Barryroe GAA

When the new century began there was no Board in West Cork to run internal affairs and the West Cork GAA people were often at loggerheads with the authorities in the Co. Board, whom they looked on as the City Board. President of the Co. Board was Tom Dooley and the secretary was Tom Irwin of Nils and Redmonds who was to serve 20 years in that position. Treasurer was J.Fitzpatrick of Passage.

As there was no hurling played in West Cork in 1901 Barryroe concentrated on football. There was only one grade in the county, senior, but there was two sections, Firsts and Seconds. The West Cork teams played off in a western section with the winners advancing to the County semi final. So in fact, there was a kind of unofficial West Cork championship. Only four teams entered the county championship from the west and there was no sign of the former strong clubs like Clonakilty, Dohenys, Bantry, Kilmacabea or Bandon. In truth, the GAA was at a very low ebb at that particular time in West Cork and within a couple of years a big effort was made to get a Board of its own for the area in order to promote the games.

The draw for the western section of the county championship, Firsts was Barryroe v Skilbbereen and Rosscarbery v Rathbarry. In the Seconds, it was Barryroe v Skilbbereen and Rosscarbery a bye. Even though Clonakilty did not appear in the championship it was they who handled the various games played. The venue was a field belonging to D.T. O'Donovan of Shannovale about a mile east of the town. It later became well known for hockey games and is now the fine headquarters of Clonakilty Rugby Club.

Barryroe met Skibereen at that venue in both the Firsts and Seconds matches in July. The Skibbereen men arrived on bicycles and in sidetraps and the games were played in a "friendly and manly spirit". Barryroe included some Timoleague men on their side and were new to the sport. They were described as "sturdy, strapping and muscular" and had great support on the day. Inexperienced or not, they scored a fine 1-10 to 1-04 victory in the First game, having trailed by 1-03 to 0-03 against the wind in the first half. They then went on to win the Seconds by a clear 0-13 to 0-01 to record a great double.

In the other game Rosscarbery failed to field against their neighbours, Rathbarry. The final of the Firsts section was fixed for 22nd September in Clonakilty between Barryroe and Rathbarry. Both sides were of "fine physique" and splendid types of Irish manhood. Barryroe had been busy training beforehand because they showed "more skill and science" than the Rathbarry men. Rathbarry played with the breeze in the first half and led at the break by 0-02 to 0-01 but they failed to score in the second half as Barryroe took control to run out comprehensive winners by 2-05 to 0-02. "The proceedings were carried out in the most amicable and manly fashion in a truly sportsmanlike manner".

Mr. W.O'Neill of Skibbereen, a member of the Co. Board, refereed the match in a thoroughly efficient, painstaking and sympathetic manner, to the satisfaction of all concerned.

Barryroe: D.P. Barry (capt.), J.Barry (vice-capt.), J.Driscoll, W.Regan, W.Santry, S.McCarthy, J.Carroll, J.Broderick, J.Donovan, P.Stanton, W.Ahern, J.Ahern, A.Deasy, D.Harrington, D.McCarthy.

Rathbarry: J.O'Callaghan (capt.), J.Sullivan (vice-capt), J.Callanan, D.Callanan, D.Callanan, J.Sullivan, C.O'Brien, J.Driscoll, L.O'Driscoll, J.Crowley, D.Sullivan, J.O'Leary, J.Hooper, J.M.Scully, P.Hennessy, M.Collins, J.McCarthy.

As West Cork Champions Barryroe advanced to the county semi-final where they met a very experienced outfit from Fermoy, the reigning champions who were going for four in a row, and lost by 1-12 to 0-02. In the other semi-final the Nils beat Lees by 1-17 to 0-05 and in the final they proved too strong for Fermoy by 0-08 to 0-04.