History
of Ballykinlar
The origins of this long established
East Down Club are surely unique. Prior to 1932, cricket,
not football was the main sport of this seaside parish.
But when both parish cricket teams folded, and a parish
soccer team went the same way in short order, the
way was open for far sighted men like Hugh Hogg (Senior),
Francie Doberty, Tommy Trainer, Dan Mageean and Jimmy
Carr to play the foundations of a new tradition.
The early years were stoney ones.
Over the first 20 years the club had played on more
than 20 pitches (fields loaned by friendly farmers)
and had only a few Junior trophies to its credit.
The clubs "Golden Era" was launched
in the 50's with the opening of their Memorial Park.
with a playing surface which still is the envy of
clubs in this county and further afield.
The Sixties saw Baliykiniar play
(and lose) in two Down Senior Finals, and produce
one of Gaelic Football's all time greats, Paddy Doherty.
Two other Bailykinlar men, John Smith and Sean McCallion
won All-Ireland medals in this decade, while more
like Malachy Smith and Sean Magorrian, helped maintain
Baliykiniar at the forefront of Down football. The
decline set in during the Seventies, coinciding with
the drift of young people to neighbouring towns and
emigration.
In an effort to stem this drift Ballykintar
added a social club to their facilities in 1981, and
though the team still languishes in the lower Division,.
the survival of Gaelic Football in the parish looks
assured for some years to come - or as assured as
it can be in a rural population of around 500 people.
