History

		The History of Glenamaddy GAA

	Four years after the GAA was founded in 1884 some members from the radical Irish National League (Glenamaddy Branch) decided to form a GAA Club in the area and named it "Glenamaddy O'Briens", after William Smith O'Brien the Nationlist MP who at the time was incarcerated in Clonmel Jail. By the spring of the following year (1889) they participated in a tournament in Ballymoe - their first ever game which ended in a draw with Ballinaheigleish O'Kelly's.
	In 1890 football clubs were being established in most parishes of North Galway and the west end of Boyounagh parish, Lisheenaheilta formed their own club and affiliated to the County Committtee along with Glenamaddy O'Briens. Both played in major tournaments for a while before "The Parnell Split" wreaked havoc on the GAA and event that was to spell the end for many clubs all over the country. And so it proved with the O'Briens and Glenamaddy did not affiliate again for 17 years when they were beaten by Dunmore McHales in the 1st round of the newly introduced Junior Championship in 1909.
	Glenamaddy played Junior Championship for a few years and were given a massive boost when John Joe Collins - son of Martin.B.Collins, General Merchant (now Mannion's) was selected to play for Galway in 1914. The first World War, the War of Independence and the Civil War again put paid to the club affiliating again until 1924, an occasion marked by the team being photographed, the earliest dated photograph so far to be found.
	On the Field, the club was achieving little success and it fluctuated between being called Boyounagh and Glenamaddy for a while. The "townies" of Glenamaddy were mainly Martin.B.Collin's staff and other shopworkers whilst Boyounagh depended mainly on rural workers. The club did not own a pitch and played in the Turlough, Gannon's field at Cashel Cross and Geraghty's field in Glan.
	By the outbreak of the 2nd World War in 1939 and with still no trophy or medals to show for all their endeavours the club yet again disbanded and did not affiliate again until 1955 although at various times they played 'Parish League' football and affliated a minor team in 1952/53. The 1953 minors were the first Glenamaddy team to reach a North Board Final going down to Headford in Tuam. The Timothy brothers and the Walsh brothers backboned the team.
	In 1956 the Juniors in an effort to gain some success reformed under their new name "St Patrick's", a loose combination of Boyounagh, Williamstown and Glenamaddy. A good team which included the likes of Bosco McDermott but still failed to clinch a North Board Title.
	It was left to the juveniles of 1963 to bring the first set of medals to Glan and in 1965 they won the North Board title again only to lose it after an objection from their late arriving opponents - Corofin. It was rough justice on the Glan lads as the cup was doing the rounds for two weeks in the parish before Corofin were granted their replay by the North Board.1965 also saw "St Patrick's" revert to the name of Glenamaddy as Williamstown had reformed their own club but it wasn't until 1976 that the Juniors achieved a modicum of success by being promoted from Div 3.
	With a new board in place, spearheaded by Mattie Potter since the early 1970's underage success followed and the U-14's and U-16's won many titles. With the Juniors a major breakthrough was achieved with promotion to the Intermediate Grade in 1987. Thirteen years later (2000) promotion to the senior ranks followed for the first time in it's then 112 year history.