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The Warwickshire County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) or Warwickshire GAA, is one of the county boards of the GAA outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in Warwickshire. The county board is also responsible for the Warwickshire county teams.

History

Hurling has been played in the Birmingham area since 1907 when the Erin's Hope team arranged games against teams from Liverpool, Manchester and London. A period of decline followed and, in spite of various clubs forming from time to time, there were no organised competitions. In 1935, the British GAA Council arranged a meeting with the intention of forming a county board. A committee was established and some progress was made before the outbreak of World War II made it difficult to continue.

Due to efforts of the John Mitchel's Hurling Club, and in response to a request from the Lancashire County Board, the Warwickshire County Board was formed in 1941. Clubs were subsequently formed in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Redditch and by 1959 there were 40 teams playing hurling and Gaelic football in Warwickshire.

County team

Between 1946 and 1990 the Warwickshire inter-county teams reached 18 All-Ireland junior finals, divided equally amongst both Gaelic football and hurling. Warwickshire lost all nine All-Ireland JFC finals, however, All-Ireland JHC titles were won in 1968, 1969 and 1973. There was also a defeat by Antrim in the 1970 All-Ireland IHC final.

A restructuring of the entire hurling championship system in 2005 resulted in Warwickshire fielding a team in the third tier Nicky Rackard Cup. The team later dropped down to the fourth tier and won Lory Meagher Cup titles in 2013 and 2017.

Grounds

Games were initially played at Glebe Farm in Birmingham. Páirc na hÉireann in Solihull is the current headquarters of Warwickshire GAA.

Honours

• All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship (3): 1968, 1969, 1973
• Lory Meagher Cup (2): 2013, 2017
• All-British Junior Football Championship (6): 1968, 1969, 1973, 2006, 2021, 2023
• National Hurling League Division 3A (1): 2018
• National Hurling League Division 3B (2): 2015, 2024

Notable players

• Liam Watson: Lory Meagher Cup-winner (2017)

References

1. "History". Warwickshire GAA website. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
2. "John Mitchels: Eight decades at the forefront". The Irish World. 3 July 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
3. "Treasures: the year Warwickshire won the All-Ireland junior hurling final". Irish Independent. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
4. "We need you! Warks GAA appeal to former stars". The Irish World. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
5. "Fifty golden years ago today Antrim hurlers made the breakthrough". The Saffron Gael. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
6. "Warwickshire step it up in second half". Irish Examiner. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
7. "Warwickshire win Lory Meagher Cup". GAA website. 10 June 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
8. "New ground will put Warks GAA on a 'different level'". The Irish World. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
9. "New Dawn for GAA in Britain as Páirc na hÉireann redevelopment gets green light". The Irish Post. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
10. "Former Antrim star Liam Watson the difference as Warwickshire land Lory Meagher Cup title". Irish Independent. 10 June 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2023.

External link

• Warwickshire GAA website

• British GAA
• Gaelic games governing bodies in the United Kingdom