About Us

Naomh Mearnóg GAA club is located in Portmarnock, north county Dublin.  We are a community-based club, with most of our members coming from the parish of Portmarnock.  Founded in 1975, we offer Gaelic Football, Hurling, Ladies Football, Camogie and Rounders to those of all ages and abilities.  Our clubhouse, with bar and function room, opened in 2000. 

We recently launched a major development programme, with all-weather pitch facilities, a hurling wall and floodlit pitches. 

The Club's full-time Games Promotion Officer is Paddy Gorey, who in addition to organising the Naomh Mearnóg Academy for our younger members, is also involved in coaching in our local schools, with whom we have always had strong links.  The Club also offers Special Needs Football to members of our community with special needs.  This, along with Social Football and Hurling, is part of our policy of offering games for all, both competitive and non-competitive. 

On the social side, we hold live music nights, cards, a dinner dance and summer barbecue.  Our function room (refurbished in 2007) is available for parties and social events of all kinds.

  Club History

In the late 1920’s and early 1930’s there were two grades of Adult inter-club football: Senior and Junior. It was the same at Inter-County level. The interest in Inter-County Football was nothing like it is nowadays, most of the focus was on the inter-club scene.

In the late 1920’s there was a temporary break-up of the Innisfails Junior Football team in Balgriffin, and as a result it was decided to form a team in Portmarnock. At that time Portmarnock would have been what we now call Old Portmarnock. The population was sparse and if a team lost a few players it found it very difficult to survive.

Success came to the newly formed team quite quickly. (The team wore a black jersey with an amber sash.) In their first year of competition they were runners-up in Division 3 of the Fingal League. In the following years they won the Fingal League Division 1 on two occasions: the Fingal Championship once. During those years 7-a-side tournaments were very popular and drew huge crowds to the venues. St. Marnock’s were beaten by St. Margaret’s in the final of the Swords tournament played on August Monday 1930, after extra time. They won the Fintan Lalor tournament, beating Erins Isle in the final. This final was played at ‘The Thatch’, where the present Whitehall Catholic Church stands. Quite often St. Marnocks travelled to their ‘away’ games by train. The Club secretary would fill in a form by the Thursday before the game and the team consequently travelled at a reduced rate.

Their home games were played at different venues during those years:

a) A field behind Freaney’s house in Old Portmarnock.

b) The site of the old St. Anne’s Church

c) The site of the present St. Anne’s Church. (By sheer coincidence the newly formed Naomh Mearnóg played many of their early games on the same site.)

Other teams that St. Marnocks would have played against during those years were:

Pioneers (Balbriggan):Ballyboughal: St. Maurs: Parnells: Wild Geese: Peadar Mackens: St. Laurences (Howth) Erins Isle: Fingallians and many others.

On the 15th June 1935 there was an account of a game in the Drogheda Independent between St. Maurs and St. Marnocks. It is interesting for mentioning two players in particular that would ring a bell with some present-day players or supporters. The account read: “Marnocks went into the lead when Connor found the net and McLernon had a point”.

The McLernon referred to was of course Tommy McLernon, who lived at the junction of Strand Road and Station Road, and who died on his 85th birthday on 29th September 1994. The Connor referred to was Jim Connor, a native of Ballyboughal who came to work with his relations in Kinsealy at sixteen years of age. Many years later he returned to Ballyboughal where he owned a public house. Jim died, aged 80 years on the 17th February 1996. Go ndéana Dia trócaire orthu beirt.

There’s no doubt about it that the high point of those years was beating Fingallians in the final of the Dublin Junior Football Championship in Parnell Park. That meant that the club went to senior ranks but played very few senior games. Tommy McLernon told me that they lost three key players: one called Gilsenan, Michael Reilly and

Tom Tighe, all from Malahide. Naturally the players and supporters were very disappointed that the team did not remain senior for very long after that.

The team that lined out in the Junior Final was:

J. McManus, F. Morris J. Brady N. Morton,  J. Rafferty, J. Connor, F. Donnelly,

T. McLernon, M. Reilly, D. Fitzgerald, P. French, T. Tighe, E. Kealy, M. Gilsenan and J. Fogarty

In the Drogheda Independent of 8th August 1936 it was reported that an excellent programme was arranged for Portmarnock on the previous Sunday, when a large crowd assembled to see the potential Junior Football Finalists in action, St. Marnocks and Fingallians. But the pitch had not been prepared “no goal posts, no field markings and the grass about three feet long”. The account goes on to say that the game could not take place:

“Because of the absence of the above-mentioned necessities”.

As late as 1935 it was reported that St. Marnocks could not field a team against Innisfails (they were back in action again), at Brian Boru Park, and it was further reported that St. Marnocks were in danger of breaking up. As things worked out they did not break up and Innisfails went on to reach the final of the Dublin Junior Football Championship only to be beaten by St. Pauls by 1-3 to 0-3

The following September St. Marnocks beat the reigning

Dublin Junior Football Champions, St. Pauls in the

Semi-final of the Loving Cup by 1-4 to 0-2.

It was reported in the Drogheda Independent of 20th July 1935:

“Do you know that Innisfails: Pioneers: St. Marnocks and St. Vincent’s are still in the running for the Junior Football Championship”. In an edition of the same paper on 10th August 1935 it was reported that Innisfails were objecting to St. Marnocks being awarded the points because: “the list of players supplied by St. Marnocks contained only 14 names”. St. Marnocks had won the game by 1-1 to 0-1. The game was refixed for Parnell Park for the following Sunday.

Naomh Mearnog Re-launch

At the relaunch of the Club, which took place in the North Coast Hotel (now Sands) under the genial host, Leo Nealon, some members of the Dublin panel including Jimmy Keaveney, David Hickey and Robbie Kelleher were present. Examination of the facts surrounding the setting up of a G.A.A. Club in Portmarnock in 1975 will show that the club was not officially registered with Dublin County Board during that first year. That year, under the Chairmanship of Paddy Doherty was spent putting the club on a proper footing in terms of organising football and hurling at adult level and putting a juvenile structure in place with the co-operation of St. Marnock’s National School. It should be borne in mind that in 1975 there was no school at St. Helens nor was there a Community School in existence.

The meetings during that first year to set up the club on a proper footing were held at various locations aside from the North Coast Hotel. These locations were in the main the homes of the five musketeers. Indeed I have been reliably informed by the wife of one of those involved that she still has the cigarette marks on her furniture to verify the intensity of these meetings.

Having made the initial breakthrough, it was deemed appropriate to have the club affiliated to the County Board. The next stage of the building of the house was commenced with the building of the walls and that commenced at the first meeting of the club proper which was held on the 29th January 1976 at the North Coast Hotel. Paddy Doherty chaired that meeting with Jackie Hughes acting as Secretary and his brother-in-law Eanna Mac Caba acting as Treasurer. Records show that, that meeting was attended by Frank McNulty, Patsy Haran (later to become Lord Mayor of Portmarnock), Danny McCormick, Vincent Hughes Micheal O’Braonain, Jim Carroll, Eugene Keaveney, The Hanley brothers, Tom, Pat and Jack, Pat Keaveney (Principal of St. Marnock’s School), Christy Dwyer, Tony Jordan, Pat Dillon and Robert Kenny as well as the five original founding members.

The meeting was also attended by Liam Price of Naomh Maur who was later to become chairman of the Fingal Football Board. Eanna Mac Caba as acting Treasurer reported to the meeting that while a very successful event to I successful Dublin team of 1974 was held, this  was run at a loss to the club. However he did report that the club’s finances were in a healthy state showing a credit balance of £27 made up of subscriptions from Jackie Hughes, Brother O’Fearghail, Colaiste Mhuire, Ray Burke T.D. and Shay Corrigan.

In the course of his report, the Secretary in waiting reported that the visit of the Dublin team to the parish in 1974 proved very valuable in organising Gaelic games through

St. Marnock’s National School. A number of local clubs also provided help and assistance to the new fledgling which was coming alive in Portmarnock and principal amongst these was Inisfails and Na Fianna.

The meeting decided that a football and hurling team be registered with the County Board under the name St Marnock’s.

Also at this meeting Patsy Haran commenced his long and distinguished career in football management when he was chosen to manage the club’s adult football team. Eugene Keaveney was selected team Captain and Pat Dillon was chosen as Vice-Captain. Robert Kenny was selected as trainer of this team. Selectors on the junior football side were to be Danny McCormick, Jackie Hughes and Vincent Hughes.

A juvenile committee was also set up to organise under age games in the Club under the auspices of the following: Frank McNulty, Patsy Haran, Micheál O’Braonáin, Pat Keaveney and Christy Dwyer.

On the playing side two teams were registered at under 11 and under 13 in the Dublin Football League. This historic event took place on the 25th February 1976. Approximately one month later (29th March in fact) an adult hurling team was formed with John Joe Lane selected as team manager with Danny McCormick and Vincent Hughes as selectors. Dermot Kennedy was selected as Captain with Jim Carroll (he of Camogie fame) as Vice-Captain.

In May 1976 Fr. Philips was appointed Club President, a position he held until his departure some years later to Ballymun.

Just to show that things have remained unchanged this first meeting set up a Finance Committee with the following  members; Tom Farrelly, Pat Keaveney, Brendan Shannon, Martin McDonagh and Frank McNulty.      

WHERE DID WE PLAY?

In 1976 there was no Carrickhill Pitches or Woodlands Pitches as we know them today. Our games during these early formative years of the Club were held on the grounds that now houses St. Helen’s Senior and Junior Schools. Later games were also played at the site of the present St. Anne’s Church. Notwithstanding all of this and to show the remarkable endeavour and foresight of that first executive, efforts were being made even at the very initial stages of the Club to procure its own lands. In this regard the then owner of the present Malahide Golf Club Lands, Mr. McEnery, was contacted and while agreement in principle to purchase some lands from Mr. McEnery was reached, unfortunately, the deal was not proceeded with.

The Club’s first official Annual General Meeting was held at the North Coast Hotel (Sands) on the 19th November 1976 and it is noted from the records that an official directive was issued by the Club Chairman that no alcohol was to be consumed during the meeting.

Chairman: Danny McCormick

Vice-Chairman: Vincent Hughes

Secretary: Jackie Hughes

Treasurer: Eugene Keaveney

Ass. Treasurer: Noel McKenna

Ass. Secretary: Tony Jordan

Registrar : Patsy Haran

1977 was a year of consolidation in the Club with many local competitions organised within the parish in an effort to have teams properly prepared and coached for the Dublin Leagues. In this regard no praise is great enough for the efforts of the juvenile committee in respect of their work during this period.

1978 was a year of intense activity on the playing fields. During this period also the first juvenile hurling teams to represent the club were at Under 10 and under 15. The junior footballers were to win the famous Malahide Tournament in 1978 and in the same year they transferred from the Dublin League to the Fingal League.

In 1978 Shane Redmond presented the club with 4 cups for under 10,11, 12 and 14 (football) to be played for in a tournament. These trophies were to form a very important part of the Club’s development as was a cup donated by one of the Great Dubs stars Jimmy Keaveney. These trophies continue to this day to be played for in our mini leagues with literally hundreds of boys and girls.

Sunday July 4, 1978 was a day of historic importance in the club. On this date the Club won it’s first hurling trophy. The Miller Shield was won in an enthralling contest at O’Toole Park when we were victorious over An Caislean. On a scoreline of 4-8 to 0-12.

The panel was Mick O’Connor, Bill Staunton, Tom Scott, Frank Fahy, Pat Monaghan (still playing), Gerry  Gleeson, Joe Reale, Denis Sheehan, Pat  Coughlan, Tony Larkin, Michael Lenihan, Tony Lane, Tony McCarthy, Mick Walsh, Jim Reilly, Dermot Kennedy, Seamus Dunne, Sean Whelan, Mick Riordan, Jim Carroll and Val Keating.

Following a close second to that historic victory was the decision of Dublin County Council to make 2 pitches available to the Club at Carrickhill. The significance of this decision cannot be overemphasised as, up until then, the Club was totally reliant on the generosity and goodwill of the Church authorities who made the present school site at Martello available to us.