The major sporting pastime in Rathgormack is Gaelic Football, with Hurling being the game played in the parish of Clonea.
Besides GAA, Rathgormack also has a Soccer club which competes in the Waterford League. At the moment there is a junior team and a youths team. While some might scoff at the size of the club they have produced many fine players some of which have gone much further than the confines of the small club. There are many other sporting pastimes in the area such as golf, cycling, angling and shooting to mention a few.
GAA
The 1990s were probably the best sporting years in the parish's history. The Gaelic Football Club contested 5 county finals winning 3 of them. It contested 2 Munster Semi-finals, losing both games after replays and the club ended the decade by winning a Senior/Junior double which was the first in its history.
Rathgormack's Senior
Football team won back
to back county Championships for the first time in over 70 years in 1995 and 1996 and again in 1999.
The hurling side of the parish, Clonea-Power, are currently playing in the Intermediate division of the Hurling Championship. Over the years Clonea has produced senior teams that have competed well in the Senior divisions but at this point in time it is the under-age levels at are showing the most promise.
Other famous sporting people who live in and around the parish of Rathgormack are:
Sean Kelly (left), the world famous cyclist, Tour de France legend and specialist of Paris-Nice Classic and other famous races.
Sean, now retired, was a world class sprinter and time trialist and with his trademark consistency he was ranked No. 1 in the world for 3 years. He once held the record for most "Green" jerseys in the Tour de France (given for the most consistently high stage finisher in the Tour) from 1982 to 1986. Sean's family own a farm in Ballygarret in Clonea-Power with Sean's brother, running a successful "redistribution" service.
So highly was Sean regarded that the world famous cycle race, the TOUR DE FRANCE, passed by his home and through the parish of Rathgormack and Clonea in July 1998 as part of the third day stage from Enniscorthy to Cork.
Pat Flynn, a popular local horse trainer and past footballer, lives in Windgap and runs a training stable in Ballingarra. He has trained winners at home and abroad, even some Cheltenham Festival winners such as Montelada and French Ballerina.
If you want to find out more about the stables follow this link to Pat Flynn Stables.
Soccer
The Hunt brothers, Stephen and Noel, are both currently playing soccer with teams in the UK.
Noel is playing with Dundee United in Scottish Premier League. Noel is a handy striker who moved to Scotland a couple of seasons ago after impressing a number of clubs with a string of fine displays with Shamrock Rovers in the FAI Premier League.
Noel transferred to Dundee United in June 2006 after 3 and a half years with Dunfermline, during that time he scores a number of goals, including goals against Celtic and Rangers. In his last season with the Pars he netted 5 goals in 34 appearances. You can follow his progress with Dundee Utd at this site: Dundee United FC.
Stephen is playing in mid-field with Reading who achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2006. He has his own web-site at
Officialplayersite.com. Stephen started his UK playing career with Crystal Palace which was also the starting point for Ritchie Kennedy, from the village. Stephen moved from Palace to Brentford at the start of the 2001-02 season and played in the Millennium Stadium in a play-off final in 2002.
He transferred to Reading at the end of the 2004-05 season to team up again with old boss, Steve Coppell, whom he had played for at his two old clubs. A favourite of Coppell, Stephen appeared in the majority of Readings league games last season, most of them from bench.
Hopefully the 2006 season will be a successful for Hunty & fellow Irish lads, Graham Stack & Kevin Doyle
Probably one of the most skillful players in either soccer or gaelic football ever to come out of Rathgormack has been Ritchie Kennedy, a local from the village.
He secured his first contract at English Premiership side, Crystal Palace before moving to Brentford around 1999. More recently he had been involved with Barry Town of the Welsh league before their financial problems led to a mass exodus of players. Since then he has moved back to Ireland.
These Pages have been written and maintained by Keith Kennedy.
Disclaimer: This website is of my own undertaking and does not represent any of the beliefs or ideas of any one from Rathgormack. If I offend anyone in these pages it is purely by accident and not by intent.
