Members of the Clare camogie team from 1974 gather for a re-union at the Old Ground hotel this Friday night.
Forty years ago they defeated Dublin in the All-Ireland junior final at Croke Park to win Clare’s first All-Ireland camogie title.
There were just a couple of camogie clubs in the county at the time, with Éire Óg and Shannon the main two. Some members of the team played their club camogie in Dublin and Cork.
Ballynacally’s Margaret O’Toole who played for Éire Óg, was the Clare captain and the team was managed/coached by Éire Óg’s Michael Brennan.
Teams were twelve a side with a goalkeeper, a full back, three half backs, three midfielders, three half forwards and one in the full forward line.
Two members of the Clare team, Claire Harrington and Maureen Davoran, played with the Celtic club in Dublin, while Mary Mahon played with Muskerry in Cork. Team member Kitty McNicholas went on to serve in a variety of positions for Clare camogie.
The members of the Clare panel in 1974 were: Maureen Saunders, Anne Marie Russell, Geraldine Crowe, Martina O’Grady, Theresa McDonagh, Kitty McNicholas, Mary Griffin, Catherine Glynn, Maureen Kelly, Margaret O’Toole, and Pauline Ryan (all Éire Óg) Claire Harrington, Maureen Davoran (Celtic, Dublin) Teresa Daly, Bridie McGirl, Rose Kelleher, Mary Dolan, Eleece Fitzgibbon, (all Shannon) Anne Marie O’Loghlen (Dal gCais) and Mary Mahon (Muskerry (Cork).
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.