History

The Establishment of Kickhams GAC Creggan.
 
About Us
 
The club was formed in 1924 under the name St. Olcan's, Creggan. Amongst the founders were Jimmy Kelly, the blacksmith, Jimmy Tate, Jimmy and Pat Dowd, Jimmy Liddy, Hugh Marrion and Paddy McNamee, the local schoolmaster. Paddy was a native of South Armagh and gave an enormous source of pride to pupils and club by being elected Chairman of the Ulster Council in 1935 and President of the G.A.A. in 1938.

St. Olcan's, Creggan was originally considered a hurling team and donned its now familiar name of Kickham's, Creggan in 1926. Early successes include winning the Belfast Junior Hurling League in 1927 and the South West Antrim Senior Hurling League in 1936. An amalgamated team (Kickham's Creggan, Erin's Own Cargin and Tír-Na-nÓg Randalstown) won the Antrim Junior Hurling Championship in 1938 followed by the Senior Hurling Championship in 1939.

 
Kickhams 1941


It is 1941 and here are the unstoppable Kickham's GAC team from Creggan, Randalstown. That year they won the McCotter Cup, the McCormick Cup and the South West League Championship of 1940 - 1941. At the back are B. McKeown, P. McKeown, W. Montague, D. McCann, J. Douglas, S. Byrne, P. Maguire and E. McKeown. Seated are J. McKeown, J. McAteer, T. McCudden, J. Marrion, B. McKeown, J. McKeown and H. McCudden. On the ground we have G. McAteer and J. Hurl. One mother had a lot of washing to do and that was Mrs. McKeown!!

The club won the Antrim Junior Football Championship in 1942 and the following year the same team won the Antrim Senior Football Championship. The club were again Senior Football champions in 1954. The '60s carried on this success with Antrim Football League Division I honours in 1960 and '61.

Moving into the '70s, the club had to be content with winning Antrim Football League Division II in 1972, winning the South West Antrim Junior Football League in '73 and '75 and runners up in the 1977 Senior Football Championship. The winning of the All-County Football League Division III in 1979 was quickly followed with a Division II win in 1981.

In the early '70s the club finally built clubrooms which were extended in the late 70's to include a spacious sports hall. Our facilities provide for team training, music and cultural activities.

In 1994 the club again won All-County Football League Division II followed by Intermediate Football Champions in 1997. Due to changes in league structures the Division II title only afforded us promotion to Division 1b.

In the early '90s a major effort was made to consolidate hurling in the club. This resulted in Kickham's being placed very high in the league in our second year of competition in All County Hurling League Division III. In 1998 the Kickham's club was instrumental in forming a new hurling club in the area called Creggan Gaels.

In 1999 the club again won the County Intermediate Football Championship and in 2001 were defeated in the semi-final of the Senior Football Championship.

2002 saw us go through the All-County Football League Division II group stages undefeated only to fall at the first round of the play-offs. This situation was addressed in 2003 when a measured campaign in the league allowed us to secure promotion into Division 1 for the first time since 1982. A sustained league campaign was followed by a flawless series of playoffs to award the club with something it has anticipated for some time.

2004 saw the club clinch a double title in U12 and U14 football leagues in the South West. The U14s went on to win the County title with the U12s pipped at the post. The U14 hurlers won the inaugural final of South West Feile this year.

2005 found the U14 hurlers still the strongest in the South West Antrim division resulting in them retaining the previous year's crown. That year also, they went one step further by winning the U14 North Antrim Division II league title with a superb show against a fancied Glenariffe side. The U12 team were also winners of the U12 Division II league, overcoming Glenarm in the final.

In 2005 also the club was proud to have its Scór-Na-nÓg team win the All-Ireland final in the instrumental music category. The club also achieved a 'Highly Commended' recognition in the 2005 Irish News Ulster GAA Club Awards for the Development of Underage Player (click here for picture)

In 2006 the club went one step further with the Irish News to be recognised as Ulster GAA Club 'Rural Club of the Year'.
 
For the 3rd year in succession our U14 hurlers proved to be the kingpins of the South West by maintaining ownership of the Feile trophy in 2006. Also in 2006, Willie Mageean was Póc Fada winner and represented Antrim in the All-Ireland finals.

As a small rural club, we pride ourselves in providing facilities and support for the following activities for all age groups

  • Football
  • Hurling
  • Camogie
  • Ladies football
  • Music
  • Irish dancing
  • Cultural activities

Throughout the club's history many of our members have represented the club and county at all levels in all Gaelic cultural and sporting activities and continue to do so with pride.

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