Prior to 1929 Clonfanlough had its own team affiliated and Shannonbridge had no team. In 1929 master Lane, the principal of Shannonbridge national school, was the prime mover in affiliating a parish club known as St. Ciaran's. He had already been fielding schools teams and the club had a good under - age team. The club won a county minor championship in 1929, beating Rhode in the final, but lost on an objection due to the christian name of Bertie Johnston not being filled in because the secretary was unsure of his proper christian name. This final was not played until 1931 as often happened in those times.

The junior team contested a county junior final in 1931 but lost to Gracefield. The team did not reach a final again until 1936 when they won the county junior championship beating Durrow by 4 - 10 to 1 - 0. This game was played on 8th March 1937. In those years there was no intermediate championship. This meant that St. Ciaran's contested the senior championship the following year.

In 1942, St. Ciaran's qualified for the county senior semi - final and defeated Walsh Island by 5 points. Walsh Island objected to father Willie Kinlough who lived just over the bridge and St. Ciaran's counter objected to a similar situation on the Walsh island team. A replay was ordered and this took place in Ballycumber. Bertie Johnston was injured early in the game and St. Ciaran's lost by 5 points. An altercation took place between supporters after the game and following an investigation by the county board St. Ciaran's were suspended for two years. The club disbanded after this suspension and the footballers and hurlers of the parish had no club of their own. For many years they had to go to neighbouring clubs Belmont and Doon to play. Indeed Shannonbridge parish provided many players to both these clubs over the years. These included Louis Darcy who played junior hurling for Offaly, Peter Daly, Paddy Daly, Joe Redican who went on to win a national football league medal with New York, Sean Rohan, Eugene Carty, Mick Norton, Jimmy Coleman, Frank Coleman, Peter "gunner " Kelly, Kieran O'Connor, Tony Mcdermott, Kieran Norton and Denis Loonam.

During this time a number of players from the parish also represented Offaly at various levels most notably Frank Coleman who won a Leinster junior medal at left corner back and played in an all - Ireland junior semi - final against Cork.

In 1972 a small number of G.A.A. Players decided to try to start a club in the parish again. These included Frank Coleman, Eamonn Mahon, Denis Loonam, Noel Rock, Kieran Coakley, Tom Moore and Kieran O'Connor. The new club was affiliated in 1973 and played its first championship match in Kilcormac against Tullamore in the county junior championship. The team played in the junior grade for the first seventeen years of its existence. Among the officials during the early years of the club were Kieran "the lake" Kelly R.I.P., Dan Edwards, Stephen Hyland, Ned Cassidy R.I.P., and Declan Ryan.

For the first few years it had the use of a pitch on the Connacht side of the Shannon, which was owned by Michael Reddy. The players also used the school grounds at Clonmacnoise, part of the "barrack field" in Clonfanlough and the E.S.B. Soccer pitch at Shannonbridge. During the early years of the new club Some players played county football, among them Pat Corbett and Malcolm Cassidy who both won Leinster under - 21 medals. Pat Corbett went on to play senior county football for a number of national league games. Pakie O'Shea played midfield for Offaly minors in Croke park and also played under - 21 and senior national league games. Indeed Pakie was very unlucky in 1981 to get injured and he missed out on Offaly's 1982 All - Ireland success.

In 1975 and 1976 two junior semi finals were contested unsuccessfully, both against St. Rynagh's. In 1978 a pitch was purchased from the land commission at Lecarrow, about 2 miles out from the village. The ground was part of the Burns estate and the area was just big enough for a football pitch. That year another junior semi final was contested and again lost, this time to Killeigh in Birr.

During the early eighties there was still no success Despite a county final appearance in 1984 losing to Tullamore in Ballycumber. Officials of the club during the early eighties included Tom Moore, Pat Corbett, Noel Rocke, Kieran Kelly, Denis Loonam, Jimmy Mooney, Sean Kelly, Eamonn Mahon and Augustine Egan. Team captains during the seventies and early eighties included Frank Coleman, Pat Corbett, Eamonn Mahon and Kieran Coughlan. During the early eighties the club started to field its own under age teams. A lot of work was done in the schools by teachers Jack Walshe, Liam Broderick and Michael Donegan, and the schools team won some Cumann na mBunscoil competitions. Shannonbridge and Clonmacnois schools played as a combined team during these years and also fielded separate teams in competitions for smaller schools.

The first major success was when the club won a minor "A" league in 1986 competing against teams from senior clubs. This team was managed by Sean Kelly. The minor "B" championship was won in 1989, 1990 and 1992. These victories were to provide the springboard for success at adult level.

In 1986 the junior team lost another semi final, this time going down to Doon in Ballycumber and the same opposition beat them in the county junior final after a replay in 1987 in Ferbane. Both the 1986 and 1987 teams were managed by Sean Kelly and Eamonn Mahon.

In 1986 Gerry Corbett and Michael Devine both won Leinster under - 21 medals with Offaly. And in 1988 Niall O'Shea and Alan O'Shea won both Leinster and all - Ireland under - 21 medals and Michael Devine won an All - Ireland under - 21 medal having been called into the panel after the Leinster triumph.

1989, proved to be the year of the breakthrough for the club. There were victories for the first time ever with the junior championship, division 4 league and junior cup being won. Declan Mcevoy was captain in 1989 and was the first player to bring a county championship trophy back to the "bridge". The county championship final was won after a replay against Mucklagh on a score line of 1 - 12 to 1 - 6. The team was Pakie Brazil, Mick Flanagan, Johnny Mooney, Eamonn Mahon, Gerry Corbett, Kieran O'Shea, Des Mcevoy, Peter Kelly, Pat Joe Kelly, Jim Killeen, Niall O'Shea, Declan Mcevoy, Alan O'Shea, Pakie O'Shea, Michael Devine.

The intermediate championship final of 1990 was lost to St. Brigids of Croghan in Tullamore. However the intermediate title was won in 1991 when Ballycumber were defeated in Ferbane. Michael Devine was captain that year. The club was now playing in the senior grade. The team also won division 3 league in 1990 and division 2 league in 1991. During these three years the team was under the management of Des Dolan from Athlone.

From 1988 onwards the club also concentrated on the purchase of additional ground, the development of the playing pitch, the building of dressing rooms, the provision of a car park and the erection of floodlights. These facilities were funded by the hard work of a very dedicated group of people who raised money by means of various functions such as a silver circle draw, a "lord mayor of Shannonbridge" campaign which saw Brid Devine being elected, three major prize draws, a weekly club lottery draw which is shared with Doon and an annual golf classic on Easter Monday which has become a regular event on the midland golf calendar. All these fundraising events have raised large amounts of money and the club has also been granted national lottery funds of eleven thousand pounds. A conservative estimate of the total cost to date of the developments is one hundred and fifty thousand pounds. The next major project is the erection of covered spectator accommodation and it is hoped that this will be built in 2001.

In 1994 the senior team qualified for the county senior final only to lose to near neighbours Ferbane by three points. This team was managed by John Dowling from Clan na Gael club in Roscommon who did great work with the team for three years.

In 1996 the Dowling cup, the prize for the winners of the county senior football championship was brought back to Shannonbridge for the first time after a great victory over Tullamore. This was also the Offaly centenary football final. The final score was 1 - 11 to 0 - 12. The team returned to Shannonbridge that Sunday evening with the biggest prize in Offaly football and were greeted by a huge crowd. Great scenes were witnessed in the parish that night and for many days and nights after as the victorious team were feted. The team that played in that county final win was Kevin Rohan, Joe Duffy, Gerry Corbett, Larry Rohan, Colm Kenny, Vincent Darcy, Jim Killeen, John Ryan, Mark Carty, Fergal Mcevoy ( 0 - 6 ), Declan Mcevoy ( Captain ) ( 0 - 2 ), Pat Joe Kelly ( 0 -1 ), Donal Claffey, Vincent Mooney ( 1 - 1 ), Anthony Kelly ( 0 - 1 ). Substitutes used on the day were Michael Devine and Niall O'Shea with other players on the panel being Kieran Rohan, Pakie Brazil, Alan O'Shea, Karol Kelly, Noel Mannion and Tony Rohan.

That team went on to play the Wicklow champions Rathnew in Aughrim, Co. Wicklow in the Leinster club championship where they drew in what was a great day out for almost everyone in the parish. Several bus loads travelled to Aughrim that day and gave their team tremendous support during the match. Shannonbridge won the replay in Tullamore. Dublin champions St. Sylvester's proved too strong for a depleted Shannonbridge team in the quarterfinal. The team that represented Offaly in the Leinster club championship were without the services of Michael Devine who was injured and Colm Kenny who had put off a trip to australia until after the county final. The team of 1996 was captained by Declan Mcevoy with Gerry Corbett as vice - captain , Eamonn Mahon as manager and Noel Rocke and Declan Mcevoy as selectors.

As county champions Shannonbridge were invited to take part in the All - Ireland sevens competition in Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin on All - Ireland football weekend of 1997.

In 1996 the under - 12 team won the county "B" final when they beat Ballycumber in Doon. Eamonn Mahon and Sean Kelly managed this team. These schoolboys had been playing together since they were under - 10 and had won several schools competitions under the management of school principals Liam Broderick and Michael Donegan. Indeed it is worth noting that all of the team that won the first ever senior title had played together for the joint school team of Shannonbridge - Clonmacnois and had developed their team spirit as national school pupils before coming up through the under age ranks. This co - operation between the two national schools in the parish and the amount of coaching work being done by the teachers and club meant a steady stream of talent kept coming onto the adult teams.

In 1998 the club's second team won the county junior "B" championship with a Mixture of young and experienced players. This team was captained by Alan O'Shea and managed by Eamonn Mahon with Frank Guinan and Alan O'Shea as Selectors. This victory meant that the club had won every adult county title. The senior team also won the 1998 division 1 league after a titanic battle with neighbours Doon. This victory also gave the club all divisional league titles. With these two victories the club had two members who had won every adult Medal that can be won in Offaly. Alan O'Shea and Tony Rohan have collected Senior, intermediate, junior "A" and junior "B" championship medals along with Divisions 1, 2, 3 and 4 league medals.

Shannonbridge G.A.A. Club has provided many players to county teams and players from the club have won numerous medals with county teams. Pride of place must go to John Ryan who won an All - Ireland senior hurling medal and a national football league medal in 1998. Players from the club have won three All - Ireland under 21 football medals, Leinster football and hurling medals and Leinster vocational titles and colleges titles. Most of the young boys from Shannonbridge and Clonfanlough go to secondary school in Ferbane to St. Saran's and St. Joseph's secondary school and to Ferbane vocational school. These two schools have strong football traditions and both schools have had a large number of players from the club lining out over the years.

Two players from the club, Vincent Mooney in 1991 and Anthony Kelly in 1996 have been chosen as Offaly footballer of the year.

During the mid eighties and nineties the following were among the officials Who oversaw the developments both on and off the field :- Eamonn Mcmanus, Larry Rohan and Noel Rock as chairmen, Frank Guinan as vice chairman, Eamonn Mahon as secretary, Kieran Coakley and Pat O'Shea as treasurers, Noel Keena, Jim Killeen, Sean Ryan, Denis Loonam, Michael Mahon, Kieran Rohan, Declan Mcevoy, Tom Moore, Jimmy Mooney, Pakie brazil, Kieran Rocke, Peter Guinan and Kevin Rohan. Many others too numerous to mention also gave valuable assistance.

At present Shannonbridge G.A.A. Club field under - 10, under - 12, under - 14, under - 16, under - 18 and two adult teams as well as joining with neighbouring clubs to play in the under - 21 championship. Shannonbridge ladies also join with Doon to play in the ladies county championships.

In their 28 years existence the club have won junior "B", junior "A", intermediate and senior football championships, they have won division 1, 2, 3, and 4 league titles. They have played in the Leinster club football championship and the All - Ireland football sevens competition. They have won minor, under - 16, under - 14 and under - 12 county championships.

All the above achievements, both on and off the field, have been brought to a parish with a very small catchment area of less than 200 houses. The success Of the club both on and off the field are all the more remarkable when one considers the competition from other clubs in the county where the population would be far greater.

It is fair to say that in a short number of years Shannonbridge G.A.A. Club has established itself as one of the foremost clubs in the midlands and everyone involved can be rightly proud of their efforts and can look forward to the new millennium with confidence.

Eamonn Mahon, June, 2001