Passage West GAA

Passage West GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the town of Passage West, County Cork, Republic of Ireland. The club fields teams in both Gaelic football and hurling. It is a member of the Seandún division of Cork GAA. The club is geographically located in the Carrigdhoun GAA division and was originally a member of it prior to transferring to Seandún following a dispute. The club is currently playing Junior Football and Junior Hurling. The club's ground is located in the Maulbaun area of the town. It also has Ladies Football teams from under 10,11,12,14,16, Minor, under 21, and Junior. It has won Cork County Ladies Football titles in under 12, under 16, as well as the Mid Cork Junior League.

Passage West GAA Club was founded in 1885. Three men, Dan Huggins, Mattie Fitzpatrick and Dave O'Neill decided to approach a local farmer known to have a great deal of interest in hurling. The farmer in question was Ned Cadogan of Park Farm. The three men asked Mr Cadogan for the use of land as a playing pitch for hurling.

The following week the three men met again with other enthusiastic gaels and set about setting up a committee with responsibility for affiliating the new club to the Cork County Board of the GAA and, subsequently, for the running the affairs of the club.

The historic first officers of the Passage West club were, Chairman Ned Cadogan, Vice Chairman Thade Lane, Hon Secretary Jack McCarthy, Hon Treasurer Con Spillane. The three founder members, Dan Huggins, Mattie Fitzpatrick and Dave O'Neill acted as committee members.

The first decision made was that the club colours would be green and white. The first set of jerseys worn by the club was a white jersey with a large green star on the front. The first pitch used was on the land of the chairman Ned Cadogan, adjoining Rathanker, near Monkstown. The pitch was the home to the club for the next thirty years and was also the venue for a historic match in 1896. A game between Redmonds and Blackrock that attracted up to 15 thousand people, the largest crowd ever known to assemble for any event in Passage. People came from Cloyne, Midleton and all parts of the county to witness the contest. Such were the crowd in Passage that the local constabulary authorities in apprehension of a breach of the peace, made an order that all pubs and hotels in the town could not open for liquor between 10 am and 10 pm. Over 100 R.I.C. men were drafted into the town to keep the peace. Redmonds won the contest by 1-3 to 4 points for Blackrock.

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