Following the tragic death of Atty Hearty, the County Intermediate Championship trophy was named in his honour. And it was fitting that, when the Whitecross club collected the cup in 1978, Attie�s son, Gerard, the present vice-chairman of the club, was not only in the squad, but also scored a goal in the victory over Cullaville.

That squad consisted of Barry Malone, John Moley, Aidan McKeown, Paddy Savage, Gerry Hearty, Tom Ferris, John O�Rourke, Sean Leonard, Brendan Ferris (captain), Kieran Boyle, Jimmy Feehan, John McCartan, Con Malone, Martin Smith, Finbar Murphy, Gerry McParland, Jim Finnegan and Carl Feehan.

Incidentally the genial Sean Reavey, former player at all levels, and �Referee of the Year,� has been Market Clerk in the Newry region for the past six years. Previously employed by the Department of Agriculture, he has been active in trades union affairs.

But back to the beginning. St Killian�s GFC was born in 1904, following the marriage between Ballymoyer Emmetts and Tullyherron Sarsfields. And success came swiftly for, in their first season, the Whitecross club won the County Championship.

After defeating Mullabawn, they were drawn against Keady Dwyers in the semi-final. However, their opponents failed to show, so they played a �friendly� against Camlough Shane O�Neill�s. The long-delayed Final against Armagh Harps was fixed for the city grounds in January, 1906. And the supreme trophy came to Whitecross, amidst great jubilation.

The club was re-formed in 1912, and they again won the County Championship. But the onset of the First World War, the 1916 Rising, the War of Independence, the great `Flu epidemic of 1918 and political turmoil, North and South, meant that normal sport could not resume until 1926.

Seven-a-side football was introduced by the St Kilian�s club, and proved very popular at sports events and Feiseanna all over the country. Meanwhile, Charles Watterson and Louis Murphy were in the Armagh county squad, which won the all-Ireland Junior Championship.

The 30�s were highlighted by a magnificent achievement, when the Whitecross side annexed the Junior Championship in 1935, beating Silverbridge and Newtownhamilton, en route to the Final against Clady, closing a gap of 30 years. And five years later, they collected the County Junior Championship title, with a convincing victory over Lurgan Clanns, who included Railway Cup star, Alf Murray.

However, the only bright spot over the next decade was the exploits of Hugh O�Hanlon and Peter McGleenan at county level, in winning Ulster Senior Championship medals in 1950. Also John Lennon and Mick McCone played for the county in the Ulster Junior Championship, while Declan Toner represented the county in the 90�s. The 60�s were also a barren decade, until that superb victory in 1969, when St Killian�s once more brought the silverware back to Whitecross, after a lapse of 29 years!

Meanwhile, Brian Reavey (RIP) and Jim Finnegan were on the Armagh Vocational Schools team that reached the Ulster Final. But while Finnegan would go on to star for Armagh at Croke Park, young Reavey and two of his brothers would die in a hail of bullets from loyalist paramilitaries.

Following the dark days of 1976, there came a blaze of glory for St Killian�s and Armagh the next year. Jim Finnegan played a pivotal role, when the Anglo-Celt Cup returned to the Orchard county for the first time in 24 years, then reaching the All-Ireland Final. And the Whitecross club won the Michael McVerry Memorial Cup.

But most emotional was the victory in the County Intermediate Championship for the Atty Hearty Cup in 1978, defeating Cullaville in the Final. A few weeks later came the official opening of St Killian�s GAA Park.

One can only marvel at the patience and dedication of those players, officials and supporters, who have laboured for the past 100 years, often in barren and unrewarding times. But nowhere is there a community so united and proud of their tradition and heritage!

< Previous Page