Éire Óg, Inis GAA Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Ennis, Clare, Ireland. The club plays both Hurling and Gaelic Football at all age levels. Their last major achievement came on 20 October 2019 when they won the Senior B Football Championship for the first time, defeating Kilmihil by 2-15 to 0-13 in Cusack Park. Prior to the official club formation in 1952, the Ennis Dalcassians represented the county capital. The Ennis Faughs were an amalgamation of the club with local rivals Doora-Barefield. They competed together from 1944-1956 and 1994-1996 when both clubs were not actually competing at senior level themselves. When combined with their predecessor the Ennis Dalcassians, Éire Óg are the most successful club in Clare at senior level. A combined total of 33 county titles have been won by the capital town, 15 Senior Hurling titles and 18 Senior Football titles.
History
The club was formed at the end of February 1952, initially to cater for Junior hurlers. The historic first meeting took place in a house in Steele’s Terrace. The club’s first colours were white with a green shamrock and these jerseys were bought by the residents of Steele’s Terrace and the Boreen. In 1954 the club colours were changed to red with white collar and cuffs. In 1953 the club decided to enter the senior ranks but were defeated by Clooney that year. In 1954 the club had its first senior victory when it beat Tulla in the semi-final of the Gaelic League tournament. In 1955, with victories over Ruan, Clarecastle, Doora-Barefield and Tulla, Éire Óg reached its first senior final but were beaten by Newmarket. The first trophy won was the Clare Cup when Feakle were beaten in the final by nine points. In 1956 Éire Óg went one better by winning the Clare Senior Hurling Championship, defeating Clarecastle in the final on a score of 4-05 to 2-08. In 1957 it won the Championship by defeating Whitegate in the final on a score of 5-09 to 2-03. The club reached the final in 1959 but was defeated by Ruan. Éire Óg reached the final in 1965 only to be defeated this time by Newmarket. In 1966 the club defeated Whitegate in the final on a scoreline of 2-8 to 1-4. A number of the team had been successful with Ennis Dalcassians, which had won Minor titles in '61, '62, '63, '65 and '66 and at Under 21 level in '64, '65 and '66. The club qualified for the final in 1975 only to be defeated by the East Clare amalgamation, Brian Boru's. The next success was to come in 1980 when the club was victorious over Newmarket. In 1982 Éire Óg defeated Sixmilebridge in the final on a score of 3-08 to 2-09. The following year Sixmilebridge reversed the result after a replay. In 1985, having reached the final, Éire Óg were defeated by Kilmaley. In 1990 Éire Óg was victorious in the final, this time defeating O'Callaghan's Mills 1-05 to 1-03. The club reached the final again in 1992 only to go down to Sixmilebridge. In 1971 Éire Óg fielded its first football team and Clare Junior Championships were won in 1975 and 1976. The Clare Intermediate Football Championship was won in 1985 and so Éire Óg moved up to senior. Immediately after promotion in 1986, the club reached the senior football final but were beaten by Cooraclare. The Intermediate Football Championship was won again in 1995 and Éire Óg returned to the senior ranks. In 2000 Éire Óg football came of age when the club won the Senior Football Championship for the first time. Éire Óg took over the organisation of underage Gaelic games in the town from Ennis Dalcassians by forming a minor club in 1974. This club has been very successful, winning titles at every grade in hurling and football in its 26 years, the highlight being the Féile na nGael Division 1 which was captured in 1999 in Wexford. Senior Championship success came again in 1980, ’82 and ‘90 but the years since have been barren, despite final appearances in ‘92 and 2002. In 1971 Éire Óg fielded its first football team and Junior championships were won in 1975 and ‘76. 2000 was the first year that a club has qualified for both senior finals since Ennis Dals won the titles in 1929. The footballers beat Doonbeg while the hurling team lost out to Sixmilebridge. A second Senior football title followed in 2006. In 1975 Éire Óg purchased land from St. Flannan’s College at Clonroadmore, where the club is now based. Since then a lot of money and hard workhas gone into pitch development, building the clubhouse and dressing rooms, and the addition of a floodlit all-weather pitch. In 2003 a second playing pitch was developed under a lease arrangement with St. Flannan’s. 2000 was the first year that a club has qualified for both senior finals since Ennis Dalcassians won both titles in 1929. The footballers beat Doonbeg while the senior hurling team lost out to Sixmilebridge. In 2001 roles were reversed as Doonbeg snatched the senior football title away from Éire Óg. In 2018, the club achieved a historic double winning both the Clare Junior Hurling Championship and Clare Junior Football Championship. Éire Óg Inis Academy was set up in 2012 following the break-up of the Ennis Urban Board. The Academy coaches girls and boys from the ages of U6 to U16 in the skills of both Hurling and Football. Our most successful year to date was 2017 when we won 5 County titles including representing Clare in the All Ireland Hurling Féile. However, the success of the Academy is not measured on County titles alone, as or even more important is that the Children enjoy coming to Éire Óg and enjoy the friendly, fun and safe environment.
Éire Óg Camogie Club was established by Michael Brennan in 1967; his senior team enjoyed immediate success, dethroning 9 in a row champions, Killanena, in 1968. The team went from strength to strength, winning 8 senior titles in a row. There followed a two-year gap before Éire Óg captured four more senior titles in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981. In the more recent past, the club won the Div 2 All Ireland Féile na nGael competition in 2010. Having competed for many years at Junior level, they finally made the breakthrough from junior to intermediate in 2012. Since 2012, the club has enjoyed much success at underage, but, the big prize of senior status continued to prove elusive until 2017, when they claimed the league championship double, defeating Broadford, Clarecastle/Ballyea, respectively. Minor B U21B championships were also won in 2017. Ladies Football arrived in 2002, with an Under 12 and Junior teams. Barry Donnelly was first Chairman, succeeded by Alan Malone, who steered the club until 2014. Others involved were Sharon Malone and Claire Nihill. Shauna Keane and Orla McMahon have been playing members since the beginning, Shauna scoring the very first score for the new club in 2002.
