Forrester Cup returns to the Parish

Pictured below is Marie Keenan-Reilly, Seamus Treacy, Bishop Colm O’Reilly and Margaret Murtagh. The picture shows the Forrester Cup being handed over to the Club where it was in the possession of Bishop Colm. The cup will now be displayed in the Club House and hopefully it will be in good company by the end of the season.

The Foresters’ Cup was an All-County competition played on a knock out basis. It started on St. Patrick’s day 1912 when Colmcille played Killeo. The final of this championship was played the following year in Longford Park on St. Patrick’s day between Colmcille and Clonguish. ‘Best order was maintained on the field throughout the day’. Colmcille were declared winners by the narrowest of margins on a score line of 1-1 to 0-3. In those days there were 17 players per team. The cup was presented to the captain of Colmcille and it was believed to have remained in the Parish since. The Irish National Foresters’ donated the cup for this competition and it was their intention to continue presenting a new cup each year. The competition was never contested again.

Below is a picture of the team that won it back in 1913