History
of Ballymartin
Though Ballymartin G.F.C. was founded
in 1922 by Mr. Paddy Savage it was not until 1925
that they first fielded a team. The team, then playing
in Green jerseys with yellow-trim, competed in the
East Down League of 1926 winning their section.
Ballymartin then went out of football
until 1930 when they were reformed by a Fr. MePhillips
who presented them with a set of white jerseys which
earned them the title of 'the Lily Whites'. Even though
they had major successes in the Thirties the war years
saw the club inactive and it was not until 1945, under
the guidance of Fr. McCall, that they again fielded
a team.
Apart from a few lean years in the
late Fifties the club has had many successes on the
field of play over the years and has produced many
outstanding county footballers most notably Jariath
Carey, Sean Collins, James Cunningham, Paul Higgins
and Gregory McCartan. In 1969 Ballymartin purchased
and developed their present football field at Pat's
Road, adding dressing rooms in 1986. In 2002 Ballymartin
started the first Ladies Gaelic team in Mourne.
In 1985 the club purchased the Ballymartin
Inn which had been once owned by Paddy Savage, their
club founder.
