History
of Mitchels
Founded in 1956 and Senior Football
Champions four years later, Mitchels epitomised the
charisma of Down football that was evident in the
glorious Sixties. With a great supply of talent emanating
from that great nursery Abbey C.B.S., they captured
four more championships in the Sixties, but into the
Seventies progress was handicapped by the lack of
a base. By the middle of that decade the club had
plumetted to Division Four of the All County League.
But the phoenix does rise again and
with the emphasis put firmly on youth, much success
was achieved with underage teams. Senior Football
responded well and Mitchels seemed on the way to regaining
Division One status, but unfortunately the progess
was not sustained.
The Club can boast of players like
the record-breaking Sean O'Neill, winner of two All-Stars
and a Texaco Award and being selected on the GAA Team
of The Millennium and his brother Kevin, both on Down's
All-Ireland teams of 1960 and 1961, Val Kane won an
All-Ireland medal in 1968. Gerry Brown was trainer
and player on Down's 1946 All-Ireland Junior team
and Manager of the 1968 All-Ireland Senior winners.
