The Early Years | Lahorna
DeWets | Troubled Times | Kilruane
MacDonaghs is Born |
North Championship Success
Either Cloughjordan or De Wets entered Senior hurling teams
from 1924 to 1927. It is impossible to say for certain which was the official
parish senior hurling team. Some reporters call it Cloughjordan, while
other call it De Wets or Kilruane.
In 1927 de Wets joined with Nenagh for the senior hurling championship.
The amalgamation was continued in 1928 where Nenagh De Wets were beaten
by Toomevara in the North final.
The triple crown
1930 was the greatest year in the history of Tipperary hurling. A new
term was coined to describe their achievements - they won the "triple
crown" of hurling i.e. the Senior, Junior nad Minor All-Irelands.
Toomevara were senior hurling champions once more in 1930.
Dan breen came back from America, where he had been since the civil war,
and presented a cup for the winners of the senior hurling championship
of County Tipperary. It is known as "The Dan Breen cup". Toomevara
were the first winners of this cup in 1931. By then the greyhounds had
almost run their course.
1933 was the year that signalled the end of the Toomevara
greyhounds, and the beginning of camogie playing in North Tipperary. In
1934 Kilruane had a good intermediate team, and hoped to win the North
championship, but were beaten by Newport in the North Final.
This year was also the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the GAA.
Annual congress was held in Thurles town, and a commerative stamp was
issued. It was in this year also that Seamus Gardiner, chairman of the
North Tipperary board suggested that the bust of Thomas MacDoangh should
be put on championship medals in the North division. This suggestion was
carried out and remains to this day.
The parish rule became law in 1934, which brought up a lot of confusion
involving the interpretation of this rule.
In the 1935 North championship, which was played on
a league basis, Kilruane qualified for a Final tie against Newport. Kilruanes
forwards squandered many chances in the first half and ultimately paid
the price, losing by 6-4 to 5-4.
In 1935 and 1936 a serious effort got underway to unite all the junior
teams in Cloughjordan parish, to form a worthwhile senior club. A number
of meetings were arranged, many ending in widescale disagreement between
the parties involved.
Finally the name Thomas MacDonagh was used as the unifying force. By 1937
most of the teams in Cloughjordan parish came in under the banner of the
1916 leader, and are known today as Kilruane MacDonaghs.
There have been a few small exceptions -(a)Kyle before 1950 and (b)Congor
about 1940. But it has to be stated that players from all areas of the
parish are proud to don a MacDonaghs jersey. This club has tried to emulate
the feats of the famous De Wets and have done so with marked success.
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