Feis Cup
Feis Cup was a senior football tournament organised by the Longford Feis Committee as a means of fundraising. It was common in other counties too. Competition began in 1958 with participating teams selected by the Feis Committee. Longford Slashers defeating Colmcille in the first decider. Slashers made it back to back Feis Cup titles with victory over Killoe Young Emmets in the 1959 final. The 1960 Feis Cup began in May 1960 with two of the first rounds games played, however the other two games were not played until November 1960, with one game ending in a draw. The replay did not happen until the Summer of 1961 with the semi-finals and final of the 1960 Feis Cup dragging into the Autumn of 1961. The final was eventually played in November 1961 with Éire Óg (Drumlish) beating Killoe Young Emmets to win the title. As a result of the 1960 competition ending in late 1961, there was no 1961 Feis Competition played at all. Éire Óg (Drumlish) won the Feis Cup for a second time by beating Cashel in the 1962 competition final, which was completed in June 1963. It was previously assumed that Éire Óg Drumlish won the Feis Cup three times in a row, however there was no 1961 Feis Cup competition played, hence it is more accurate to state that Éire Óg Drumlish won the Feis Cup twice… in 1960 (finished in 1961) and 1962 (finished in 1963), thus holding the title across three years. The Cup itself remained with the Éire Óg captainfor many years thereafter, and remains in the parish of Drumlish to this day. The status of the cup is mentioned briefly on 🔊 GAA Oral History project (from 27:15).
At the county convention in January 1963, Longford Slashers tabled a motion for the St. Vincent de Paul Tournament (which involved Junior teams and had lapsed in previous years) to be given priority over the Feis Cup, citing that the Feis committee had got considerable revenue from the Feis Cup competition and that something worthwhile should be raised for St. Vincent de Paul Society who were deserving of every support. Fr. McGee supported the motion saying that he was all in favour of giving the St. Vincent de Paul Tournament priority, and asserting that some members of the Feis committee were “… not good supporters of the GAA”. And so it was that the Feis Cup ended in 1963 with that delayed 1962 final win by Éire Óg (Drumlish) over Cashel.
Feis Cup winners were as follows:
- 1958: Longford Slashers (beat Colmcille) [📷 Reference]
- 1959: Longford Slashers (beat Killoe Young Emmets) [📷 Preview]
- 1960: Éire Óg (Drumlish) (beat Killoe Young Emmets in Nov 1961) [📷 Preview][📷 Report]
- 1961: No 1961 Competition
- 1962: Éire Óg (Drumlish) (beat Cashel in June 1963) [📷 Preview][📷 Report]
Fr. Lynch Cup
Fr. Lynch Cup ran intermittently from 1927 to 1934 and began as a match between the Junior Championship and Senior Championship winners. The cup was named after Fr. Andrew Lynch, a Colmcille native closely associated with the GAA in both Longford and Leitrim having served as Chairman of the Longford County Board from 1927 to 1930 and later as Chairman of the Leitrim County Board. Fr. Lynch played for Longford in his youth and had ministered as a Curate in Carrickedmond, Cashel, Kilrubrid and Ballinahown. He died suddenly in August 1948 shortly after being transferred to Ballinahown, and while refereeing a game at Doon in Co. Offally between local teams Castledaly and Doon. In the inaugural year of the competition in 1927, Drumlish (SFC winners) and Ardagh St. Patricks (JFC winners) played for the Fr. Lynch Cup, with Drumlish taking the honours. The competition was not played in 1928. The structure of the Fr. Lynch Cup broadened into a larger competition in 1929 with a Senior section which played out to a section winner who then met the Junior section winner in the final – Longford Wanderers won that particular title, beating Colmcille in the final which was played in 1930. A report in the Anglo Celt in January 1930 indicated that Wanderers had failed to turn up for the game and Colmcille were therefore awarded the cup. There followed some acrimonious letters to the Longford Leader newspaper from both clubs, and an objection was raised by Wanderers, which was upheld by the County Board in March 1930 with the final reschedule for April 1930. Longford Wanderers won by 5-5 to 1-2 to capture the delayed 1929 title. There is no record of any 1930 competition played. From 1931 the format reverted back to a simple one-off game, this time between the Junior League and Senior League (not Championship) winners, with St. Marys Granard meeting Ardagh St. Patricks in the decider in October 1931. We are unable to determine the winner for 1931 while no evidence was found of any competition for 1932. Drumlish won the cup for a second time in 1933, beating Killoe in June 1933 on the first day of games at the New Gaelic Grounds at Kelliher Barracks (later Pearse Park). In 1934 Drumlish won the cup for the 3rd time, beating Killashee in a replay and getting to keep the trophy as three time winners.
Fr. Lynch Cup Winners:
- 1927: Drumlish (beat Ardagh St. Patricks)
- 1928: No Competition
- 1929: Longford Wanderers (beat Columcille)
- 1930: No Competition
- 1931: Granard or Ardagh (Not yet confirmed)
- 1932: No Competition
- 1933: Drumlish (beat Killoe Young Emmets)
- 1934: Drumlish (beat Killashee)
Foresters Cup
Foresters Cup was a senior football competition played just once, and on a knock-out basis. The cup was presented by the Longford branch of the Irish National Foresters. The cup was put up for only one year and matches were played on a knockout basis. The Foresters were supposed to put up another cup the following year but it never materialised. Competition started on St. Patrick’s day 1912 when Colmcille played Killoe Young Emmets. The final of the Forester Cup between Colmcille and Clonguish Gallowglasses was eventually played the following year in Longford Park on St. Patrick’s day 1913. Colmcille were declared winners by the narrowest of margins on a score line of 1-1 to 0-3. In those days there were 17 players per team. The cup was presented to John O’Reilly, captain of the Colmcille team (father of Bishop Colm O’Reilly) and remained with him thereafter. The cup spent some years in the possession of Bishop Colm O’Reilly, who then presented it to the Colmcille club in 2008. It is proudly displayed in their clubhouse today.
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