St. Michael's GAA

St. Michaels G.F.C.

Micheál Naofa
Founded:	1951
County:	Cork
Club colours:	Yellow and Green
Grounds:	Páirc Mhichíl Naofa
Coordinates:	51°53′23.35″N 8°23′35.40″W
Playing kits
Standard colours

St. Michaels G.F.C. is a Gaelic football club in Cork City, Ireland. The club was formed in 1951 after a discourse in the Leaping Salmon bar in Blackrock near Cork. At that time some of the Blackrock hurlers played football with different city teams and it was thought a good idea to enter a football team from Blackrock, thus keeping the players together. A formal meeting was held and St Michael's Gaelic Football Club was born.

History

St. Michael's first match was against Crosshaven and were captained by Jimmy Furlong. The clubs first success was in 1956 when St Michael's took their first Cork Junior Football Championship title and as there was no Intermediate Championship or League the club took the decision to go Senior in 1957. The club failed to win a Senior County Title in 1976, 1977, and 1978, but these years saw them in finals against St. Finbarr's and Nemo Rangers. The club did take honours with two Kelleher Shield Titles. Eventually the decision was made to drop down to Intermediate level in the hope the club would once more rise to Senior status.

1964 and 1965 saw the first honours to the younger members of the club with Minor titles in the county championships and the greatest achievement in this level came in 1974 when the club won city and county league and championships.^{[citation needed]}

1998 was the year the club bounced back with the Cork Intermediate Football Championship after a long tough campaign they reached the final to beat the Barrs thus adding to their 1969 success and gaining a second Intermediate title to restore the club to the Senior ranks.^{[citation needed]}

St. Michael's underage section begun as far back in the 1960s and was spearheaded at that time by Eamonn O'Donoghue with assistance from Chairman of this age group Bernard Hurley. Also involved at this time was Aidan McAuliffe.

The fruits of these coaching sessions can be seen in the 5 in a row Féile victories since 2002, culminating in All-Ireland success this year and the U16 County Championship won in 2005 also.^{[citation needed]}

We'll Bring Glory Home

Where the south of Cork City meets up with the Lee,

And the flags they fly proudly of gold and of green.

You can walk by the castle where the sand meets the foam

And the boys from Blackrock, they will bring glory home

Chorus:

We'll bring glory home, We'll bring glory home,

We're the boys from Blackrock, We'll bring glory home

We are proud of our heroes who have worn gold and green,

With a football or hurley, they're the best that we've seen,

We take pride in our colours and wherever we roam,

With Blackrock and St. Michaels, we will bring glory home.

Chorus

So wherever you wander, playing fields far and wide,

We're the Dazzlers, the Rockies, so remember with pride,

All those names gone before us, those whose legends have grown,

We will die for this jersey and we'll bring glory home.

Chorus x2

Written by Ken O' Connell(1998)

Roll of Honour

Kelleher Shield Champions 1976, 1978

Kelleher Shield Div 3 Champions 2009

Intermediate County Champions 1969, 1998

Junior County Champions 1956

Munster Club Division 2 Champions 2005

Under 21 City Champions 1976, 2006

Under 21 County Champions 1976

Minor Premier County Champions 1964, 1965, 1974, 2006, 2008

Minor Premier City Champions 1974

Minor Premier League Champions 1974

Minor A City Champions 1999, 2002, 2009

Minor A County Champions 1999

Minor A League Champions 1999

Under 16 County Champions 1985, 2005, 2006

Under 16 City Champions 1985, 2004, 2005, 2006

Under 16 League Champions 2005, 2009

Under 16 A League Champions 2006, 2007, 2008

Under 15 City Champions 2003, 2005, 2010

Under 15 League Champions 2010

Féile Peil na nÓg Champions Div 2 2005

Féile Cork County Champions 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009

Under 14 County 'A' Champions 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008

U14 League Champions 2005, 2006

U13 City Champions 2001, 2003, 2010

U13 League Champions 2006, 2010

U12 City Champions 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008

U12 County Champions 2000, 2007, 2008

U12 League Champions 2000, 2005, 2007, 2008

U11 John Kerins Winners 2004, 2007

Achievements

• Cork Senior Football Championship Runners-Up 1976, 1977, 1978
• Cork Intermediate Football Championship Winners 1969, 1998
• Cork Junior Football Championship Winners 1956
• Cork Minor Football Championship Winners 1938 (as Blackrock), 1964, 1965, 1974, 2006, 2008
• City (Seandun Division) Junior Football Championship Winners 1952, 1953, 1956, 1987 Runners-Up 1954, 1955, 1983

Famous players

• Ray Cummins
• Billy Field
• Chris Murphy

External links

• Official St. Michaels Club website