Tír na nÓg is a club with a long and successful traditions. This year 2019, the Randalstown based club celebrates its Centenary year, a marvellous achievement for any club.
The club was formed by Cork native Maurice Bogue who came to work in the area just over a Century ago. He introduced hurling to the area and along with Arthur and Tommy Martin, the Dornans, Paddy and Hugh, Paddy McCann, Dan Carville and WJ Davitt Tír na nÓg began in 1919. The first championship match was played against O’Donovan Rossa in August of that year in a field off the Craigstown Road.
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”64″ display=”pro_blog_gallery”]Although formed as a hurling club in 1919 within a year Tír na nÓg were playing in the South Antrim Football League. Camogie had taken root by the late 1920’s while in 1924 Tír na nÓg were instrumental in forming the South West Antrim Schools Hurling League with all three of our local feeder schools of the time participating. The social and cultural aspect of the club was not neglected either as within the first decade of our formation Irish Dancing classes and ceili dances were organised as too was the formation of a drama group. Annual excursions were organised to Glenarm and Portaferry with transport in the form of two charabancs.
In hurling Tír na nÓg has a rich tradition and many people within the county may not be aware that the club can boast three Senior Championship titles, in 1922, 1926 and 1939. In later years the won junior hurling championships in 1960, 1985 and 2002. Success in the big ball game came when they won the Junior Football Championship title in 1986 and two Intermediates in 1988 and 2000. The camogie team won a junior championship in 2000, an intermediate in 2006 and a county and Ulster intermediate championship in 2010. That same year the ladies footballers were victorious in a junior championship final in Casement Park.
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”65″ display=”pro_blog_gallery”]With facilities to rival any club in Ulster, two playing fields, a training pitch and an indoor 4G, the four codes continue to thrive and grow from strength to strength, with numbers flourishing at underage. The cultural aspect of the club also grows year on year with Irish dancing. music, language, drama, Scor na nÓg and Scor all featuring strongly within Tír na nÓg.
The club have major plans to celebrate such a prestige year and have put in place a programme of events and festivities from February through to October.
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”66″ display=”pro_blog_gallery”]Loosely following the ancient Irish festivals of Imbolg,
Bealtaine, Lunása and Samhain. The first
of these Imbolg, the beginning of Spring festival, takes place around St
Brigid’s Day (1st February). A full programme of St Brigid rush
cross making, storytelling with Patsy O’Hagan, Irish Language for the novice,
Hurling stick making, tradition music and dancing, performances from our County
and Ulster Scór na nÓg champions, wool and flax spinning, decorative straw-work
(Corn Dolly Making), patchwork quilting and American woodcraft (3 legged
stool making).
Tír na nÓg GAC Randalstown: 100 Years in the Making 1919-2019
Opening Weekend:
Thursday 31st January– St. Brigid cross making
Venue: Tír na nÓg clubrooms
Time: 7-8.30pm
Everyone welcome. Tea and refreshments will be available.
Friday 1st February– Story Telling with Three Time Bard of Armagh, Patsy O’Hagan
Venue: Tír na nÓg clubrooms
Time: 8.30pm- late. Price: £5 (at the door)
Everyone welcome. Refreshments available
Saturday 2nd February– Gaeilge Gan Stró (Effort Less Irish)
Venue: Tír na nÓg clubrooms
Time: 11.30am-2pm
Who: Beginners and novices- young and old. Everyone is welcome. You are guaranteed to leave this session with 300 words of Irish along with 2 songs. You will also be provided with a certification of recognition. This session will be led by Malachy Duffin.
Price: £2 per person or £5 per family.
Saturday Night Vigil Mass
Venue: St. MacNissi’s Church Randaltown, Time: 6pm
Sunday 3rd February– Cultural Day and Ulster Football League fixture
Venue: Tír na nÓg pitches and indoor 4G facility.
Time: Football fixture: 12pm- Cultural Day: 1.30-4.30pm
What: Ulster folk Museum exhibition of old world trades and craft, hurley stick making, tradition music and dancing and performances from our County and Ulster Scór na nÓg champions.
Please note: In celebration of 100 years a nostalgia and memorabilia museum has been created in the foyer of our main building. It will be officially opened on Saturday 2nd February 11am-4pm and Sunday 3rd February. We would encourage all of our members, their families and everyone from our community to visit this exhibition. A guest book will be present at the door and we would ask all visitors to comment and sign.
Go Raibh maith agat
Tír na nÓg
Go raibh maith agat
Tír na nÓg Centenary Commitee