History
of Kilcoo
Kilcoo Owen Roes G.A.C. was officially
formed on December 2nd, 1906, although Gaelic games
had been played in the parish from the early 1880's.
In the early years organisation was difficult and
it was 1917 before the first major breakthrough came
with the winning of the Senior County Championship.
Undoubtedly the Twenties were the
club's most successful years. In that decade Kilcoo
won five Senior Championships and two Senior Leagues,
as well as a Junior Championship and two Junior Leagues,
including in 1927 the grand slam of Senior and Junior
Championship and Senior and Junior League.
Despite the scourge of emigration
in the early 1930's, the Senior Championship was won
again in 1932, 1933 and 1937, the Senior League in
1932, 1934 and 1935 and Feis Sevens and Seven-a-Side
County Championship in 1935, the Castlewellan and
District League was won in 1943 and 1944, A.C.L. "B"
in 1956 and 1975. A.C.L. in 1958 and A.C.L. Division
111 in 1984.
In the more recent years the Club
has revived interest in Hurling and Camogic with the
Hurlers taking the "Newcomers" League title in 1978
and the girls taking the Junior Camogic Championship
title in 1971 and the Junior Feis Sevens in 1979.
On the cultural side the Club has been involved regularly
in Scor with some success and the History Committee
has produced a fine history of the Club and Parish.
entitled "Kilcoo: A Gaelic and Social Heritage".
To ensure the continuation of the
Gaelic tradition in Kilcoo the determined Committee
finally realised their aim of procuring a field of
their own with the purchase of premises adjacent to
Lough Island Reavey in 1982. "Owen Roe Park" has now
become a reality.
