AGHINAGH G.A.A.

Although there is reference to Aghinagh G.A.A. having a strong Senior Hurling Team in the 1890’s and being competitive in the Cork County Senior Hurling Championship, the Club as we know it was not formed until 1949. It was founded in Cotters Egg Shed, Bawnmore with 22 people present in January, of that year. The first Chairman was Hugh O’Brien, Rahalisk; Secretary, John O’Connell, Clonavrick; Treasurer, Jimmy Sullivan, Rahalisk. The Club was originally called St. Augustine’s and adopted Royal Blue and White as their official colours.

Aghinagh entered the Junior Football grade in Mid Cork in 1949 and in 1958 reached the semi-final for the first time losing out to eventual winners, Iveleary. Success eluded Aghinagh in the 1960s but their fortunes were about to change with the arrival of Fr. Anthony Cronin to the Parish of Aghinagh in 1969. He immediately set up a juvenile wing to the Club and in their very first year, they captured the Under 14 title in 1970. This was to be the springboard for further successes in the future. In 1973 Aghinagh won their first ever Junior Football B Title defeating Canovee in the final. This feat was repeated in 1980 when Aghinagh won both League and Championship defeating Kilmichael in the Championship Final. Aghinagh have played in the Junior A level since then and reached the final in 1992, 1995 and 2014. Aghinagh won the Junior Football League in 1992, 1993, 2000 and again in 2014. The Muskerry Cup following in 2001. Aghinagh won their first Under 21 Football Title in 1975 and further titles were to follow in 1993, 2000 and 2004. 1999 was an historic year for the Club as it won its first County Minor Title ever and this was followed with further success in Minor in 2000, 2011 ad 2012.

In the early years of it’s existence, Aghinagh depended on the goodwill of farmers to provide them with suitable fields for pitches. In the Centenary Year of the G.A.A. 1984, Aghinagh G.A.A. decided that it needed to have its own grounds and so it bought six and a half acres of land in the townland of Kilberrihert near the village of Rusheen. In subsequent years this was developed and dressing rooms were built at a total cost of €70,000. The pitch was officially opened in 1988 by Cork County Board Chairman, Denis Conroy, and a representative game of Cork A V Cork B entertained the large crowd that were present.

Aghinagh have been blessed with many talented players down through the years and indeed have supplied their share of players to the Muskerry Team, among them being Christy Goggin, John O’Leary, Dan O’Connor, John Murphy, Vincent Coakley, Jimmy Cotter, Gerard O’Leary, Matt O’Leary, Micheàl Corkery and many others. Cork Teams have also benefited from the talents of some of Aghinagh’s finest players with Fr. Jerry O’Riordan playing Minor Football for Cork, Fr. Pat Kelleher, Minor Hurling. Vincent Coakley played Minor, Under 21 and Senior Football for Cork winning a National Football League Medal in 1980 and Ger O’Leary also stared for Cork, winning an All-Ireland Minor Football Medal in 1993. More recently Briege Corkery, who started her football career with Aghinagh, has hit the headlines as a dual star with Cork Ladies Football and Camogie Teams and has won no less than 11 All-Ireland Medals.

A more recent emerging star is Marie Ambrose who won a senior football medal and all-star in 2015.

The most recent undertaking for the club has been the development of a new hall together with meeting rooms, kitchen and gym equipment. It is now open and is used for dancing, yoga, zumba, parties, bingo nights, etc. It is proving to be a valuable asset to the Club and Community in general.