History
of Attical
Gaelic football was first played
in Upper Mourne in the 1920's with a few players from
Attical playing for local teams, especially Young
Erneralds, Kilkeel (see
An Riochts History Section for details on Young Emeralds),
in the South Down League; this continued for the next
40 years and in 1961 Holy Cross G.F.C., Attical was
formed.
They entered the South Down and Mourne
League in 1963; the winning of the League the following
year earned thern promotion to Intermediate status,
but, due to League re-organisation, were allocated
Junior status and had to wait till 1967 for promotion,
winning fifteen out of eighteen games. The highlight
of 1968 was the joy in the parish when Brendan Sloan,
Down's right corner back on their All-Ireland team.
brought the Sam Maguire Cup to Attical.
1971 was a great year, with an undefeated
run of twenty-three games on the excellent playing
pitch which a couple of years before had been an old
sandpit. Pat Donnan was in goal for Down's All-Ireland
Minor Championship tearn in 1977 and the U-21 winners
in 1979, when he was joined on the team by his brother
Peter. Since 1966 Attical has been represented by
at least one member on County Panels (Senior, Minor,
U-21).
The purchase of a team coach, the
first club tour, and win over famous Dublin Club,
St. Vincent's, the official opening of Holy Cross
Park (1975), the introduction of Irish dancing classes
and the formation of a camogie tearn were the high
points of the Seventies.
The club has been very successful
in Scor and C.C.D. competitions, with ceili dancing
team, Cream of the Barley Ballad Group and John Keenan
(Instrumental) winning C.C.D. titles; this brought
the total of members holding All~lreland Medals to
18 since 1968.
