Monagea G.A.A club originally known as William O'Brien's, is one of the oldest in the county, having been founded in 1896. Whether this came about, because of a plentiful supply of ash, within the parish, the presence at the time of many young men of twenty, or the vision of a few dedicated young men is uncertain.
What is clear that in Monagea hurling and football were played with a great deal of enthusiasm and no small degree of success in the early day of the fledgling organisation Indeed one local historian, was recently heard to comment that most of our glory days came at the beginning.
The first of these days came on the 31st of May 1903 when Monagea contested the delayed 1902 County Senior Hurling final played at the Markets Field in Limerick, when Monagea had to give best to Young Ireland's on the score of 2-9 to 0-5.
Even before this Larry Sheehan of Camas had won an All Ireland Senior football medal, with Limerick Commercials at Jones's Rd Dublin on Feb 6th 1898. Soon after he moved to Dublin where he was employed by McBirney's on O'Connell Bridge. He was a member of the beaten Dublin team of 1904 but won another Senior All Ireland two years later when playing corner forward with Dublin against Cork.
In 1914 Dr Jim Reidy from Gardenfield became the first Limerick man to captain U.C.C to Fitzgibbon cup success a feat which was to be emulated twenty four years later in 1937 by Maurice Roche from the neighbouring townland of Ballygeale
Willie Hough Monagea's most famous sportsman was born in the townland of Ballyshane in 1892. His father William was the first chairman of the West Limerick G.A.A board. As a student in De La Salle College in Waterford, Willie made his debut with Waterford in the Munster Championship of 1913 against the "Toomevara greyhounds".
Two years later he lined out with Limerick against Tipperary at Dan Fraher field in Dungarvan. Between 1917 and 1923 he was a pillar of the Limerick team that reached seven consecutive Munster Senior Hurling finals. By now the team in Monagea had lapsed and in 1917 four men from the parish, Willie Hough captain, John Hough, Dan Greene and Ger Brouder were members of the Newcastle West team that won the County Senior hurling championship.
In 1918 Willie Hough became the first West Limerick man to captain an All Ireland winning Senior-hurling team, he lined out at centre back. He was to the fore again in 1921 and was on the beaten 1923 team. In 1936 he was elected treasurer of the Munster council a post he held with distinction for 26 years. He was principal teacher in Monagea School from 1914 until 1957 and was succeeded by Sean O'Sullivan from Ballinskelligs who had won an All Ireland minor medal with Kerry in 1933.

History Continued