Portlaoise GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) affiliated hurling, Gaelic football and camogie club based in Portlaoise, the county town of Laois in Ireland.
History
Founding
Portlaoise was founded in the very early years of the Association and its members have had a huge influence on the progress of GAA in the county from its beginning. For its achievements on and off the field and in the promotion of the games and the GAA the club has been acknowledged as a leader in the field.
Inaugural meeting
The inaugural meeting of Portlaoise GAA club took place in the Town Hall on Monday 28 November 1887. It was a public meeting called by placard and there was a big attendance. Amongst those present were Dr. Higgins, coroner for the Queen's County (Laois), who presided, N. Walsh, C.T.C., P.A. Meehan, T.C., C. McDermott, T.C., P. Kelly, T.C., T. Lawlor T.C., C.E. Corcoran, solicitor, Mark Walsh, J. Moore, P.J. Hegarty, R.P. Fennell, P.Fitzpatrick, M. Brophy and J.T. Delaney.
Dr Higgins said that the object was to form a branch of the GAA in the town of Maryboro (Portlaoise), an object worthy of the town's entire support. "It is a very desirable movement", he added. "Nearly every town in Ireland of the size and importance of Maryborough had formed a branch of the Association and it was certainly time for Maryborough to follow suit. They had quite as many athletes in their district as any other town in Ireland and I am sure that when they are afforded an opportunity of displaying their ability they would do so in a manner worthy of the Queen's County."
Mr Fennell explained the aims of the GAA and said that it was a non-political and non-sectarian organisation. Mr Meehan proposed the first resolution "that a branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association be hereby established in the town and that it be called the William O'Brien Branch". Mr Kelly seconded the motion. Dr Higgins was proposed as president and Mr Corcoran as vice-president. Mr Corcoran said that "they all knew that Mr O'Brien was a friend of the oppressed tenantry in Ireland and had, or ought to have the sympathy of every Irishman." (William O'Brien was incarcerated in Tullamore Jail at the time).
There was a strong condemnation of the "noisy clique" who tried to split the Association in Thurles a short time earlier. Mr Kelly proposed that R.P. Fennell be secretary and that J. Moore be treasurer and Mr J. Higgins, clothier, seconded.
After being thanked from the floor for presiding at the meeting, Dr Higgins replied that it was always his wish, indeed his duty, to forward the interests of the National cause in the district of Maryborough since he had come into it and that the town had always been more prominently identified with the movement than any other part of Ireland. Dr Higgins' words were received with enthusiastic applause.
Clerical influence
Early Portlaoise GAA history is dominated by two clerics. Local curate, Fr J. J. Kearney, was an inspirational figure in the early decades of the 20th century. He popularised hurling and football amongst the town youth and acquired a field for the club as early as 1907. Fr Kearney went on to become a legendary county chairman and seeing the countys greater needs for a sports field, he oversaw the purchase of those same grounds by the county in 1919. This field, later named O'Moore Park, was developed into a major provincial stadium in the decades that followed. On the playing fields Fr Kearney too left his mark because he was the chief organisation figure behind the county's historic and only All-Ireland senior hurling success in 1915. Then in the 1920s came along fine young hurler by the name of Matt Walsh who helped the club win its first senior hurling title in 1928. He became Fr Matt Walsh and retained a great love for the games and the club and county even though he spent most of his life on the mission fields of Nigeria. On a trip home in 1960 he trained the senior hurling team that was pipped by a point by Borris-in-Ossory in the county final. Fr Matt remained as President of the club and an inspiration for players and officials alike until his death in the 1990s.
The role of the Christian Brothers in the promotion of Gaelic Games in the town too has to be acknowledged. The names of Bro. Ennis, Bro. O'Mahoney, Bro. Nolan, Bro. Somers, and Bro. Beausang are among the names fondly remembered in the club for their enormous contribution to the success of the club.