with members from all clubs to set about a plan on how best to proceed. Following several more FDC meetings a 10-point plan along with a funding scheme were agreed upon, with a general timeframe of 3 years for the works.

Although the plans were formed with both community and clubs in mind, they are primarily club driven. With each clubs fundraising efforts eaten up in yearly running costs, an alternative method of raising funds for the development purposes only. To that end we are hoping to avail of the “Approved sports bodies tax relief scheme” allowing donations of €250 or above yearly as a deduction tax purposes. The favourable tax treatment allows for either the club have benefit from a top up from the state or depending on whether you’re self-assessed or PAYE a possible tax rebate. A table is provided below to give an idea of what is involved. We would hope to be launching leaflets with all the details of the scheme to every household in the coming weeks.

This summer will see the first major works taking place with the construction of a ball wall. The wall will be 27m long by 5m high dual faced. The north side used as a hurling ball wall with an Astro pitch from it and the south side as a 3 one wall handball championship sized courts with a concrete apron which is a fabulous addition to our superb handball facilities.

To follow up this construction, we plan to develop a 1.8km walking track encompassing both pitches in a figure of 8 pattern to encourage the health and wellbeing for all within our community.

Partial funding for the ball wall has already been secured through a sports capitol grant and we will be leaving no stone unturned in securing additional funding where possible, but we will still be urging every household to give serious consideration to signing up to help provide facilities which will be the envy of many a club in the County.

We appreciate that the people we are asking to contribute already do so generously, but we are acutely aware of the great tradition we have in our community to band together when needed, to raise funds whether it be for the Church restoration, community hall extension etc.

Club fundraising

The club’s main source of income is Ballyporeen Football Club Lotto held every fortnight with a current jackpot of €10000. It is supplemented with an annual golf classic and 2020 was to hold a gala fundraising dinner in April.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 19 restrictions neither the gala dinner nor the golf classic was to take place.  It had a negative impact on our Lotto draws with many having to be postponed. Indeed, we will be playing catch on our 2020 draws well into 2021.

Despite all the setbacks we had a huge response from players and the wider community in the draws we did manage to hold.

While our fundraising efforts in 2020 are well down on previous years, we are incredibly grateful to those who supported un in difficult times. We have recently activated an online lotto which will facilitate easy access to purchase tickets, especially with the physical sale of tickets so restricted now. Tickets can be purchased via Clubforce account on the attached link.

https://play.clubforce.com/play_newa.asp?ll_id=2099#Anchor

Club Stalwart – Eddie O’Gorman

Eddie O’Gorman receiving his Laochra Gael award from John Arnold

Eddie O Gorman has always been known as Mr. Football in Ballyporeen and it is not an exaggeration to say, but without Eddie O Gorman football in Ballyporeen would be in a poorer place.

One of the best known GAA personalities in South Tipperary and indeed throughout the County, Eddie O Gorman has dedicated his life to his club and County. Eddi’s love for football goes back to his school days. He played minor football with Tipperary in 1962 and U21 in 1965.

When Eddie’s playing days came to an end, he immersed himself in administration of his beloved Ballyporeen GAA club. He held the office as Chairperson and attended South and County fixture meetings. He became involved in all grades of football and held positions as either manager or selector of many successful teams. Eddie was always to the fore when it came to fundraising for the club, always the first to sell tickets and travel miles to get sponsorship. He played a major role in the development of our clubhouse and both playing pitches. He also fundraised heavily to secure the money needed for our floodlights which are used now in a regular basis for club and County.

Eddie O’Gorman pictured with his wife Mary, Paul & Sinead O’Gorman along with Kyle, Kayla and Sadhbh

Eddie O Gorman played a major part in over seeing his club progress from junior to intermediate to the present-day senior club that we now have. Eddie is also involved with the Friends of Tipperary football and again a great fundraiser for this organisation. While Eddie is passionate supporter of his club, he is also a passionate follower of the County football teams. On any given Sunday Eddie can be seen in Clonmel supporting his county or indeed Cavan or Armagh, Eddie never lets distance get in the way of supporting his County.

Still to this present-day Eddie remains involved at Juvenile level in the club and is the current president of the club as well as being on the committee and on the lotto committee. Two years ago, Eddie was a worthy and popular recipient of the Laochra Gael award for his outstanding contribution to GAA in both his club and County. A truly well-deserved award. Whenever football and Ballyporeen is spoken about, Eddie O Gorman’s name always comes to the fore. We hope to have Eddie involved for many more years to come.

A historic Day for the Parish

While 2020 will be a year many people will want to forget, that’s not the case for the people of Ballyporeen. The 22^nd of November will be a day that will long live in the memory as Tipperary beat Cork in a Munster football final for the first time in 85 years led by our own Conor Sweeney.

While the match itself was a nail-biting affair given our investment in it, in truth Tipperary were the far sharper team, none more so than Conor. He led from the front taking his opportunities whenever they arose just as he had throughout the championship leading us to the final.

It was a just reward for Conor and indeed all the Tipperary footballers who have given us some brilliant days over the past 10 years, to see them crown all their hard work and sacrifice by lifting the cup on that November day was truly special.

Ballyporeen can be rightly proud of Conor. A captain both on and off the field, he is willing to give up his time whether it be to help out at summer camps or presenting medals to our future players at juvenile level.

Conor Sweeney ‘A gentleman’ to all who know him

Hopefully, we will have many more great days supporting Conor and the Tipperary footballers, which no doubt we will

A Special Note:

To all our members passed and present without you we would not have the club that we presently do.  We thank you for your contributions, your advice, your help and especially your time.

For the family, friends and members we have lost in covid 19 times, we offer our condolences.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.