Kirwan Park
by Pierce Butler (Chairman 1981 - 1992)

The Sliabh gCua & St.Mary's G.A.A club reformed in 1970. Eddie Kirwan R.I.P. offered them the use of his field free of charge. This continued until the AGM in 1981. It was decided at that meeting to buy our own field and build dressing rooms. It was decided to set up a sub committee within three months. As I was Chairman of the club I automatically became a member of that committee. At our second meeting it was decided that I should ask Eddie Kirwan if he would be interested in selling the field to the club. On asking Eddie he said he wouldn't do anything until the end of the year. When the end of the year was approaching I was instructed to go to Eddie and arrange with him for the committee to meet with him to discuss the buying of the field. On meeting with Eddie he said he wasn't interested so it was then decided to look out for another field. We walked a number of fields but nobody was interested in selling to us. Then when we thought all was lost Eddie offered us the field. Fr. O'Dowd C.C. R.I.P., Ned Power, John Fitzpatrick and myself approached Eddie. The nine acres was bought for £6,000 under two conditions, that it was to be known as "Kirwan Park" and it was to be used solely for G.A.A purposes.

We arranged a house to house collection which was a great success. The majority of the people paid £50 each and the £5,400 was collected in a short time. Below is the original letter written regarding the Kirwan park development.

The 1980's were great years for the club, winning the junior football championship after 45 years in 1981. Then intermediate hurling championship was won in 1983, the intermediate football and junior hurling was won in 1989 plus Club of the Year. The county football final U-21, minor and intermediate football were won in 1991.

My earliest memory of G.A.A was in the early 30's. The training was done in various fields such as Hickey' Cross, Bearys Cross, Gleeson's, Cotter's and Walsh's of Touraneena.

There were times when there was no field to be had, so in those days you went into a quiet field belonging to a farmer and kicked away. This arrangement would work for 2 or 3 nights and then some night the farmer would stand at the gap and start shouting " to clear out. No fear you would go into you're own field, you knew where the fool was , get out now and stay gone". So that would end the football for while again.

Funds were made at that time with Church gate collections. I remember on one occasion that I collected 2/6 from 16 people to buy a ball.

But in spite of all this the club won the 1936 junior football championship. I am delighted to say that with our own field now the like of this will never again happen.