Seir Kieran GAA


Seir Kieran is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in a parish and electoral division of the same name in County Offaly in Ireland. The population of Seirkieran is approximately 460. Seir Kieran takes its name from Saint Ciarán of Saighir, who founded the parish as a civitas in the 5th century. The club's playing facilities are situated in the village of Clareen in County Offaly.
Seir Kieran caters mainly to players of the games of hurling and camogie. However, the club has also competed in the Offaly football competitions and reached the Offaly Senior Football Semi-final in 1927. Founded in 1887, for 67 of its 128 years, and continuously since 1970, the club has competed in the Offaly Senior Hurling Championship, winning the Sean Robbins Cup on four occasions. Seir Kieran has also had success at junior, intermediate, and under-age levels, for example, winning the Offaly Junior 'A' Hurling Championship for the seventh time in 2014.
Players from Seir Kieran were on each of the four Offaly teams that have won the Liam MacCarthy Cup, and eleven hurling All Star Awards have been won by five players from Seir Kieran: Eugene Coughlan ; Johnny Dooley ; Kevin Kinahan ; Billy Dooley ; and Joe Dooley. Three players from the club have captained the Offaly Senior hurling team: Joe Dooley, Johnny Dooley, and Joe Bergin.

History

Foundation and early years (1887 to 1912)

The advent of the GAA club at Clareen in 1887 coincided with the drive to build a new parish church, as the old one had become structurally unsound. The first secretary of the club, from 1887 until he emigrated in 1895, was Frank Pilkington of Bell Hill. Pilkington went on to become secretary to the Offaly GAA Club in New York.
In 1907, the Offaly hurling championship was divided into Senior and Junior grades and, in 1912, Seir Kieran beat Roscore to win the Offaly Junior final.
During this period, Seir Kieran adopted their black and amber colours. In November 1911, John Drennan of Conway Hall, Kells, County Kilkenny donated a set of black and amber jerseys to the Kilkenny County Board, GAA. It is reported that prior to this gesture, he had won a large amount of money on a horse whose jockey wore those colours. John Drennan was a brother of Fr. Jeremiah Drennan, parish priest of Seir Kieran from 1904 to 1921. It is possible that Fr. Drennan emulated his brother's gesture by presenting the club with a set of jerseys identical to the Kilkenny ones.

1910s to 1930s

From 1915 to 1918, Jimmy Corrigan of Clareen served as secretary to the GAA's Offaly County Board. Corrigan played much of his club hurling with the Birr GAA club, as he taught at the workhouse schools in the town. He was also secretary to the Birr Sinn Féin Club, and a lieutenant in the Volunteers. He died aged 27 in October 1918, and Celtic cross-shaped commemorative headstone was erected over his grave in the Seir Kieran New Cemetery.
Seir Kieran reached the 1920 Junior Hurling Final. On account of the War of Independence and the Civil War, this final could not be played off until 13 May 1923, when Clara defeated them. In the Junior final for 1923 proper, played at Kilcormac on 18 November, Seir Kieran won their second title with a 4-0 to 1-0 victory over Tullamore.
In 1929, PJ Grogan of Clareen captained Offaly to what was their second Junior All Ireland hurling title. On the club scene, Seir Kieran lost the 1927 Offaly Senior Hurling final, going down to Drumcullen by 3-3 to 2-4. Discontent with the Land Commission's subdivision of the Kilmaine estate militated against unity of purpose in the club, and Kilmaine House itself was burned down in the early hours of Monday 23 July 1926. In the Junior Championship of 1929 Seir Kieran overcame Birr and Coolderry before losing to Shannonharbour in the semi-final, on 8 September 1929. In May 1931, John Coughlan of Seir Kieran played in goal for the Offaly Minors.

Intermediate success

The first Intermediate title came in Ballyduff, Tullamore on 20 September 1931, when Seir Kieran beat Clara by 5-7 to 2-5. The club played at Senior grade for the following two seasons. The 1932 panel was augmented by Dick and Willie Conway from Roscomroe, a district of Kinnitty Parish with historic ties to Seir Kieran. Other players included Mick Leahy, Kieran Grogan, Dan Murphy and Jim Killeen. Originally from Lusmagh, Jim Killeen and his brother Mick had come to Clareen as young boys.
Seir Kieran were a diminished force after Killeen moved to Killdangan in North Tipperary in the mid-1930s, but they recovered to claim the Offaly Intermediate hurling final of 1938 against North Portarlington. Played at Tullamore on 27 August 1938, this match also served as the Junior final of 1937, with the result that Seir Kieran won both titles in the same game. In 1939, the team advanced to the Offaly Senior hurling final against Coolderry. Coolderry won by 6-4 to 2-2 to claim their 14th title.
In the 1940s, Seir Kieran won a number of Intermediate hurling titles. Seir Kieran won the 1943 final against Clara by 7-5 to 5-1. After winning a replay in the 1947 semi-final, Seir Kieran won the Intermediate final against Carrig & Riverstown by 5-3 to 2-4. Although the team made little headway the following year, the club took some heart from Seamus Mulrooney's displays with Offaly in the 1948 Leinster Minor Hurling Championship.

Junior success 1950 to 1969

During the 1950s, emigration impacted the club. Also, in June 1952, John Dooley of Clashroe, Roscomroe was fatally injured by an accidental blow to the head when playing for Seir Kieran, which further shook the club's confidence.
Despite this, Seir Kieran sustained their Senior challenge both in 1953 and in 1954 when they reached the semi-final. By 1955, though, the club could not muster 15 Senior players, and so had to concede a walkover to Shannon Rovers in the championship. The following year, at Intermediate grade, the club joined forces with neighboring parish Kinnitty with similar problems. The amalgamated team, known as "St Flannan's", won through to the 1956 Intermediate Hurling final against Ferbane. St Flannan's emerged victorious by 4-7 to 4-1. Promoted to Senior grade in 1957, St Flannan's were defeated in their opening match to Shannon Rovers – a result which put an end to the Kinnitty-Clareen combination.
By 1958, the club was again playing under the Seir Kieran banner and won passage to the 1958 Junior Hurling final. Delayed until 8 March 1959, this final saw Seir Kieran defeating St Columba's by 4-6 to 1-1. This was the parish's fourth title at Junior grade. A reporter for the Midland Tribune described the challenge that this posed to the club's viability, especially once they stepped up to Senior grade in 1960 and 1961:
Another boost came in October 1961, with the acquisition of six acres adjacent to Clareen crossroads, as a permanent home for the club. Development of these facilities was coupled with more organised training of players and Seir Kieran defeated the new St. Rynagh's GAA club in the Junior hurling semi-final of 1962. However, in the final on 21 October, they were defeated. against Edenderry in Tullamore.
In the 1965 Offaly JHC, Kinnitty needed three attempts before beating Seir Kieran by 2-10 to 3-6. In 1968, a last-minute Joe McKenna goal separated Shinrone and Seir Kieran after a replay. This led to success in 1969, when Seir Kieran became Offaly Junior Hurling champions for the fifth time. Once again, the Junior final was deferred until the following spring. On 26 April 1970, the team travelled to Tullamore and defeated Clara by the minimum.

Return to the top flight, 1970 to 1974

On 7 June 1970, the Clareen team nearly toppled reigning champions St Rynagh's. Damien Martin's goalkeeping enabled St Rynagh's to battle back for a draw. However, in the replay on 12 July, St Rynagh's won by 4-13 to 2-3.
In 1974, Seir Kieran defeated St Carthage's to advance to the 'B' final, played in Birr on 24 November 1974. Lusmagh took an early lead which they still held when the game was abandoned in the second half. At a County Board Disciplinary Committee hearing on the Wednesday before Christmas, both clubs were fined £20; while two Seir Kieran players and one Lusmagh player were suspended for six months.
At county level, club members Kieran Mooney and Sean Bergin represented the club in 1974, when an Offaly side recorded their first-ever win over Dublin in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship. The semi-final against Kilkenny took place at Croke Park, where Mooney put Offaly's opening goal past Noel Skehan. Kilkenny, however, ultimately advanced without undue trouble.

Schools hurling and underage hurling

Even more encouraging for the club's future was the organized effort being made at the primary school level, led in Clareen's case by successive principals of the Seir Kieran National School: Frank McNamara; Tony Hogan; Damien White; Majella Gibbons; and Jonathan Dunne. In 1974, a team captained by Joe Dooley won Seir Kieran's first Bord na Scol hurling championship. Seir Kieran went on to clim the Offaly U-14 'B' hurling title for 1976 – its first under-age championship.
Although ultimately unsuccessful, Seir Kieran had also won through to both the Minor 'B' and the U-21 Hurling Finals of 1974. Of the Minor 'B' Final against Killeigh, the Midland Tribune reported that: "At no stage was full back Eugene Coughlan allowed to relax his most extraordinary talents". Other club members, such as Paddy Mulrooney, Noel Bergin, Jimmy Connor, Mick Coughlan, Johnny Abbott and Joe Mooney, also featured.
At the club's AGM for 1975, an intense discussion took place on how to bring on all of the young players. This resulted in something of a "new departure" for Seir Kieran – the establishment of a Minor Club with Seamus Mulrooney as its first chairman.
From the 1960s onward, the Vocational Schools and the other post-primary schools in Offaly had put emphasis on the proper preparation of their GAA teams. This process would receive an important boost with the opening of St. Brendan's Community School in Birr in 1980.

Late 1970s

In 1979, St Rynagh's bested Seir Kieran by 1-17 to 1-3 in the opening round, at Kilcormac on 5 August 1979. A St Rynagh's official expressed relief at the result saying: "When we get over that hurdle, other teams don't present quite the same problem".
Seir Kieran beat Killeigh by 2-6 to 1-4 in the next round, despite each side going down to 14 men after a fight broke out. In their last competitive game of the 1970s, on 26 August 1979, Seir Kieran beat Drumcullen by 3-11 to 0-9 at St. Brendan's Park.

County representation in the 1970s

During the 1970s, a number of Seir Kieran club members, including Kieran Mooney, represented the club in Offaly senior squad. The Offaly minors also included several Seir Kieran players.
In 1978, the Offaly Under-21 hurlers claimed the Leinster title. Noel Bergin at corner forward and Joe Mooney at wing back represented Seir Kieran. Offaly subsequently progressed to their first-ever All Ireland U-21 semi-final which ended in a 2-14 to 2-7 defeat at the hands of Galway. Also in 1978, Seir Kieran's Tony Murphy was elected to the role of hurling secretary for the Offaly County Board.
In the National Hurling League of 1978-79, the Offaly squad included a number of Seir Kieran players. This included Eugene Coughlan at corner back, Joe Mooney at wing back and Kieran Mooney at corner forward. Late in the competition in November 1978, Offaly drew with Galway. Defeat to Waterford at Dungarvan in February 1979 did not derail Offaly's advance to the league semi-final against Tipperary. Concession of frees again cost Offaly, with Paddy Kirwan converting a last-minute free to secure the draw. Offaly were ultimately beaten in a league semi-final replay, held in April 1979 at Croke Park, by Tipperary.
Following the loss, they faced Wexford in the Leinster Senior Hurling Semi-final, fixed for Athy on 24 June 1979. Offaly began with an all-Seir Kieran half-back line of Joe Mooney, Eugene Coughlan and Kieran Mooney. Offaly were leading but conceded the frees that allowed Wexford to level the match; then Casey pointed from Tony Doran's '65, and Wexford advanced by 0-17 to 2-10.

Inter-county successes, 1980 and 1981

During the Leinster Senior Hurling championship of 1980, the Offaly squad included Seir Kieran's Noel Bergin, with the other two Clareen players being Eugene Coughlan and Joe Mooney. The semi-final took place on 8 June 1980, when Offaly beat Dublin by 0-18 to 0-10. In the final, Offaly defeated Kilkenny, then the reigning champions, by 3–17 to 5–10. In his Evening Press column the following day, Con Houlihan depicted the post-match scene:
The Offaly hurlers advanced to their first Senior All-Ireland semi-final on 3 August 1980, where a more experienced Galway side prevailed.
In the 1981 championship, Offaly defeated Wexford to win their second Leinster Senior Hurling Championship in a row. The Leinster Champions won direct passage to the All-Ireland final, played on 6 September 1981. The opposition were defending champions Galway. The team, which included a number of Clareen players, won the 1981 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final and landed Offaly's first ever All-Ireland title.
At a club level, Seir Kieran went down to Kinnitty and to Ballyskenagh in the 1980 Senior Hurling Championship, and to St Rynagh's in 1981. The Bob O'Keeffe trophy came to the Seir Kieran National School in March 1981, along with Leinster Championship medal-holders Noel Bergin, Joe Mooney and Eugene Coughlan. There were even more energetic scenes when Offaly recorded their All-Ireland victory over Galway and the county team brought the Liam MacCarthy Cup to Seir Kieran.

Development of the club facilities

In the early 1980s, the club built dressing rooms, put a paling around the field, and installed goalposts and nets. In May 1982, in a presentation to Leinster GAA clubs that took place in the Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny, Seir Kieran were nominated as Offaly's "Club of the Year in Section C". Chairman Tim Mulrooney and secretary Mick Murphy accepted the award, and attributed the success to the progress made in promoting underage hurling as much as to the work on the facilities. For example, during the 1981 Féile na nGael event in Birr, Seir Kieran had played host to young hurlers from Antrim whose club chairman subsequently recorded his appreciation:
The GAA pitch saw further development and was officially opened on Monday 4 June 1984. The Minor hurlers of Offaly and Galway provided the curtain-raiser for a "friendly" between the Senior teams of Offaly and Clare. John Dowling, a future GAA president, gave the keynote speech. "The time has now come", said Mr. Dowling, "for Seir Kieran to promote Gaelic Games on a higher scale than ever before".

County semi-finalists 1984; County finalists 1985 and 1987

In their SHC encounter with Coolderry in 1982, Seir Kieran were leading with ten minutes to go, when they ran out of steam. Seir Kieran were generally in better shape in 1983. On 29 May, Eugene Coughlan and rising Offaly star Joe Dooley powered a victory over Killeigh. However, they were beaten by Lusmagh at Rath on 17 July, meaning that the third round match against Coolderry would again be make-or-break. This one ended at 11 points apiece, and the replay on 7 August also finished as a tied game. Coolderry won it in extra time by 2-19 to 3-15. The three Clareen goals were scored by Eugene Coughlan, Seamus Coakley and Martin Breslin.
Seir Kieran opened their 1984 SHC campaign with a 3-18 to 2-4 victory over Drumcullen. The second round was at Rath, where Lusmagh went down by 2-10 to 0-9. In the third round against Kinnitty, 16 points were not enough as the reigning champions racked up 3-12, to advance to the last four. A second semi-final slot was now up for grabs between Seir Kieran and Shinrone. This play-off was delayed until 9 September 1984. Joe Dooley scored nine points of a 0-14 to 1-5 victory, as Seir Kieran advanced to their first Senior semi-final since 1954. St Rynagh's, however, overcame a Clareen team who were on top for long periods, but were not fit enough to close it out. Trailing 1-10 to 1-4 in the second half, the Shannonsiders hit an unanswered 1-5 to pip them at the post.
In 1985, the club's first round encounter with St Rynagh's saw Seir Kieran win by 2-10 to 0-12. However, Seir Kieran again lived dangerously, before clinging on to a lead they had built up early on. The Midland Tribune editor James "Bud" Burke colourfully described the scene:
This remained the pattern during Seir Kieran's four subsequent wins in the championship – over St Saran's ; Shinrone ; Drumcullen ; and a Kilcormac/Killoughey team. The semi-final took place on 29 September 1985, and Seir Kieran defeated Coolderry by 1-13 to 0-13. Jimmy Connor's goal and several Joe Dooley points put them into their first Senior final in several decades. As with Drumcullen in 1952, however, they encountered a Kinnitty side who were not to be denied their three-in-a-row of Offaly titles. Paddy and Mark Corrigan scored a combined 3-12 of Kinnitty's 3-18, and Seir Kieran only scored 2-8 in reply. The disappointment was partly assuaged by the All Star Awards won by Eugene Coughlan in both 1984 and 1985 – the first such accolades for a Seir Kieran player. Coughlan was also awarded the 1985 Texaco Sports Star Award for hurling.
Seir Kieran's misfired 1986 SHC campaign was a big setback. A 2-13 to 1-11 defeat to Lusmagh did the main damage to the 1985 County finalists, leaving them dependent on results elsewhere to make it as far as the three-way play-offs. These forlorn hopes did not materialize, leading to some straight talking at the AGM for 1987. Eugene Coughlan was appointed trainer, and the selectors were Mick Murphy, Johnny Breslin and Liam Corcoran. It was the Junior panel, selected by Michael Connolly, Tim Mulrooney, Mick Coughlan and Mick Mulrooney, who would bring home silverware in 1987. There were jubilant scenes at Kilcormac on 3 May 1987, when Seir Kieran defeated Daingean and team captain Johnny Breslin lifted the Junior Hurling League Cup. As they had done in 1985, meanwhile, the parish's Senior team reached the County Final undefeated. However, although their defence had become very cohesive, the attack was over-reliant on Joe Dooley. A 2-13 to 0-13 first-round win over Birr was followed by hard-fought victories over St Rynagh's and Lusmagh. Seir Kieran next overcame Kinnitty by 1-14 to 1-11 in the semi-final in September. Centre back Mick Coughlan's long-range points had a demoralizing effect on Kinnitty. In the County Final itself, however, Seir Kieran again lacked the guile to prevent St Rynagh's move into the lead in the 54th minute. Team captain Noel Bergin and substitute Kieran Dooley had had to go off injured. There were still only three points in it when Eugene Coughlan's late rasper flew just over David Hughes's crossbar, to leave it St Rynagh's 0-11 Seir Kieran 0-9. Defeat felt more devastating even than in the 1985 County Final, because the Clareen men had had the winning of this match.

Seir Kieran, Senior Hurling Champions 1988

Seir Kieran in 1988 were managed by 24-year-old Joe Dooley, Johnny Breslin, Liam Corcoran and Mick Murphy. The Juniors beat Daingean to retain the League Cup they had won in 1987, and Billy Kennedy the Junior captain received the Cup from Tony Murphy the Offaly Hurling Secretary. The Seniors made it a League double on Saturday 7 May, when they beat Drumcullen in the final by 2-14 to 1-9. Two rounds of the 1988 Offaly SHC had been played off before the inter-county championships. Seir Kieran had won against Lusmagh by 3-13 to 1-16 but lost against St Rynagh's by 2-15 to 2-9. The black and amber had their chances in the Banagher game, but accuracy was a problem. The selectors used practice matches, such as the one against Castletowngeoghegan at Durrow, to sharpen up their side. When the domestic championship resumed on 13 August, a hard-fought 3-16 to 4-4 win over Coolderry kept the dream alive. Seir Kieran again faced St Rynagh's in the first leg of the resultant three-way play-off. Seir Kieran reversed the previous verdict by 3-11 to 2-11 and became the first side to reach the last four.
The Semi-final between Seir Kieran and Kinnitty was delayed on account of three events: an early-morning fire in The Greyhound Bar in Birr, which killed the proprietor John Kennedy, a member of the Seir Kieran Club; Kinnitty's successful appeal against disqualification for not having fulfilled a fixture; and a bereavement affecting the Bergin family of Derrykeale. When the match did go ahead on 9 October, Kinnitty never really recovered from Seir Kieran's 3-1 in the opening minutes, although two goals by Paddy Corrigan and points from Mark Corrigan, Brendan Blake and Pat Delaney got them to within four points. It was the Clareen men who finished the stronger, however, to win by 5-9 to 2-10. Five Seir Kieran forwards – Mick Mulrooney, Johnny Dooley, Joe Dooley, Billy Dooley, and Noel Bergin – got on the scoreboard, as did Mick Coughlan at centre back. The Clareen goalie Liam Coughlan gave a great display, although another big tally of wides remained a cause for concern going into the County Final.
Played out at St Brendan's Park, Birr, on 23 October 1988, between Seir Kieran and St Rynagh's, the 93rd County Final resulted in a four-point black and amber victory. The starting line-up was Liam Coughlan, Sean Coughlan, Eugene Coughlan, Paddy Mulrooney, Johnny Abbott, Mick Coughlan, Ger Connors, Pat Mulrooney, Kieran Dooley, Johnny Dooley, Jimmy Connor, Noel Bergin, Mick Mulrooney, Joe Dooley and Billy Dooley. For the Shannonsiders, Fintan Dolan scored 2-3, Declan Fogarty 2-0, and Michael Duignan converted three frees. In one of the key individual tussles, Kieran Dooley curbed Duignan's influence at midfield. Overall, Seir Kieran had the speed, skill, spirit and determination to become the tenth club to claim the Offaly Title, and the first new name on the Trophy since St Rynagh's themselves in 1965.

Club of the year

It fell to Eugene Coughlan to lift the Sean Robbins Cup on behalf of his 101-year-old club, presented to him by Mr. Brendan Ward who was then vice chairman of the County Board. The captain's acceptance speech paid tribute to the entire panel of players, their selectors, the club officials, the supporters who had been with the team through all the highs and lows, and especially the team trainer Joe Dooley. Celebrations in Clareen continued until well into the following week, with almost everything else put on hold. Messages of congratulation poured in from the parish's diaspora and many others, while the Bishop of Ossory, Dr. Forrestal, drove up from Kilkenny to convey his congratulations in person. Two weeks later, in their very first match in the Leinster Club Hurling Championship, Seir Kieran beat the Meath champions Trim by 2-14 to 0-6. The Leinster Club Semi-final took place on Saturday 20 November at Geraldine Park, Athy, where Buffers Alley of Wexford knocked out the Offaly champions by 1-12 to 1-7. The leg injury that affected Joe Dooley was a factor, but a bigger factor in Seir Kieran's defeat was the large number of frees early on that they failed to convert. Notwithstanding this sequel, winning its first Senior county championship made 1988 an epochal year in the club's history. At the Offaly GAA Convention for 1989, Pat Grogan the Seir Kieran chairman accepted the accolade of "Club of the Year".
There was further celebration the following St. Kieran's Day, 5 March 1989, when Dr. Forrestal announced to thunderous applause that Fr. Seán Collier was being made Canon of the Cathedral Chapter of St. John's, Kilkenny. The new Canon, 21 years in Seir Kieran, was left speechless. Two years later, On 21 April 1991, Fr. Seán died suddenly and unexpectedly. The first president of the Seir Kieran GAA Club, the Canon had been born in Portlaoise in 1917 and ordained on 8 June 1941. Initially posted to the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, he returned home at Christmas 1945 and became curate then Administrator of St John's Parish, Kilkenny. Transferred to Seir Kieran as Administrator in 1968, he was made Parish Priest in 1982. As the first incumbent PP to die in Seir Kieran since the 1830s, he was interred on Bell Hill beside the church. Dr. Forrestal led the Requiem Mass, and termed the grief of the parishioners "a genuine expression of love and respect for a parish priest who was loyal to them and had served with them to the end."

County finals of 1989 and 1991

Seir Kieran retained their Senior Hurling League title in 1989, beating Lusmagh on 14 May by 3-13 to 1-10. Since the inception of the SHL, the winners had always gone on to win the championship as well. However, this was not the way it turned out in 1989, and it was Lusmagh who would emerge on top in October. The Clareen side started the championship with wins over Kinnitty, and Kilcormac/Killoughey, which was enough to qualify for the semi-finals – and to make the last match in the group stages just a formality. This third-round game took place against St Rynagh's on 24 September. Two goals from Pat Mahon and 0-7 from Johnny Dooley meant that Seir Kieran led for most of the way, until Declan Fogarty's last-minute goal swung it. In the semi-final against Birr, Seir Kieran contained Birr dangerman Ray Landy reasonably well, until Landy scored the townsmen's only goal two minutes from time. In the final on 22 October 1989, an exciting game of great intensity teetered first one way and then another. Lusmagh scored 0-6 from play in the last 20 minutes, to cut the defending champions' lead to two points. In the last minute of play, John Kelly scored a goal for the Reds. Pat Horan blew the long whistle soon after, and Lusmagh had deservedly won their first Title by 1-11 to 1-10.
Seir Kieran reached the Senior Hurling League Final for the third time in succession on 22 April 1990, only to lose by four points to a fast-maturing Birr side. The black and amber also failed to qualify for the last stages of the 1990 Senior Hurling Championship. A 0-12 to 0-10 loss to St Rynagh's in the opening round was made up for by impressive wins over Birr and Kinnitty. However, Birr had regrouped to beat St Rynagh's and force a three-way play-off, involving those two teams and Seir Kieran. In the first leg of this play-off, on 18 September 1990 at Rath, Birr shocked Seir Kieran by 0-12 to 1-6 to qualify for the semi-finals. Liam Coughlan the goalkeeper gave the one flawless display, in a Clareen defence much more troubled than for a long time past. The losers had to play St Rynagh's again on 23 September, with the other Semi-final slot at stake. Despite seeming to be in control for most of the way, Seir Kieran conceded 1-3 in the last four minutes and were eliminated by 2-9 to 1-10.
Seir Kieran signalled that they were still contenders in 1991 with an opening round 2-12 to 1-8 win over Coolderry. Kevin Kinahan was centre back, and his commanding display led to his selection for the Offaly U-21 hurling team that year. In the second round on 20 July, Seir Kieran also had a big win over Tullamore. The Offaly County Board postponed the third round of SHC games, in order to allow Seir Kieran's Johnny Dooley, Lusmagh's John Troy, and Birr's Brian Whelahan and Johnny Pilkington to participate in the U-21 Shinty international against Scotland. Seir Kieran's third-round clash with Birr eventually went ahead on 17 August, and finished Birr 1-17 Seir Kieran 0-8. Birr also had 18 wides as Seir Kieran were outplayed in every sector. In their resulting play-off game, Seir Kieran bounced back to win by 2-17 to Coolderry's 1-10. In the semi-final against Lusmagh on 30 September, the black and amber won a tense encounter by 1-13 to 0-12. The County Final took place on 13 October 1991, and the persistent drizzle did not impede a high-standard game with plenty of direct first-time hurling. Seir Kieran capitalized on their early opportunities, but Birr made the crucial switches which forced the Clareen men onto the defensive for most of the second half. It was still deadlocked in the last minute, when the Birr goalkeeper came forward to convert the 65' free to make it Birr 1-12, Seir Kieran 1-11. Of the five County Finals that they had contested in the past seven years, Seir Kieran had now lost four.
Seir Kieran continued to have success in other grades. In November 1989 the following panel – including several from Killavilla, with whom Seir Kieran were joined for the purposes of under-age hurling – defeated Ballyskenagh to win the Juvenile 'B' Hurling Title: Finbarr Murphy, Ray Fitzpatrick, Owen Breslin, Damien Coffey, Aidan O'Neill, Damien Murphy, Neville Phelan, Kevin Abbott, John Dooley, Pat Grogan, Stephen Coakley, Roy Makim, Paul Scully, John Coakley, TJ Dooley, Peter Breslin, Michael Carroll, Joe Guinan, Tadhg Mulrooney, Kieran Kealey, Ollie Fitzpatrick, and James Coakley. The team was trained by Michael Corrigan. The club's morale was also lifted by continuing to punch above its weight during Offaly hurling's Minor, U-21, NHL, and Leinster Championship campaigns of 1989, 1990 and 1991.

County Championships of 1992 and 1993

Seir Kieran would likewise emerge empty-handed from the following two SHC seasons, and seemed to be sliding backwards at times. They began the 1992 championship in Jekyll & Hyde fashion, with a stunning 4-10 to 2-9 victory over Coolderry then a desolate 1-13 to 0-7 loss to Birr. In the third round against Kinnitty, Mick Mulrooney scored the decisive goal as Seir Kieran won by 1-9 to 0-11, although they had lived dangerously throughout this match. The next outing was on 9 August 1992, when the Clareen team beat Kilcormac/ Killoughey by 2-16 to 0-7 to guarantee a place in the play-offs. Neither could Coolderry really cope with Seir Kieran fully nine weeks later, when they duked it out for a Semi-final place. With Pat O'Connor out with a broken leg, Coolderry had few attacking options and went down by 0-13 to 1-7. On the minus side, the black and amber had 13 wides. St Rynagh's were the opposition in the SHC Semi-final, played at Birr on 24 October 1992, and never relinquished the lead after Aidan Fogarty took an opportunist goal.
Seir Kieran also played six matches in the 1993 Senior Hurling Championship, but did not even make the semi-finals this time. A nail-biting one-point win over Kilcormac/ Killoughey was negated by a defeat to Birr by 2-13 to 2-9. Noel Bergin reacted quickest when James Coakley's shot came off the post, but Robbie Sheils's net lived a charmed life after that. Brian Whelahan converted two 65's for a telling advantage. At Rath on 13 June, Seir Kieran and Lusmagh played out a draw. Victories followed against Tullamore and against Drumcullen, but these were insufficient to avoid the play-offs. On 15 August 1993, the rampant Reds took two early goals to all but end it as a contest, and went on for a six-point victory. It was a fittingly miserable end to what had been five years of failure in the quest to win back the Sean Robbins Cup.

Reaching the County Final again – Seir Kieran in 1994

While the Clareen side's reversals of fortune since 1988 were brutal, a major reason for them was that the Offaly domestic championship had become one of the most competitive in the country. Birr were waxing in strength, St Rynagh's and Lusmagh were always there or thereabouts, and Kilcormac/ Killoughey and now Tullamore had plenty of talent coming through. The Clareen mentors and panel would eventually prove equal to this challenge, going on to contest four County Finals in a row between 1994 and 1997 – and to win two of those. As they had in 1987 and 1988, the Junior hurlers led the way in 1994, beating Killeigh/ Killeen, Belmont and Tubber and then Daingean in the quarter-final. The Semi-final, played at Raheen in September, finished Seir Kieran 3-6, Killurin 0-7. The Clareen side, coached by Michael Murphy with selectors Tommy Hynes and TJ Dooley, gave a brave account of themselves in the Junior 'B' Hurling Final, played at Rath on 9 October 1994. Kilcormac/ Killoughey were too strong on the day, and won out by 2-11 to 0-10.
Before several of the panel were called up for Offaly's brilliant summer Blitzkrieg, the club's Senior team had made a highly encouraging start in the 1994 SHC, defeating Drumcullen by 5-12 to 1-8 and St Rynagh's by 1-14 to 2-5. Their new coach, Gerry Kirwan of Ballyskenagh, laid considerable emphasis on the age-old problems of fitness and discipline. Eugene Coughlan had come on to score the goal against Banagher; Kevin Kinahan, Kieran Dooley, James Coakley and Damien Murphy all put in great performances; and Johnny Dooley versus Martin Hanamy was one of the key tussles of the match. Their SHC campaign resumed at Kilcormac on 17 September, when the Clareen side went down to an unexpected 6-7 to 2-12 defeat, to a Coolderry side who needed the win to get into the play-offs. Not since 1952 had Seir Kieran conceded so many goals in the Championship. Eugene Coughlan would revert to full back for the remainder of the 1994 campaign, beginning at Rath the following week where a 1-10 to 0-9 victory over Kinnitty got them back on the rails.
On 2 October 1994, Seir Kieran once again faced Coolderry in the play-offs, switched to Banagher from a water-logged Lusmagh pitch. A cracking game was expected, as Seir Kieran sought revenge for the ambush at Kilcormac; but the slippery conditions made it a hard slog. Seir Kieran gradually got the upper hand, and lovely points from Mick Coughlan and Johnny Dooley brought it to Seir Kieran 0-7, Coolderry 0-6. In the semi-final against Kilcormac/ Killoughey, the black and amber's finishing was clinical. Billy Dooley scored two goals, and Mick Coughlan added a third, as they won by 3-13 to 0-8. The County Final of 30 October 1994 pitted Seir Kieran against Birr. In appalling weather conditions, it was the Clareen side that got off to a promising start, but Birr gradually restricted the supply of ball to the Seir Kieran danger men, while forcing the concession of frees from within Adrian Cahill's range. Seir Kieran threw everything forward in search of the winning goal, but it was Birr 0-8, Seir Kieran 0-6 at the long whistle. For want of just a little more discipline, Seir Kieran had now lost their fifth County Final out of the six contested since 1985. In wishing Birr the very best in the Leinster Club championship, however, Seir Kieran signalled that they were not finished yet:

County Champions a second time – Seir Kieran in 1995

Martin Hanamy became the second St Rynagh's man to lift the McCarthy Cup; Kevin Martin won Tullamore's first All Ireland Senior hurling medal; while the Birr, Lusmagh, St Rynagh's and Coolderry contingents each received heroes' welcomes in their home place. Even so, the Clareen homecoming, on Friday, 9 September 1994, was something special. Éamonn Cregan greatly valued Tony Murphy's role as Offaly hurling secretary. Kevin Kinahan had held scoreless Limerick's full forward Pat Heffernan. Joe, Billy and Johnny Dooley had amassed a combined 2-11. Joe and Johnny Dooley became the first pair of brothers in modern times to each score a goal in an All Ireland Senior Hurling Final. Three of Offaly's six All Star Awards in 1994 came to Seir Kieran – to Johnny and Billy Dooley and to Kevin Kinahan. The club's priority for 1995 was to use these achievements as a springboard back to the top in the Offaly SHC.
Seir Kieran's selectors for 1995 were Gerry Kirwan, Christy Coughlan, Johnny Breslin, Willie Dooley and Tommy Hynes. In the opening round of the Senior Hurling Championship, the team unexpectedly went down to a more determined and hungry Coolderry by 0-11 to 0-10. A dour and workmanlike victory over Kinnitty in the second round steadied the ship. Victory came at a price, as Billy Dooley was carried off with an ankle injury. It was a seriously depleted Clareen panel who lined out against Tullamore on 27 May 1995, and stared elimination in the face throughout the game. With Tullamore ahead by 1-5 to 0-2, their goalie tossed up the ball to clear it – whereupon Eugene Coughlan flicked it to the net. Reduced to 14 men in the second half, Seir Kieran were again in dire trouble, but regrouped doggedly. Mick Mulrooney's goal and points from James Coakley and Johnny Dooley preceded Dooley's great equalizer from a '65. Kevin Abbott scored the winning point. It was a Lazarus act unprecedented in the club's long history, and meant it was still all to play for when the championship resumed after the inter-county hiatus.
By beating Kilcormac/ Killoughey by 2-16 to 2-7 on 24 September, Seir Kieran put themselves emphatically in the frame for a place in the last four. This was secured by a 2-21 to 0-1 mismatch against Belmont on 7 October. Seir Kieran's Semi-final assignment was Birr, who had gone on to win their first All Ireland Club Title against Dunloy. Yet the wear-and-tear that this had cost them, coupled with Seir Kieran's absolute cohesion, meant that the Clareen attitude was one of "now or never". It did not look that way at first. Simon and Brian Whelahan, Ray Landy, Declan Pilkington and Oisin O'Neill had all scored by the time Johnny Dooley opened Seir Kieran's account. Birr recommenced scoring almost at will; until Eugene Coughlan burst through for a great goal that showed weakness in the Birr defence. Mick Mulrooney capitalized by grabbing two more goals, for a slender interval lead. Jimmy Connor replaced Eugene Coughlan for the second half, when Johnny Dooley scored all six Seir Kieran points. Scores from Ray Landy and Conor McGlone kept the townsmen in the hunt, as both managements made wholesale changes. Brian Whelahan went to full forward for Birr, while Clareen captain Joe Dooley dropped back to help lift the siege. Eventually Whelahan got in for a stunning goal, but Birr were still one point behind and on the attack when the referee blew it up.
With only one week to get set, the Senior Hurling Final against St Rynagh's looked like an even trickier proposition. In the event, two wholly committed sides played out an exciting 1-13 to 1-13 draw, in front of a record attendance of over six thousand. St Rynagh's were very slight favourites going into the replay, on the basis that the Shannonsiders had always taken their second chances before. Instead, Seir Kieran prevailed by 0-10 to 0-9. The line-out for the replay was Liam Coughlan, Paddy Mulrooney, Kevin Kinahan, Paddy Connors, Damien Murphy, Ger Connors, Paul Scully, Noel Bergin, Joe Dooley, Johnny Dooley, Mick Coughlan, James Coakley, Billy Dooley, Eugene Coughlan, and Mick Mulrooney. The three subs called upon on the day were Jimmy Connor, Finbarr O'Neill and Kieran Dooley. As the new Offaly champions, Seir Kieran had a Leinster Club Championship fixture in Carlow the very next day, where they beat Naomh Eoin by 3-10 to 0-7. Six days after that, in Dr. Cullen Park, Kilkenny champions Glenmore brought Seir Kieran's campaign to a full stop. Back in Kinnitty on 26 November 1995, victory in the long-delayed 1994 Senior Hurling League Final restored morale, as did the 1995 All Star Awards won by Kevin Kinahan, Johnny Dooley and Billy Dooley. However, winning out the Offaly SHC was the one that mattered, and was Seir Kieran's most important win since 1988. Eugene Coughlan summed it up:

Back-to-back titles and attempted three-in-a-row – Seir Kieran 1996-97

At the Offaly GAA Convention for 1996, Seir Kieran won the accolade of "Club of the Year" for the second time. In accepting the Fr. McWey Cup, Michael Murphy the club chairman stressed that Seir Kieran were just as proud of their part in the success of Offaly hurling. The Offaly Senior Hurling Championship of 1996 was defined, so far as Seir Kieran were concerned, by lop-sided victories over Belmont and Ballyskenagh and by four no-holds-barred matches against Kilcormac/ Killoughey. These comprised: an exciting second-round match that finished Seir Kieran 1-10, Kilcormac/ Killoughey 0-13; an unexpectedly easy passage in the play-offs ; another draw in the semi-final on 22 September 1996; and a definitive 0-14 to 0-7 win in the replay six days later.
With the Double-K's shaken off at last, Seir Kieran contemplated the prospect of a historic Double of their own – assuming they had enough left in the tank to handle St Rynagh's in the final. The punditry reckoned St Rynagh's would do it this time, having kept the Birr danger-men under wraps in the other bruising Semi-final. However, several of the Banagher camp, such as selector Alo Horan, were much more cautious than that:
Despite the cross-field gale and the cascading showers on County Final day itself, Seir Kieran did indeed give it everything, defeating St Rynagh's by 0-13 to 1-8 to put Senior Hurling Titles back-to-back. The black and amber deployed as follows: Liam Coughlan, Paul Scully, Kevin Kinahan, Paddy Connors, Damien Murphy, Ger Connors, Kieran Dooley, Joe Dooley, Noel Bergin, Johnny Dooley, Mick Coughlan, Mick Mulrooney, Billy Dooley, Eugene Coughlan, Seamus Dooley, and substitutes Kieran Kealey and Jimmy Connor. It was their eighth appearance in the decider in 12 years, of which they had now won three. County Board chairman Brendan Ward presented the Sean Robbins Cup to a delighted Liam Coughlan. On 24 November, Coughlan would also collect the Pat Carroll Cup, after Seir Kieran defeated Kilcormac/ Killoughey in the 1996 SHL Final by 1-12 to 0-6. In the interim, Seir Kieran's third-ever Leinster Club Hurling Championship campaign once again foundered at the Leinster Semi-final stage. Following a spell-binding 1-24 to 0-4 win over Trim in the opening round at Athboy, the Clareen panel went to Portlaoise on 10 November to face O'Toole's. The Dublin champions powered into a 1-10 to 0-2 lead after the first quarter. Out-maneuvered nearly everywhere, Seir Kieran drew on vast reserves of character and resolve, and lived to fight another day. Back in Portlaoise the following Saturday, the Offaly champions were again stretched thin, and again held their shape and composure to make inroads in the second half. O'Toole's kept topping up their points total, however, and advanced by 0-18 to 2-9.
Undeterred by their failure to navigate further in Leinster, Seir Kieran advanced to the 1997 Senior Hurling Final undefeated, with wins over Lusmagh, Kilcormac/ Killoughey, Belmont, and Tullamore in the semi-final. In the final itself, played out against Birr on 5 October 1997, Joe Dooley was hampered by a leg injury as he alternated between midfield and full forward. This made it easier for Birr to keep tabs on the other Clareen playmakers, and to win out by four points. In the midst of bitter disappointment in the black and amber camp, what did not change was the determination to challenge, the following year, as ferociously as ever. In the meantime, a great victory in the Junior Hurling 'B' Championship ensured that the year ended on a high. At Rath on 2 November 1997, the following team beat Coolderry in the final by 2-9 to 2-4: Damien Coffey, Tom Connor, Paddy Mulrooney, John Coakley, Kevin Dooley, Joe Guinan, Finbarr Murphy, Pat Mulrooney, Aidan O'Neill, Kieran Troy, Noel Bergin, Kevin Abbott, Joe Mooney, Sean Coughlan, and TJ Dooley.

Seir Kieran's eleven championship games of 1998

The Liam MacCarthy Cup stopped off in Clareen on Wednesday, 16 September 1998, another magical night for both club and parish. The All Star Awards won by Joe Dooley and Kevin Kinahan in December were the icing on the cake. Even so, Seir Kieran's main focus remained the Offaly SHC. Apart from Michael Connolly the coach, the selectors for 1998 were Sean Coughlan, Sean Bergin and Willie Dooley. Their first assignment on 25 April was the recently crowned All Ireland Club champions. Conditions were heavy – one of Liam Coughlan's puck-outs plugged without a bounce into the muck – but both sides hurled well. As usual, though, Birr's switches stifled Seir Kieran's early advantage, and they gradually pulled away. Another defeat in the second round used up more of Seir Kieran's nine lives. On the bright side, they could hope to have Johnny Dooley recovered from injury by the time the domestic championship resumed.
Seir Kieran clambered back into contention in the Autumn by four wins in four weeks, beating Drumcullen by 3-10 to 1-8, Lusmagh by 3-9 to 1-10, Tullamore by 2-14 to 2-8, then Kilcormac/ Killoughey by 3-16 to 1-10 in the quarter-final. Joe Dooley inspired many of their best passages of play. It was the same story against Coolderry on 25 October, when the black and amber avenged their May defeat and stormed into their tenth Offaly Senior Hurling Final since 1985. In a tense and scrappy decider on 10 November 1998, St Rynagh's scored 1-6 from play. However, Johnny Dooley converted from each of the ten frees awarded within scoring range, and the sides finished deadlocked. Thirteen days later, the two clubs renewed their epic rivalry. Seir Kieran prevailed by 1-11 to 0-8.
Amidst jubilant scenes in St Brendan's Park, Kevin Kinahan lifted the Sean Robbins Cup, the last act of a quite extraordinary Offaly Senior Hurling Championship. The following day the team traveled to Arklow and beat Kiltegan by 2-12 to 0-9. As was the case in 1988, 1995 and 1996, the Leinster Club Semi-final at Nowlan Park proved a bridge too far. On 29 November, Rathnure beat the Offaly standard-bearers by 3-11 to 2-8. Nonetheless, the year 1998 stands among Seir Kieran's finest, as was well expressed in a message from Carrig & Riverstown, another rural club:

Losing the crown – Seir Kieran and Offaly in 1999

In April 1999, Seir Kieran reached another Offaly Junior Hurling League decider. Although they lost to Lusmagh in the final, their battling display augured well for the fast-approaching championships. Seir Kieran's defence of their Senior Title opened on the first of May, with a 3-7 to 0-11 win over Drumcullen – although "the Sash" stayed in the lead until late on. Seir Kieran also looked vulnerable against Kilcormac/ Killoughey in the second round. With Johnny Dooley again out, the black and amber had 14 wides and lost by 1-14 to 3-6. When the Offaly SHC resumed in August, Sseir Kieran proved themselves back on song with a 1-16 to 0-10 win over Coolderry. Rath was the venue for the fourth round match against St Rynagh's, in which Johnny Dooley scored ten points to match his exploits in the drawn Final of 1998. Paudie Mulhare equalized for the Banagher side. In the last group game, Seir Kieran succumbed to an ominous 3-17 to 1-12 defeat by Birr. Although a hard-fought, touch-and-go victory over Lusmagh in the quarter-final steadied the Clareen ship, they still had come up with no answers for Birr by the time of the semi-final. The defending champions were eliminated on the score-line Birr 3-22, Seir Kieran 1-7. It was the first time in six years that the black and amber had failed to contest the Offaly Senior Hurling Final. On the other hand, they reached the Offaly Junior 'A' Hurling Final on 25 September 1999 – the first time Seir Kieran had done so in 30 years. They narrowly lost the final to Kilcormac/ Killoughey. Meanwhile, John Coughlan the club's president and his wife Mary received a Sean Gael award at a function in Tullamore.
When the 1999 inter-county championships got going, Seir Kieran again had four representatives on Michael Bond's panel. In addition, Damien Murphy, James Coakley and Joe Guinan were called up to the Offaly Intermediate panel, coached by Paddy Scales with selectors Seamus Coakley and Joe Cleary. The Intermediates were beaten by Kilkenny in June. In the Leinster Senior Hurling Semi-final on 20 June 1999, Offaly saw off Wexford by 3-17 to 0-15. Joe, Billy and Johnny Dooley pitched in for a combined 1-13, and Kevin Kinahan also played a stormer. In the Leinster Final on 11 July, however, the reigning Leinster Champions, now coached by Brian Cody felled the reigning All Ireland Champions. Kilkenny's goals were scored by DJ Carey, Henry Shefflin, Charlie Carter and Brian McEvoy. With their pride severely stung, the Faithful County regrouped admirably. Antrim hit them with everything in the All Ireland Quarter-final, but Offaly still won by 4-22 to 0-12. The All Ireland Semi-final on 8 August 1999 was only the second-ever meeting between Cork and Offaly in the Senior Hurling Championship, and Joe Dooley was the only player to span the fifteen years since the Centenary Final. Notwithstanding the wet and greasy conditions, the game became an instant classic of wet-day hurling, and the caliber of both sides' display was absolutely top-drawer. The Rebels shaded it by 0-19 to 0-16. Cork and Offaly each scored 0-12 from play, so the match turned on the frees awarded by the referee, Dickie Murphy. Another crucial factor was the maturity shown by Jimmy Barry-Murphy's gifted young team when Offaly's grip seemed to be tightening. In the aftermath, Johnny Pilkington expressed his side's perplexity at having played so brilliantly, and yet having lost the game:

The championships of 2000

Pat Fleury took over from Michael Bond for the 2000 season, for which Johnny Dooley was team captain. Although both Billy Dooley and Martin Hanamy had retired, Offaly again defeated Wexford in the opening round of the championship. When both the Offaly Minor and U-21 hurling teams won out their Leinster Finals, it briefly seemed that the Faithful County's underage prospects were reviving. In the Leinster Senior Hurling Final, however, Kilkenny beat Offaly comprehensively. Kevin Kinahan grimly summed up this third-in-a-row Leinster Final defeat: "They opened us up and spread us out – typical Kilkenny." The All Ireland Quarter-final took place on 23 July 2000, between Offaly and Derry.
Not only had Derry shocked Antrim in the Ulster decider, but in the second half of this Quarter-final, Offaly's experimental side looked to be in real difficulty. With an outstanding 12 points from Johnny Dooley, the Faithful County pulled through. Not many people rated their chances for the All-Ireland Semi-final re-match against Cork. On the day, however, Offaly wore down their opponents with a display of passion, power and pride, before storming to a famous 0-19 to 0-15 victory. Gary Hanniffy got the better of Brian Corcoran, while Kevin Kinahan effortlessly intercepted the balls lofted in towards Joe Deane in the second half. Joe Dooley rated this: "one of the sweetest victories of my career.".
Although Pat Fleury's team were still the underdogs going into the All Ireland Final, they believed that losing both the 1998 and the 1999 Finals would pile the pressure on Kilkenny in the closing stages. For this to be a factor, Offaly would have to prevent the concession of goals early on. That was exactly what they failed to do, as the rampant Cats scored two early goals. Johnny Dooley led by example and never gave up, but each time Offaly looked like making a comeback, Kilkenny bagged another goal. It finished Kilkenny 5-15, Offaly 1-14. Just like in 1984 and 1995, the supporters turned out for the team's homecoming in their droves. Johnny Dooley said: "I think this is not the end of Offaly hurling". The Offaly captain would receive his third All Star Award in December 2000.
As usual, the end of Offaly's All Ireland campaign signaled the resumption of the domestic Senior Hurling Championship, in which Seir Kieran had finished level in the first round in April then again against St Rynagh's in May. On 16 September 2000, yet a third draw was the result against Birr, when a last-gasp free by Brian Whelahan – the only still-playing athlete to be selected on the GAA's Team of the Millennium – tied it up for the town. Seir Kieran's first outright win of that year's SHC finally came on 24 September against Lusmagh, when a rain of points from all angles made it Seir Kieran 1-19, Lusmagh 2-8. Next up was Ballyskenagh, whom the black and amber defeated to earn direct passage to the last four. Against Kilcormac/ Killoughey on 3 December 2000, Seir Kieran narrowly prevailed, despite the match being marred by an injury to Joe Dooley. That winter was one of the wettest since records began, and was followed in early Spring 2001 by the Foot and Mouth crisis. Therefore, the 2000 Offaly Senior Hurling Final did not proceed until 25 March 2001. It ended Birr 3-21, Seir Kieran 1-9 – the biggest Clareen defeat in the County Final since 1952.

Maintaining senior status

Seir Kieran regrouped after the setback in the County Final, lifting the Pat Carroll Cup on 8 July 2001 following a replay. The team fielded as follows: Liam Coughlan; Kieran Dooley, Paddy Connors, Kevin Abbott; Damien Murphy, Kevin Kinahan, Raymond Dooley; Johnny Dooley, Joe Guinan; Finbarr O'Neill, Mick Coughlan, Joe Dooley; Billy Dooley, Seamus Dooley, Barry Bergin; and substitutes Eugene Coughlan and Damien Coffey. They reached the quarter-final of the 2001 SHC against the same opposition. Although this exciting tussle also went to a replay, Coolderry won out by 3-13 to 3-9. The club failed to mount a serious challenge for the Sean Robbins Cup in the next few years. Many of their long-serving players retired from Senior hurling, and a string of championship losses in 2007 put Seir Kieran's Senior status in jeopardy. A similar situation pertained in 2008, when a nightmare defeat to Kinnitty in the opening round of the championship left them in relegation trouble later on, but they survived the relegation play-offs against Shamrocks and Drumcullen.
By 2009, the Seir Kieran panel was being augmented by some of the talented players who had won out the 2008 U-21 Title. However, Liam Coughlan continued his long service as goalkeeper, while other vastly experienced players also played on. They reached the Senior Hurling Quarter-final against Kilcormac/ Killoughey. With young Joe Bergin in devastating form at centre-forward, the black and amber had the winning of this match, but it went to a replay on 27 September which then went to extra time. It finished Kilcormac/ Killoughey 2-19, Seir Kieran 3-12. The team was coached by Padraig Madden, with selectors Seamus Dooley and Mick Coughlan. The Double Ks also eliminated Seir Kieran in the Senior Hurling Quarter-final of 19 September 2010.
Seir Kieran won out the Senior Hurling League on 22 March 2011, when Donal Coughlan became the first Clareen man in a decade to lift the Pat Carroll Cup. Michael Ryan was coach, with selectors Willie Dooley and Jimmy Connor. However, Coolderry were too strong for them in the 2011 SHC Quarter-final; and it was the same story against Shinrone who advanced to the last four in 2012. A breakthrough of sorts was achieved in 2013, when Seir Kieran beat Coolderry to reach their first Senior Semi-final since the turn of the century, where they lost to Kilcormac/ Killoughey. While they also got to the last four in 2014, it was St Rynagh's who went on to the county final.

Building a new clubhouse and compiling the club's history

The Seir Kieran clubhouse was redeveloped in the early years of the 21st century, a project managed by the then Club Secretary, Willie Dooley. As well as expanded changing and shower facilities for hurling, camogie and other Gaelic games, the redevelopment comprises enhanced meeting areas used by the GAA and other organisations in the local community. On completion of the project in early 2006, the entire debt from the cost of construction had been discharged.
In the same time frame, the club's history, The Music of the Ash, was published. The Secretary asked Jimmy Blake, a club member with a degree in history from University College Dublin, to write the book, which was then edited by Professor Muiris O'Sullivan of the UCD School of Archaeology. The book runs to almost 500 pages and narrates most of the matches in which Seir Kieran players have lined out. It lists the scoreline, team and opposing team for about 1,050 games between 1887 and 2001, including for 283 Offaly Senior league and championship games, 99 Leinster and All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship games, and 193 National Hurling League ties. Also included are 58 photographs and illustrations, 34 of which are in colour. Nickey Brennan, the GAA president, termed the book "a massive undertaking".
The official opening of the new clubhouse, together with the launch of the Club History, took place in April 2006. The then Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen, T.D., commended the contribution to Offaly that Seir Kieran continued to make, and declared the facility open. Other speakers included Ollie Daly, the then chairman of the Offaly County Board, GAA, Michael Murphy, the then Seir Kieran chairman, Willie Dooley, and Muiris O'Sullivan. Sean Dooley acted as M.C. for the evening. In the course of his remarks, Professor O'Sullivan said that the heroes of this book were not only there in the clubhouse. He said there was a belief in Ireland long ago that the souls of the dead gathered round close to the living at special times of the year. The heroes of this book were abroad, either living or dead, down in the graveyard or around the country.

The Under 21 hurling title of 2008

In 2008, Seir Kieran Óg beat Kilcormac Killoughey Gaels in the Offaly U-21 'A' Hurling Final. Having scored 1-6 of the winners' total, Joseph Bergin the captain lifted the P.J. Teehan Cup. Seir Kieran Óg also reached the U-21 'A' Final at Banagher in 2009, although Kilcormac/Killoughey proved too strong on this occasion. In 2010, when the panel was augmented by players from Drumcullen and Gracefield, Seir Kieran Óg reached their third U-21 Final in succession, but lost to Coolderry.

The Junior 'A' hurling titles of 2006 and 2014

Seir Kieran bridged a 37-year gap by winning the Junior 'A' final in 2006. The club continued on winning ways at Lusmagh on 29 November 2008, by winning the Division 3 Hurling League Final. Paul Scully lifted the Loughnane Cup.
On 19 October 2014, Seir Kieran beat Ballinamere by 2-12 to 1-8, to win a seventh Junior 'A' title. Earlier, on 6 September 2014 at Crinkill, the panel had beaten Birr by 4-13 to 1-13 in the final of the Division 2 League. Peadar Murray was nominated as Offaly's Junior hurling player of the year for 2014.

Honours