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History

Killavullen GAA club is one of the oldest official clubs in North Cork, with evidence to suggest the playing of games in the parish under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1893, and with the exception of a North Cork Junior hurling championship that they came close to annexing in 1929; being narrowly defeated by Churchtown, in the final, the club toiled away without much initial success. However they had a proud tradition of promoting our Gaelic games, and the club is grateful to neighbouring parishes, particularly Shanballymore for inviting them to participate in hurling tournaments which sometimes brought success, but more importantly provided competitive games in preparation of championship fixtures. The prize for winning such tournaments was often the "Cut" of a suit, or gold watches, which in poorer times, were great incentives to do well. Persistence paid off and in 1962, the club contested the final of the Avondhu Novice hurling Championship, and won out this competition in 1968. In between, with the immense help of Johnny Beechinor, a native of Newmarket, who had come to settle in the parish Killavullen made a break through in Football in 1963, which was the clubs first football title, and went out to further glory in 1979, when they were crowned North Cork Junior (B) Hurling League Champions.

Since the revival of the juvenile club in 1978, more success has been recorded in football rather than hurling, and with the growth in population of the parish, and trojan work been done within the juvenile structure of the club, the basis for the modern day success of the club has been laid. The club won North Cork Under-12 championships in 1980 and 1981 and won Avondhu championships at all age levels, including minor titles in 1986 and 1992. Indeed in 1992, we won North Cork Championships in Under 14 B hurling; minor football and we were league champions in minor hurling and junior football, which really was a historic year.

In 1993 Killavullen won the North Cork Junior (B) Football Championship, won the divisional league title and contested, albeit unsuccessfully, the county Junior (B) Football Championship, which reflects the work done at the Juvenile level since 1978 by Johnny Beechinor, Owen O Neill, George Lane, Mattie Dorgan, Joe Taylor, Tim Nagle and other club members.

The underage success of the club in the middle years on the 1980's came to fruition when the club contested the Junior Football ranks in North Cork, and won the league championship in 1997, before annexing their first North Cork Junior football championship in 1998. That same year, Killavullen were defeated in the county final by Newmarket. The team again won the North Cork junior Football Championship in 1999, before winning that same title again in the year 2000, and landing the County title, defeating Kiskeam in the final. This gained the club promotion to the intermediate grade.

The Tadgh Crowley Cup was won in the year 2002, in our second year at the intermediate ranks, before the Tom Creedon cup was won in 2003, and again claimed in 2005. In the intervening year, Killavullen won the Munster Intermediate Football League in 2004.

The club came within the width of a post of winning the Premier Intermediate Football title in 2007, being defeated by Mallow in a very closely fought final.

Off the playing pitch, the club, to commemorate the centenary of the founding of the GAA, in 1984 the club were very grateful to the Browne Family from Killavullen from whom they purchased land near the village and since then have developed then into a magnificent playing field. Dressing Rooms were added in time, and recently, a second playing pitch and gym facilities have been added to the clubs portfolio. The playing pitch must surely be one of the most picturesque in all of Cork with it being on the banks of the Blackwater River, though it is subject to the vagaries of flooding. However careful sitting of the dressing rooms means that these do not flood.

The club members are very grateful to the farmers who gave their fields down through the years, particularly the Lucey family, Ballymacmoy who provided the club with a playing pitch for over 30 years. Prior to that venue, games were played in the Inch Field of the property that is now part of the Nano Nagle Centre in Ballygriffin.

Aside from these activities, Killavullen has been competing with success in Scor na n'Og and in Scor na bPaisti, and praise must be heaped upon the respective principals, both present and former, in the two schools in the parish, Killavullen National School, and Ballygown National School for all their help down through the years in this regard.

Killavullen GAA Roll of Honour