Clara Teams Celebrate Golden And Diamond Jubilees

Clara GAA Club is to honour the exploits of the Senior  Football Team which won the Offaly Championship for only the  second time in the clubs history  50 years ago in 1964 at a special social night at the clubs grounds, Kilcoursey on Saturday August 2 next.

On the same occasion, they club will honour the team of 1954 on the diamond anniversary of their achievement in winning the Offaly Junior Football Championship.

It was this team which put Clara GAA on the football map with such legendary figures as the late Ber Cowen, Tommy Egan and Peter Nolan prominent among others such as Louis Kinahan, Denis O’Meara and Tommy Dolan.

1954 Junior Team that defeated Doon 1-8 to 1-2
Mick Drumm, John Malone, Johnny Nolan, Billy Maher, Eamon Fleming, Louis Kinahan, Farrell Maloney, Peter Nolan, Frank McLoughlin, Ber Cowen, Peader Kearns, Tommy Dolan, Tommy Egan, Hugh Kinahan, Denis O’Meara, Lal Hall, Jody Fitzsimons, Martin Flattery, Sonny Kelly, Brendan Weir, Billy Kerrigan, Denis King and Albert Cunningham

Indeed, many of that team would go on to win the first senior county final in 1960 against Tullamore after a replay.  This remarkable feat led to Clara’s Willie Nolan becoming the first ever Offaly footballer to lead a team out in an All Ireland final for the record–breaking 1961 game against Down in Croke Park.

The 1964 final, although played in 1965 because of the poor weather at that time,  saw Clara gain their second ever Dowling Cup with such names as the Sheridans Michael and John, Noel O’Brien, Eamonn Fleming, Frank McLoughlin, Ricey Scully, Jimmy  ‘The Star’ Dunne, Lal Hall to the fore with captain Peter Tuohey a charismatic figure in that crusade to victory.

1964 Senior Team that defeated Rhode 1-10 to 1-7
Pascal Slammon, Michael Sheridan, John Sheridan, Danny Kinahan, Lal Hall, Eamon Fleming, Johnny Judge, Jimmy Roche, Frank McLoughlin, Ricey Scully, Noel O’Brien, Jimmy Dunne, Brendan O’Meara, Peter Touhey, Bernard O’Brien, Declan Goggin, Joe McGrath, Paddy Cushen, Seamus Dignam, Joe Keyes, John Dunne and Ger Kinahan.

The legendary Peter Nolan will be the special guest of the club on the night which club chairman Brian Gavin has organised to give members from  this golden generation and their families an opportunity to converse and recall past exploits on the football field.

“We are a very proud club in Clara and are particularly proud of the  performances of our past teams in showing the next generation how to win big games,” said the Chairman.

“The team of 1954 were the trailblazers in many ways while the senior team of the sixties gave Clara a tradition which they have carried on with further victories in the nineties and the noughties.”

“While winning is a special achievement, the strength of Clara GAA down the years is its position at the heart of the community.

“I would hope that the families and friends of all the players from that time will come together on August 2 to make it a very special night for themselves and our club,” he added.

Ticket are available from the club at a nominal price of €5  for the event which begins at 9.0 sharp.