In 1887 the first Gaelic football club to be formed in Fermanagh was in Newtownbutler.
Philip O`Reilly, a member of the O`Reilly family of Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan inherited his uncle`s hotel and business in Newtownbutler in January 1887.
O`Reilly attended St. Coleman`s College Newry where he was a student of Michael Cusack’s. A few months later during the summer of 1887 another Ballyconnell man and footballer, Jack Maguire came to Newtownbutler to take up a teaching post at Derryginnidy School. Both these men along with local man James B. McManus decided to start a football team.
They held their first meeting in Reilly`s hotel (The Lanesborough Arms) on Sunday 13th November 1887 which was also attended by the parish Priest Cannon Hugh Ward P.P and Father Francis Ward c.c. Other members of the parish known to have also attended were members of the Caughey and Conlon Families.
Success followed very shortly, winning a tournament in Belturbet in 1888 beating the local Rory O`Moores, Armagh Sons of Uisneagh and Bawnboyglasses and winning great acclaim for their style of play.
Newtownbutler Brehons as they were at that time travelled up Lough Erne to Belturbet in old flat-bottomed boats that were used at the time for transporting cattle to and from the islands around Lough Erne. On this occasion, they wore green and white strips and tasseled caps of the same colour.
The club also played in blue and yellow before changing to the famous red and white. On that day they played with the new “Big” football, recently dispatched from Dublin. Big strong men were very much the order of the day.
The parish team played a number of border tournaments in 1888/1889 competing with teams from Monaghan and Cavan. Newtownbutler won the first two tournaments with wonderfully cast medals for the winners. In 1889, the First Fermanagh’s participated in the first football competition ever held in Fermanagh and became the winners of the First competition.
Belturbet Winners Medal
Historically club names have varied from the Brehons, St. Aidan’s, Geraldine’s, St. Comhghalls and then back to the famous First Fermanagh’s, a name, that Michael Cusack, the founder of the GAA, was said to have suggested himself.
Another first for the First Fermanagh’s was the winning of the First Senior League title in 1914, and the inaugural Junior league in 1924.
One of the players that played on the ’20s Wattlebridge teams and won a League medal in 1926 was Dan Hogan, a brother of Michael Hogan. Michael was murdered in Croke Park on Bloody Sunday by the Black and Tans. The Hogan stand in Croke Park is named in his memory. His brother Dan was stationed on the railway in Clones and had Wattlebridge connections through the Fitzpatrick brothers.
Before long the First of 11 senior championships was won in 1919. They then held onto this title in 1920. A few of the stars on that team was ‘Red’ Tom Wilson (reputed to be the best ‘small man’ in Ulster) and Captain Commandant Matt Fitzpatrick, who was later tragically shot dead by the B Specials Northern Constabulary as they illegally passed through Clones Railway Station in February 1922.
Captain Commandant Matt Fitzpatrick
The championship win in 1934 over Irvinestown was followed by a league win in 1937 and unfortunate championship final defeats in 1938 and 1939.
Hurling was also revived in the area around this time and Newtownbutler Geraldine’s won the Fermanagh Senior Hurling Championship in 1937.
Newtownbutler won the double in 1940, defeating Derrylin in the championship and Lisnaskea in the league, furthermore reaching the league and championship finals in 1942 and 1944, with success in the 1944 championship final against Derrygonnelly.
In 1942 Eric McQuillan, the captain of the 1940 winning team, went on to follow another former club member, John Hart, to play for Glasgow Celtic FC.
Another First for the club was the winning of the inaugural Fermanagh Minor Championship in 1949; the team was led by Canon Tom Maguire.
Cannon Tom Maguire
One of the conditions Canon Maguire demanded from each team member was that you had to be a pioneer. The Canon would confirm this with you every fortnight. The Canon once boasted that the Club committee did not tolerate members who were not “of sober habits and of good character.”
The team won the First Juvenile Championship in 1952 [Insert Mens Pic J – Primary School Team 1952] and in 1956 they became the First county schoolboy champions.
From 1958 to 1960 the ‘Mighty Minor team’ done the double each year and won the league and championship and in 1960 they won the First Ulster Minor Tournament, managed by Gabriel Brock and Fergus McQuillan.
Trophies were scarce for the senior team from 1944, but James Reilly took a Senior title to the town in 1953 defeating Irvinestown by employing the Kerry methods of training. The club was bolstered and encouraged by the famous Canon Tom Maguire. Kevin McGilly, James Cadden, Mick Reilly and Michael Murray were selectors at this time.
1953 Senior Men’s Team
James O Keefe and Fr. Ignatius McQuillan (alias Sean Maguire, as priests were not allowed to be known by name to partake in Gaelic games) were the product of good underage teams in the area and were also members of the Fermanagh All Ireland Junior Football winning team of 1959. Newtown won the championship then again in 1959 against Roslea and also the league in 1960 against Derrygonnelly.
Between 1959 and 1968, notably one of the most successful periods for the club, contested an outrageous 7 championship finals and 3 league finals, winning the fore mentioned 1959 Championship and 1960 League and also winning the championship in 1964, which by all accounts was one of the greatest finals ever witnessed against Devenish, as the team defeated the outgoing champions by 2 pts, Devenish, who had only lost one game in two years. Newtownbutler pipe band led the teams out before kick off.
Over the next 24 years, success for the club was in short supply, winning the Intermediate Football Championship in 1972 and the League Division 2 title in 1980 with a great victory over County Champions Lisnaskea.
During the 80’s there was another First, the Under 14 championship title win, continuing to achieve this three years in a row. Also during this time, they won 3 Under 14 leagues, Under 16 championships in 84 and 85 and a minor championship in 85. As well as that success, the team won the Under 15 og Sport Gael in 83 and 84, and went on to represent the county in the All Ireland competition in 84.
Our pitch on the Lisnaskea Road was officially opened on 1st June 1986 by Dr. Joseph Duffy, Bishop of Clogher. The address was given by John Vesey (Chairman of Fermanagh County Board). Newtownbutler played Rathcoole from Co. Wicklow, who were managed by Maurice McNamee, formerly Newtown and Fermanagh Footballer.
The new grounds were purchased and developed on the Lisnaskea Road together with dressing rooms, designed by former great Finian Sherry, and parking facilities. The late Eamon McCabe (Chairman) was a prime mover in this development along with his committee. Previous fields were situated at Fleming’s field and Crom Road.
The 24-year drought was brought to an end by winning the championship in 1988, with Martin Graham as captain. Doing the unique double, the U16 team also won their championship final on the same day. The seniors had blended a team of young, skillful players who had formed a habit of winning at youth level under manager Sean Donegan. They went on to “win the championship the way it should be won”, appropriately 100 years after the First Fermanaghs first victory in the Belturbet tournament.
1988 Senior Championship Winners
Another famous period for the club began in the 1990s.
Championship final defeat followed in 1991 and relegation to Division 2 but promotion was to follow in 1994. The Club won its third Junior Football Championship in 1992 with a victory over our Parish rivals St.Patricks.
1992 Junior Championship Winners
In 1995 the Minor team won the championship followed by the Junior team in 1996 winning the Junior Championship. Also in the same year, the U16 team won the division 2 league.
The club contested in an astonishing four championship finals and nine league finals between 1997 and 2008, with Championship wins in 1997 and 2007 and impressive league wins in 1998, 2004, 2005 & 2006. In 1997, the team captained by Hugo Fitzpatrick, outwitted Tempo Maguires to win a 10th Senior Football Championship. In 1998, we won the division one league with Vinny Connolly as manager.
In 2007 The Firsts claimed their 11th Senior Football Championship beating Teemore Shamrocks in Lisnaskea, with Captain Raymond Johnson lifting the New York Gold Cup. After a very low scoring first half, the team played some excellent football in the 2nd half to win the game. The team was under the management of Darren Chapman, assisted by Paul Fitzpatrick, Vinny Connolly and Gerry Rehill.
Following a heartbreaking four league final defeats, in which one year the team was undefeated in the league, the team turned it around to win three league finals in sequence under the leadership of Mickey Fox, who had previously managed the 1988 and 1997 championship wins and promotion back to Division 1 in 1994. Minor level during that period had success winning the Division league 2 title in 1998, reaching the league division 1 and championship final in 1999 and winning the Division league 1 title in 2000.
Also in that period in 2004, Newtownbutler reached the final of the South Ulster League, defeating Latton in a very exciting game that went to extra time in the semi-final, only to be defeated by Cavan Gaels in the Clones final.
In 2005 the minors completed a double, winning the Division 3 and championship finals.
From 2008 the Junior team reached three championship finals in a row, winning two. In 2011 the Juniors gained promotion to the top of the division and secured their position in Division One for 2012.
After almost 18 years in the top division, our senior team was relegated. Emigration, Injuries, and suspensions throughout the year, contributed to this. But all is not lost, over the last 18 years, only 2 other teams have not been relegated, and teams that have gone down have come back stronger. The team consists of experienced players who know what it takes to win along with an excellent minor team coming up the ranks; success will be ours again soon.
One of the brightest moments of this year was with our minor team winning the double, and also the U16 team reaching a final. The minor team’s achievements were that much better considering they are all still underage next year. They produced a fine performance to beat Coa in the league final but had to work very hard in the championship final to secure the win against Devenish, playing at times, very intelligent and attractive football. Under an excellent management team, more success should follow this great young squad. The U12 and U14 team put in great effort and some great performances, but their hard work did not result in any final appearances.
Youth update
In 2022 our Senior team beat Aghadrumsee in the championship final to win the Junior Championship title and thus gain promotion to the 2023 Intermediate Championship. The reserve team were also successful this year, winning the Division.2 league title
On reading through this clubs history, reaching an impressive twenty-seven championship finals since 1904, just under 30% of county finals, it is noted that all our great senior success is achieved from having extremely talented youth teams coming up the ranks.
Our own Canon Murphy once said “Success is not only cups and medals. The efforts of club officials to promote our national games and to give our young people such hearty and enjoyable pastimes is something more to be proud of”
