1956-2008

FOR 50 YEARS IS A MIGHTY LONG TIME

(recopied from 25^th Anniversary Ad Book)

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As a rule, the month of October brings memories of Halloween and ‘trick or treat’.  In 1956, Chicago’s treat was the formation of a new Gaelic Football Club.  The trick was choosing a name that would do justice to a group of spirited young men. (Local McBride historians have told me it was like pulling a rabbit out of a hat!)

The first Board Officers were:          

                        Ed Spellman (Honorary President)

                        John McHugh (Chairman)

                        Eamon O’Malley (Secretary)

                        Chris Montgomery (Recording Secretary)

                        Frank O’Kane (Treasurer)

 Others present at the first meeting were:

                        Paul Heneghan

                        John Whitney

                        Mickey Heraty

                        Mike O’Brien

                        Brendan Moran

                        Neil Gallagher

                        Pat Broderick

                        John Mulcrone

                        Pat Heneghan

                        Joe Kilroy

Cleveland had the honor of hosting the first game of McBride’s on May 4, 1957.  The referee was Owen Lowry.  Many stories of that game have been told over the years but everyone agrees on the score, McBride's 1 – 4 to St. Pat’s 0 – 7.

In November of 1961, McBride’s chartered with the State of Illinois; its purpose being to preserve and promote interest and participation of Gaelic Football and Irish culture in general.

Its first Board of Directors were:

                         John O’Rourke, Co. Offaly

                        Dennis Harrington, Co. Mayo

                        Michael Clark, Co. Cavan

In 1980, the North American Board applied pressure to all Senior Clubs to promote minor football within their own club.  Mike and Judy Maloney were responsible for the formation of the U19 and U15 teams.  After months of many phone calls and training sessions, McBride’s U19 won the 1980 Chicago Championship.

It is impossible to mention the great many people who have joined McBride’s throughout these last 50 years, and have contributed so much of their time, ideas and loyalty.  All we can say is thank you.

50 Years of McBride's Gaelic Football 

After several years of valiant effort in the Senior ranks, McBride’s decided to drop down Junior.  We won Chicago in 1997 and got beat in the North America Final in 1998.  2006 saw our Junior ‘B’ team win Chicago.

In between our successes we had many victories and memorable occasions both on and off the field.  Our thanks to all who played, managed and ran the club during the past 50 years.

Winnings of John McBride's GFC

 HOW DID IT START

It all started in the basement of McNeill’s.  The year was 1982.  There they were – Theresa O’Looney, Mike Feeney, Tom O’Neill and Pat Gibbons.  Then and there it happened.  Theresa suggested it.  The next night it was announced; McBride's finally started a women’s team.  Getting a trainer was literally, ‘a joke’.  When asked to coach, Sean Derrig agreed, thinking it was a joke.  But when the time came for practices to start, Sean kept his word.  Out he came to Oriole Park every Monday and Wednesday night.  Aided by Mike Heneghan, P.J. Maleny and Padraig King, Sean gradually whipped us into shape(?).  Who could forget those practices???  Remember the leg exercises – the one where you had to hold to the count of ten?  “Do them right, or ye’ll do them again!”  Or how about those endless laps – Foley vowed never to smoke another cigarette again.  And those suicides sure lived up to their names – Marcella thought Sean would never stop blowin’ his whistle!  (Who gave him that damn whistle anyway?)

For three months, the girls trained hard and finally learned how to play Gaelic Football (at least sometimes it looked that way).  Torture paid off when they played their first friendly game against the Gaelic Gals, founded by Billy Cooke, Olive Godvic and Donie Lynch.  McBride's were defeated in their second friendly game by the South Side’s Erin’s Rovers, founded by Mossy Scanlon, John Scanlon, Jerry Maguire and Joe Duffy.

Then things got serious and the Leagues started. In August, John McBride’s lost the final to the Erin’s Rovers.  They played a fine game having held them scoreless in the second half.  O’Looney thought the game was played the way a game is supposed to be, and “hopes there will be more teams next year”.  When team captain Rita Heneghan was asked about the team’s performance, she just smiled!  Sean Derrig said, “It was s-a-a-d!”  While on a happier note, Maggie Folan thought “we were a great bunch of women and we had a fine coach.”

Optimistic Mary Foley knows:  “WE’LL BE BACK NEXT YEAR”

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