Madden Raparees GAC
| Ropairí na Madan | ||
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| Founded: | 1931 | |
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| County: | Armagh | |
| Grounds: | Raparee Park (Páirc na Ropairí) | |
| Playing kits | ||
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Madden Raparees Gaelic Athletic Club (Irish: Ropairí na Madan) is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from the townland of Madden, southern County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The club is part of Armagh GAA and plays Gaelic football in the Armagh Intermediate Championship. They play at Raparee Park (Irish: Páirc na Ropairí).
The club takes its name from the raparees (pikemen), a term applied to guerrilla fighters on the Jacobite side during the 1690s Williamite war in Ireland, and subsequently to bandits and highwaymen.
Founded in 1931, but not officially affiliated until 1934, Madden initially adopted green-and-black colours and played at a pitch near Brootally crossroads. The club ceased to operate during the Second World War, but returned in 1946, adopting green jerseys with gold hoops and moving to a new field at Lisglyn.
The club's first county title came in 1953 when the Raparees won the Junior Championship, defeating St Peter's of Lurgan by 4-05 to 1-01. These were the years of the club's greatest player, Jimmy Whan, one of the winners of the inaugural Cú Chulainn Awards, precursors of the All Stars. After a time in the Senior ranks, in 1964 Madden won the inaugural Intermediate Championship final, defeating Blackwatertown 1-08 to 0-08. In the following year, in which its Senior team briefly featured in Division 1 of the All-County League, Madden reached the county Minor final, losing the replay. Madden won Division 2 of the ACL in 1969. The present red and black strip in the 1960s.
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