History
of Ballygalget
Although hurling was played in Ballygalget
for many years, a club was not established till June
14th, 1939. Originally called Newcastle Mitchels,
the name Ballygaiget had replaced it by 1941. For
some thirty years the club migrated around the parish,
moving from one rented pitch to another.
Milestones in the history of the
club are their first County Championship titles, Junior
and Senior 1959, the Ulster Club Championship in 1975
and 1998, the winning of Senior and Intermediate County
titles on the same day in 1983 and the official opening
of Mitchel Park in 1970. The addition of social club
and changing room facilities indicated further progress
in 1980.
The history of the club in many ways
reflects the history of hurling in Down in In the
same years with a long period of relative inactivity
in the early Fifties, then major reorganisation with
great emphasis on youth and juvenile participation.
Ballygalget has always been to the
fore in providing willing hands for County Committees
and always willing to lead the way in e.g. the holding
of seminars on ground maintenance. Ground has been
acquired for possible expansion of training facilities.
Camogic has been firmly re-established. Unfortunately
at the moment it is not possible to accommodate football
with the club's commitments to Antrim and Down Hurling
Leagues.
With a Parish Population of only
about 700 it is obvious that the club has made remendous
strides over its first half century and it is hoped
that it will continue to foster hurling skills and
G.A.A. ideals within the parish for the next 50 years.
