A Brief History of St. Colmcilles G.F.C.

St Colmcilles G.A.C. is affiliated to the Hertfordshire County Board. We are proud that the St Colmcilles was one of the founding clubs of the new Board in 1960 when Father O'Hanlon became the first Board Chairman. Father O'Hanlon was a stalwart then with St Colmcilles' hurling side and served as Chairman of our club. Many other Club members also served on the County Board down the years and include: Jimmy Wilson, Pat McGoey, John Doyle, Jack O'Mahony, Jim Moss, and Bob Canty.

The club is based at the St Albans Irish Centre, Cotlandswick, where we have our own playing field. We now have modern dressing rooms completed in 2002 with the help of a Lottery Awards' grant. The club's teams colours are maroon and white with the away games strip in black and white.
Knowledge is patchy of the club's pre-war days but in 1938 Gaelic games were being played in St Albans with a Fr. MacSweeney (formerly of Killcummin nr. Killarney and a 1st WW Chaplain) as Chairman. WW2 resulted in Gaelic games being suspended and were not played again until 1947 when St Colmcilles was reformed. Those elected to lead the club included: Chairman: Fr J Roache Runaí: Billy Lyne Treasurer: Billy Nally

In 1948/49 St Colmcilles won the London JFC and the team consisted of C Sweeney (Donegal), W Clark (Louth), Bill Nally (Louth), Fr J Roache (Corcaigh), D Phelan (Laoise), J Kellegher (Kerry), Billy Lyne (Kerry), T Morgan (Westmeath), D Dunne (Westmeath), Breandan Ó Dowda (Louth and Percy French fame), Peter MacKevitt (Louth), Fr A Woods (Louth), J Killen (Louth), P Flynn (Sligo), JJ Phelan (Laoise).
In the 50's the Club continued to play in London but they were lean years for silverware. Our hurlers caused a huge shock in the early part of the decade when defeating the mighty Brian Borus in the Championship. Members of that team were: Jimmy Wilson, Mick Ryan, Eddie Ryan (all Limerick), Martin and Breandan McDonough (Galway), Paddy Shine, Matt Touhy, Sony O'Gorman, Pat Kenneally and Joe Murphy (all Tipperary), Séan Brophy (Offaly), Danny Buckley and Willie Joyce (Cork), Mick and Tom Brophy and Joe Phelan (Kilkenny), Paddy Bagge (Waterford). In the latter part of the decade, St Colmcilles footballers won their their JFC semi-final in London and were back there for the final the following Sunday only to discover the referee of the semi-final had given their winning score to the losing team. Amongst those on that team panel were Pat Lavelle (Fermanagh), Pat Davin (Galway), Jimmy Wilson (Limerick), Liam O'Leary (Kildare)and Pat McCallum (Donegal. The awarding of the game to the losing side was one of the seeds that sowed the formation of the Herts County Board
With the formation of the Herts County Board in 1960, the club began to flourish. The hurlers won the SHC in 1963 and 1968 and the SHL in 1962, 1963, 1966 and 1971. Also, annexed was the Fr O'Hanlon Hurling Cup in 1966 and 1971. Amongst players to star in those golden years were goalkeeper Martin MacMahon (Galway, Jack O'Mahony (Cork), Billy Dwyer (Tipperary) and Jim Healy, Richard Brennan, and Seamus and Sean McGarry (all Kilkenny) but further success eluded the hurlers until 1995 when the SHL was regained.

Not to be outdone, the club's footballers also, brought glory. St Colmcilles won the SFC with a wonderful three-in-a-row 1964-1966, but then had to wait until 1987 to annexe the title again. The SFL title came to the club 1962, 1965 and 1985. The club's winning ways continued in the 70's and is exemplified by wins in the IFC and IFL in 1970 and the JFC in 1976. 1998 saw the beginning of a golden period in the annals of the club. Our footballers, under manager, Kevin Armstrong, won the SFC that year, again in 2000 and then the club achieved the 3-in-a-row for the second time in its history when winning the SFC 2002-2004.
Some of the Chairmen who have led the club down the years include: Fathers O'Hanlon and MacNamara (first cousins), Pat McGoey, John Doyle, Jack O'Mahony, Jim Moss,John Coughlan and the present incumbent Adrian Slavin.

The club is acutely aware that with the drying up of emigration from Ireland for it to survive it must continue to develop its under-age structures. 2005 saw some 45 – 50 Fe 10s and 12s boys and girls training every Wednesday in the skills of football. Tuesday evenings is for young hurlers and though the numbers are fewer they are just as vital if we are once again to see senior hurling played on the field of Herts since its demise in the late 90s when emigration from Ireland dried to a trickle. If we nurture our young players and treat them with the utmost respect along the way then the future of St Colmcilles GAC in St Albans can be very secure.