Holycross–Ballycahill GAA


Holycross–Ballycahill GAA is a Gaelic games club in County Tipperary, Ireland. Both hurling and Gaelic football are played in the "Mid-Tipperary" divisional competitions. The club is centred on the villages of Holycross and Ballycahill and is from Thurles town centre.

History

The club was founded in 1885. Holycross–Ballycahill compete in the Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship.
The period from 1947 to 1953 was the club's golden era. It won four Mid Tipperary Senior Titles and three Senior County Tipperary titles in 1948, 1951 and 1954, under the captaincy of Francis Maher.
A Mid Senior title was won in 1966, before the club reverted to the Junior ranks in 1971. A Junior County championship win in 1974, brought a revival to Holycross–Ballycahill GAA, which resulted in Mid Senior titles in 1978, 1985, 1989 and 1990.
The club added their fourth and most recent County Senior title in 1990 defeating Cashel King Cormacs. The team was led by Declan Carr who went on to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup as Tipperary GAA captain 1991. They lifted All Ireland Junior B Hurling title in 2014 under the captaincy of Padraig McGrath, one of the club's finest achievements in recent years.
During Tipperary hurling's greatest years, Holycross-Ballycahill GAA club provided Pat Stakelum, who captained the 1949 All Ireland winning team. John Doyle won 8 All Ireland medals during this time with Tipperary, a record which he and Christy Ring held until 2011. Another Holycross-Ballycahill man, Phil Cahill, won All-Ireland medals in 1925 and 1930. Michael Maher collected 5 All-Ireland hurling medals with Tipperary during this time. Denis O'Gorman is one of a few to hold All Ireland medals in Senior, Junior and Minor grades. Declan Carr won All Ireland medals in 1989 and 1991, and also became the club's first All Star.
In 1979 Michael Doyle captained Tipperary to U21 Munster and All Ireland hurling titles. He subsequently went on to manage Tipperary to U21 Munster and All Ireland honours in 1995.
The club is located just outside the village of Holycross. In May 2011, a new multi-function complex was opened on the club's grounds, known as the John Doyle Centre. On the day of the new facilities opening, a tournament game was held between Tipperary and Waterford.
Since 2012, Holycross–Ballycahill GAA's grounds have hosted the Cut-Loose Country music festival. Performances have included Nathan Carter, Mike Denver, Daniel O'Donnell, Lisa McHugh among others.

Honours

Mid Tipperary Championships:Mid Tipperary Hurling Championship: 1947, 1948, 1951, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1999Mid Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championship: 1990Mid Tipperary Junior "A" Hurling Championship: 1922, 1941, 1974, 1980, 1988, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021Mid Tipperary Junior "B" Hurling Championship: 1975, 1992, 2012, 2013Mid Tipperary U21 "A" Hurling Championship: 1963, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1993, 1996, 2017, 2019Mid Tipperary Under-21 B Hurling Championship: 2006Mid Tipperary U19 "A" Hurling Championship: 2022, 2023Mid Tipperary Under-19 B Hurling Championship: 2021 Mid Tipperary Minor "A" Hurling Championship: 1982, 1984, 1990, 1991, 2012, 2013, 2014Mid Tipperary Minor "B" Hurling Championship: 2005, 2010Cahill Cup Hurling: Mid Tipperary Intermediate Football Championship: 1976, 1983, 1984, 1989, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011Mid Tipperary Junior "A" Football Championship: 1946, 1954, 1976, 1982, 1994, 1995, 2019Mid Tipperary U21 "A" Football Championship: 1982, 1984, 1985, 1999Mid Tipperary U21 "B" Football Championship: 2005Mid Tipperary Minor "A" Football Championship: 1991, 1997Mid Tipperary Minor "B" Football Championship: 1996, 2001, 2004
County Championships:Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship: 1948, 1951, 1954, 1990 Tipperary Junior A Hurling Championship: 1941, 1974, 1988, 2010 Tipperary Junior "B" Hurling Championship: 2013Tipperary Under-21 "A" Hurling Championship: 1978, 1996
  • Tipperary Under-19 "A" Hurling Championship: 2022Tipperary Under-19 "B" Hurling Championship: 2021Tipperary Minor "A" Hurling Championship: 1982, 2022Tipperary Minor "B" Hurling Championship: 2010Tipperary Junior "A" Football Championship: 1982, 1995Tipperary Under-21 "A" Football Championship: 1999Tipperary Under-21 "B" Football Championship: 2005Tipperary Minor "B" Football Championship: 1996
All-Ireland Championships:All-Ireland Junior B Club Hurling Championship: 1

Notable players

All-Ireland Medal winners

Senior Hurling in Chronological Order