|
The earliest records of camogie in Offaly are from the 1930s when there were clubs in Mucklagh, Ballycommon, Ballycumber, Tullamore, Killoughey, Rahan, Lusmagh, Drumcullen and Kinnitty.
In the mid-1930s Offaly reached the Leinster Final only to be defeated by Wexford by one point. After World War II, the game declined in the county and it was largely through the efforts of Clare-born Mary O’Brien that camogie was re-established in Offaly in the 1970’s. From 1973-79 Tullamore was the only club in the county and as a result was allowed to play in the Laois Championship which it won in the first year of entering. By 1979 clubs had been formed in Birr, Drumcullen, Clara and Kilcormac so the Offaly Camogie County Board was reformed and in 1980 senior, junior and minor championships were played. Although the county has enjoyed little success in provincial championships the emergence of clubs in recent years in Coolderry, Shinrone, Lusmagh, Kinnitty, Killeigh and Banagher has ensured that the game remains on a sure footing in Offaly.
Today there are eleven Senior Camogie Teams in Offaly: St.Rynaghs, Shinrone, Birr, Tullamore, Kinnitty, Drumcullen, Lusmagh, Naomh Bríd, St.Sinchill's, Kilcormac/Killoughey and St.Cillians.
In recent years Offaly camogie have had a very successful ten years. In 2008, Offaly were defeated by Clare in the Premier Junior All-Ireland final on a scoreline of Offaly 1-10 Clare 2-8. The following year they made no mistake and were crowned All-Ireland Champions against Waterford Offaly 3-14 Waterford 2-8. The Offaly girls adapted quickly to the Intermediate grade and recorded a spectacular double to win the intermediate All-Ireland Championship in 2010 with Michaela Morkan and Elaine Dermody awarded Scoring Stars and Offaly great Joachim Kelly winning Manager of the year also. There has been no silverware since for the Offaly senior team but they did reach the All-Ireland senior Semi-final in 2012 and lost out to Wexford. In 2016, Offaly won four out of five of their group games which had never been done before and also bet Wexford for the first time at senior level but due to a three way tie Offaly only qualified for the quarter-finals. In 2017, Offaly reached their third Leinster final in a row and lost out to the 2016 All-Ireland Champions Kilkenny by a single point. Later that year Offaly were defeated by Cork by just five points, who then went on to win the senior All-Ireland. Offaly camogie also have three senior All-Stars: Offaly’s first ever All-Star Michaela Morkan (2008), Shelia Sullivan (2012) and Elaine Dermody (2013).
Following over 150 entries from boys and girls aged 5-22 across the country in 2017, Offaly camogie welcomed the design of a camogie crest to the county. Eleven year old St.Cillians Caoimhe Ginty's design has been chosen and will be sported on all Offaly camogie gear in the future. The design embodies the traditional style of the Offaly GAA crest however it also modernises and empowers Offaly camogie with the figure of a girl/woman playing our sport.
|