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A Brief History
Hurling was being played in Clonea even before the founding of the G.A.A. Records show that Clonea is one of the oldest clubs in County Waterford. The Meehan family of Clonea were said to be the first hurley-makers in the county.
"Unorganised" hurling continued in the area until 1902 when it was decided to form
a Parish Club under the guidance of James Kirwan and others.
From 1907 until 1929 the club went through a lean period when we won the Junior Championship. Stars of the 1929 team were Mick, Marty and Eddie Whelan, Tom and David Power and Maurice Keane.
The Junior Championship was again returned to the parish in 1939 and that team contained the likes of Paddy Brett, Andy Coughlan, Jack Dempsey, Billy Moore and Billy Kelly.
Over that period some famous
names in Waterford Hurling played a major role in the history
of the club. The Cusacks, John, Tom, Paddy, Phil, the Galvins, Billy,
James, Paddy, the Whelans, Neddy, Martin, Mickey, the Moores,
Billy, John, Joe, Seán, and Denny Hassett. Andy and Michael
Coughlan, Paddy and Billy Kelly, Paddy Brett.
The years following the 1939 victory were the most successful in the long history of the club with Clonea winning the league on three successive ocassions. 1947 saw Clonea back in the Senior Hurling Final after coming out of the Junior ranks. On that day they were beaten after a re-play by a great Erin's Own team. The following year witnessed Waterford winning its first Senior All-Ireland and Clonea were represented by the above mentioned, John Cusack, and Bill & Jim Galvin.
Clonea won the Junior Championship in 1970, probably one of the most famous in the clubs' history, the team showed great spirit to turn a half time deficit of eleven points into a one point victory over a gallant Ballysaggart team. Full back on that day was the present Eastern Board Secertary Denis Hanrahan.
In 1977 and 1981 the Club won Intermediate titles (beating Fourmilewater 3-07 to 0-04 and Ferrybank 2-13 to 1-10 respectively)
We won the Under
21 Championships in 1978/'79. In 1973 the U-14 "B" Hurling title was
won. Since then we have won Under 16's, many City leagues at Under
11, 13 and 15. Under-age hurling is, at present, very strong in the Parish with the Under 21s winning the "B" final in 1997, the Minors winning the "B" final in 1996 and the Minors competing in the Eastern Final in the "A" grade this year.
The following year, 1903, saw Clonea being crowned County Champions and
again in 1905, 1907 and 1952 at Senior level.
John Cusack, the president of our club is currently the only man living the parish to hold an All-Ireland Senior Hurling Medal. John's rise to fame was a little different from nowadays in that he never played much underage hurling before his breakthrough to
the Waterford Senior team in 1948. This victory over Dublin was undoubtedly the highlight of John's career, who modestly says "he was in the right place at the right time". It was a great day for our small club who had been Junior two years earlier to have a star suddenly in our midst.
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