10/10/2026
Sport in the Ashbourne Area – Early Years
By Frank Reidy and Terry Bruton
Edited Barry Kennerk AhS
Excerpt Ashbourne ; Landscape , Lives & Lore
Just four years after the GAA was founded in 1884, it had already made huge strides and clubs sprang up all over County Meath. Between 1887 and 1888, there was a sharp increase in the number of areas that fielded teams whereas in nearby North County Dublin, Gaelic football was already on a solid footing; the game having been played in Fingal for many years. In his book, Rebellion in Fingal 1798, Paddy Bates refers to a man named Robert Boyle from Ballagh, near the Naul, who allegedly worked in secret for the Castle authorities during the rebellion and according to his account, football games took place regularly around Ashbourne:
"December 12th 1797: Boyle went as directed to Baldwinstown Hill (close to Garristown) where he found many of the people of the neighbourhood playing at football and amusing themselves, as is always the custom at holiday time. On Tuesday four or five hundred people met at Milltown (near Ashbourne) to play at football."
An old diary, published in Ríocht na Midhe in 1965, recounts the tragic death of Matthew Nugent, who died playing football in nearby Ratoath during the Autumn of 1888 and on 22 December of that year, an article in the Argus informed readers that a new branch of the GAA, with a membership in excess of sixty, had just been formed in Ashbourne:
"The enthusiasm for the club, which is to be named ‘The Faugh-a-Bealach’ branch, augurs well for the future of the game in the locality. A complete set of football jerseys, navy blue and white, with matching caps has been ordered."
In the same article, a stern warning was also issued to clubs regarding unsatisfactory behaviour at matches. The article, entitled ‘Look Here!’ was aimed at club officials and it issued a stark warning against unseemly conduct by members before, during, or after games. It concludes with an interesting piece of advice:
The Gael who goes stalking around a football ring in the full war paint of his club with a “who’ll tread on my coat tails” sort of an air about him, and kicks up a shindy, if he has no respect for himself, should remember that the colours…he is sporting his figure in, are borne by Gaels on whom he brings disgrace by his reprehensible exhibition.³
The notice probably had a political, as well as a cultural subtext. There was certainly an element of tribal rivalry at matches but the first Gaelic games also took place against a backdrop of political and social upheaval in Ireland. In 1888, there was a renewed Land War and a Plan of Campaign in which Irish parliamentarians, including John Dillon and William O’Brien, urged tenant farmers to refuse to pay rent if they were overburdened by a poor harvest. The names of football teams often betrayed their political affiliation and matches played host to competing opinions as home rulers, Fenians and nationalists of all kinds jostled for possession of the ball.
Notably, the Argus article was printed in December 1888 and despite it being mid-winter, no mention of the weather was made. It simply announced that the first match would be played shortly; no close season there. The Ashbourne committee consisted of men whose names were already well known in the area included local publican, Patrick Woods and his son, Matthew who acted as secretary, the team captain, William Mancier, who was a herdsman from the Robertstown area and the members, some of whose descendants still live in the village: John Rogers Snr, John Hand, Michael Manning, Laurence Rafferty, Thomas Farrell and James Finglas.
A report in Sport informed readers that the Ashbourne men took to the field against Ratoath Shillelaghs on 30 December:
“In a challenge in which the Faughs were defeated. But as they were only recently organised, this being their maiden effort, their performance was really creditable and gives promise that they are likely to become in the future a fairly good club.”
The following Sunday, the Ashbourne Faugh-a-Bealachs made their way to Dunboyne to take on local team, the Dunboyne Volunteers. The result, reported in Sport, made for depressing news however since the hosts powered their way to a convincing victory. Not to be outdone in the fashion stakes however, Ashbourne were given some credit for the quality gear they wore:
“Dunboyne Volunteers had Ashbourne as visitors and had little difficulty in placing victory to their credit by a big score of 2-15 to 0-0. The Faughs are a young team and as yet inexperienced, but they have plenty of material for forming a strong 21. Their picturesque dress of navy blue and white appeared very conspicuous amongst the black and white of the Volunteers.”
Observant readers will notice that the account refers to twenty-one players; a standard team complement during the early years of the GAA. On 1 June, the Ashbourne Faugh-a-Bealachs hosted the William O’Briens of Ballymadun and recorded a decisive victory. It is noteworthy that the newspaper saw fit to comment on that fact that the game was trouble free:
“Ashbourne Faughs defeated the Ballymadun William O’Briens last Sunday in the Ashbourne grounds on a score of 1-5 to 0-0. The match which was an interesting and lively one was remarkable for the complete absence of a rough element. Mr J. Gillic, Ratoath Shillelaghs, refereed and he gave the utmost satisfaction.”
The Ashbourne men took to the field again on 7 July against their neighbours, St Patrick’s of Rolestown. The game ended in a draw, one point a piece but no further activity is recorded after July 1889. That year, the 9 April edition of Sport reported that a total of 41 teams had entered the Meath Championship but Ashbourne did not participate. A mere six months after its formation, Ashbourne Faughs disappeared and a new GAA team was not formally established again for more than a quarter century.
In 1916, another short-lived club called Ashbourne GFC was formed; perhaps owing its origin to the nationalist fervour that followed the rebellion of 1916. Local school teacher, Pat Geraghty, a native of Duleek, was in charge of team affairs and the following year, the club organised an ambitious football and hurling tournament. Teams arrived from as far away as Kells and the south side of Dublin and they were encouraged to travel by car or bicycle.
By 1923, the young footballers of the area were meeting to play in Conroy’s field in the Wotton, south of Ashbourne and at that point, another new club was formed called Donaghmore. The Ashbourne colours of green and white were retained but the newly-formed unit of the GAA was firmly based in the Donaghmore area. Meetings were held in Smith’s house at the nine milestone and the Smith boys were pivotal figures during the early years of the club.
In 1924, Donaghmore, which was one of the first teams to have its own clubhouse, entered the Junior Championship and the opening game against Walterstown took place in Ardcath on the 15 June. The result was a hard-earned three-point victory; 1-5 to 1-2 and the club made history by winning the cup at the first attempt.
Over the following decades, matches were played in many different locations around Ashbourne and Donaghmore: in a field at Newtown Cross, later at the Mill Field off White Tree Road and on land where the Crestwood Estate is now. By the 1960s, the matches were being played on Kelly’s Field (now Alderbrook) and at various times, Dreaper’s fields were also used since many of the workers there played football. In 1968, the club moved to the Wotton where the clubhouse boasted a hall, gym, showers and a bar and the members can still recall many good nights attending concerts, plays, dances and discos. This venue served the club well during its time and in more recent years, growing numbers of teams were accommodated on the Milltown pitch and the pitch behind St Declan’s school.
📷Photo Donaghmore Junior Champions 1924 – Back Row (l-r): Hugh Synnott (Sec), W. McDonnell, P. Peakin, L. Kearns, James Kearns, Matt Kearns, J. Stafford, Joe Smith, Kit Geraghty, Pat Smith. Middle Row (l-r): Ml Clarke, Pat Kearns (Scamp), James Smith, Pat (Weasel) Brown, Jack Sweeney, Terry Smith, Tom Battersby, Joe Kearns. Front: Kitt Kearns, Matt Langan. (Photo courtesy Donaghmore-Ashbourne G.A.A)
Donaghmore Ashbourne GAA
