Thanks to Lackagh Museum and Heritage Centre for this slider
History of Turloughmore Hurling Club
Patrick Murray
In 1886, Patrick Murray was a member of the Irish National League, from which the Gaelic Athletic Association was formed in the parish of Turloughmore. He became immersed in the G.A.A. in a short space of time and became actively involved with Galway County GAA Board. He was elected Representative for the Barony of Clare and later served as Vice-President of Galway County Board; he also held the position as Galway’s Delegate to the Central Council of the G.A.A.
In 1930, a huge crowd assembled in Turloughmore for his testimonial. His beliefs have led to the success of Turloughmore Hurling Club, which we are all so proud of today.
Patrick Murray died in 1934, and is buried in Lackagh Cemetery. On the Sunday following his death hundreds of G.A.A. friends and colleagues from around the Country marched in silence from his home in Turloughmore to his graveside, where an oration was delivered by Martin Casserly. He paid tribute to the work accomplished for the G.A.A. by Patrick Murray, and his long connection with the Fenian Brotherhood.
Long before the G.A.A. was founded in 1884, the game of hurling was played in the parish of Lackagh. it was a typical rural parish where the tenant farmer had to work hard and struggle to make ends meet and rear a family. The game of hurling was common in all areas of the parish where people gathered for the little leisure activities that were available.
The formation of the Irish National League in 1882 as a follow up to the Land League, resulted in the setting up of a branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association being formed in the parish on 14th May 1886, which led to organised hurling games under proper rules.
The general playing areas were commonages - Islandmore in Lisheenavalla, Liscanninane bog area, Turlough Bawn in Carheernlea and The Turlough (Fair Green) in Turloughmore.
When the County Finals were played in the Fair Green on September 13th 1896, four posts were in use, similar to the ones used in the Australian Compromise Football rules of the present day.
The early part of this century saw the total contribution that Was to be made to Turloughmore people - young and old when Patrick Murray who spearheaded both Club and County for several years gave the use of a field at the back of his licensed premises and also built a Ball Alley at the side of his house.
Many other fields were later used in other areas of the Parish like the “Bullfield” at Flynns, the “Backfield” at Tommie Newells and many other fields that changed from time to time in different areas.
Progress led to the demolition of the Ball Alley at Murrays When the road was widened, but the field at the back of the house remained in use to Turloughmore G.A.A. Club up to the present time.
When the club celebrated its seventieth birthday in 1956 they won their first Galway Senior Hurling Championship title.
The purchase of grounds at Coolarne by the Club in 1978 and a field by Cregmore Community have not taken away from Murrays whose field has seen many great hurlers adorn the sod over a long number of years. Murray’s Bar and Lounge has always been the home of hurling and gaelic sport in this parish and will continue to be in the future.
We extend our gratitude to the many people who have allowed their fields for use by the hurlers from this Club, and a special thanks to the Murray Family from the Grandfather, Patrick Murray whose ideals in the last century and the early part of this century have us here today, and his sons and grandsons Jackie and Family, we salute you for your generosity on behalf of hundreds of people past and present in the parish of Lackagh, Turloughmore.