There has been a very long tradition of football in our area dating back to the founding of the GAA.

This pictur:e courtesy of "Foxford Through The Arches of Time" shows Foxford Geraldines before a game in 1898. Back row: Patrick Jones, Tom Boland, Jack Hoban, John Edward Boland, Big John Boland, Seated Johnny Sheil, Tom Morrin (captain), Tom Walsh. At front Ned Kneafsey.

The Early Days

Football has been played here from the late 1880s, generally in the meadowlands along the River Moy at (Sraith Garbh) Shrahgarrow, close to the present field. Some matches were played in Aughaward in a field owned by Ryans known locally as Sraith Buach.Cathal Hennelly recalls seeing matches played here.

Local teams affiliated to the East Mayo Board under a variety of names, Foxford, Toomore, Ballyvary, Bohola and latterly, Moy Davitts, an amgalamation of Bohola, Foxford and Straide. When travel was difficult due to petrol shortages during the War years the Foxford fields were a regular venue for county championship games.

Development

The necessity of acquiring a permanent playing pitch was recognised by Pat Conway, long-time Treasurer of Mayo County Board. The arrival of Fr. Paddy Feeley to the parish and the involvement of a local committee, which included Tom Durkan and Dom Geoghegan, gave a new impetus to the efforts to find a suitable playing area. The original pitch was purchased in 1947 at a cost of £400. A meeting took place in Foxford where ten people guaranteed £40 each toward the purchase.

By careful purchasing and the swapping of stripes of land, an area of some 6 acres was eventually bought in the 1950s, and some development work commenced.

Here we have a hurling team from Foxford Boys' National School in the mid 1920's.

Picture courtesy of Emma Sherry Foxford

In fact, a Foxford man, Frank Dorr, may have attended the Thurles meeting at Hayes' Hotel from which the GAA, as we know it, grew. Football has been played here from the late 1880s, generally in the meadowlands along the River Moy at Shrahgarrow, close to the present field. Local teams affiliated to the East Mayo Board under a variety of names, Foxford, Toomore, Ballyvary, Bohola and latterly, Moy Davitts, an amgalamation of Bohola, Foxford and Straide.

Frank Dorr

Frank Dorr, a native of Foxford,back row fourth from the left, was a member of the committee that called the inaugral meeting of the GAA in Hayes' Hotel in Thurles. He would in all probability be the first secretary of the GAA but for the fact that as a leading nationalist figure in the West of Ireland, he was obliged to go to America on IRB business. He later became first secretary of the Connacht Council of the GAA.

Celebrating the winning of the county minor title in 1946/47. Left to right: Willie Thornton,Mickie Foy, Fr Feeley, Robert Hardy, John Flynn, Micheal Deacy, Jimmy Jones. Seated at front: Martin Burke, Jimmy Durcan.

Eddie Barrett, Hugh McTigue, Robert Hardy, John Flynn, Micheal Deacy

All pictures above taken from the book "Foxford through the Arches of Time"James Laffey

Mayo won the All Ireland in 1936. In this picture Peter Laffey from Renbrack is in the second row 6th from the left.

Pat Conway Foxford

Pat Conway a teacher in Churchpark NS who led the GAA revival in Foxford in the 40s and 50's. He was treasurer of the county board in 1950 and '51 when the county team won back to back All Ireland titles.