Gaelic games club in County Limerick, Ireland
Na Piarsaigh (Irish pronunciation: [n̪ˠə ˈpʲiəɾˠsˠiː], na PEER-see) is a Gaelic Athletic Association club situated on the north side of Limerick City, Ireland. It was founded in 1968. Following their 2-8 to 2-6 victory in the 2022 Limerick Intermediate Football Championship over Dromcollogher Broadford, Na Piarsaigh are one of Four dual senior club in hurling and Gaelic football in Limerick. The club currently field five adult teams three in hurling (senior, Intermediate & Junior) and two in football (Senior & Junior), the most of any club in Limerick. In 2011, Na Piarsaigh won their first ever Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship.[1][2]
In November 2015, Na Piarsaigh won their third Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship after a 2–18 to 2–11 win against Ballygunner in the final.[3][4][5]
On St Patrick's Day, 2016 Na Piarsaigh won their first ever All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship beating Ruairí Óg, Cushendall 2–25 to 2–14 in Croke Park, becoming the first ever Limerick club to do so. In December 2022 Na Piarsaigh won the Limerick Intermediate Hurling Championship beating Croagh-Kilfinny 1-19 to 0-14, earning promotion to the Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship for 2023 and are the only club in Limerick to field teams in both the Limerick Senior Hurling Championship & Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship.
Club formation
The formation of Na Piarsaigh GAA Club was initiated in the industrial boom time of the 1960s and the inaugural meeting was held in the Ardhú House Hotel on Tuesday 16 January 1968 when the attendance included Rev.Fr.J.Browne C.C and three officials of the Limerick County Board – Jackie O'Connell, Chairman; Tom Boland, Secretary and Mick O'Brien, Treasurer.
Opening the meeting, Mr. Noel Drumgoole said that the fine attendance was most heartening and an indication of the interest in the formation of the GAA club in the parish. He paid tribute to Treaty Sarsfields for their work in promoting Gaelic games on the north side of the city, but stressed that in view of the considerable housing development in areas such as Greystones, Highfield, Mayorstone, Clareview and Caherdavin a new club, which initially would cater solely for underage players, was a very definite necessity. Many children were not given the opportunity of playing Gaelic games or any other games in fact, due to the deplorable lack of playing pitches and open spaces in the area.
Mr. Jackie O'Connell expressed his delight at the formation of the club and promised the full support of the county board. He outlined details of the various grants which would be forthcoming for the purchase and development of a playing field and mentioned that particular consideration is given by the Central Council of the GAA, by way of additional grants to clubs in city areas.
Fr. Browne spoke at length on the importance of providing recreational facilities for the youth of the parish.
After many suggestions were made it was unanimously agreed that the club would be called "Cumann Na Piarsaigh".
It was agreed that for 1968 Na Piarsaigh would enter teams in the City Bord na nÓg competitions in the under 14, 15 and 16 grades in both hurling and football. Street leagues and challenge games were also arranged to ensure that the boys interested in Gaelic games would be afforded the chance to do so.
Pending the purchase of land, the club decided to avail of the offer of a fine playing pitch in Caherdavin. In accordance with top level GAA policy the meeting decided that Na Piarsaigh would place particular emphasis on social activities for the members and towards this end it was envisaged that a pavilion and Pitch and Putt course would be included in their proposed pitch and complex.
The following officers were elected to guide the destiny of Na Piarsaigh in their initial year.
- President: Rev.Fr.Browne, C.C. Holy Rosary Parish. Chairman; Mr. Noel Drumgoole, Greystones
- Vice-Chairman: Mr. Eddie O'Connor, Highfield. Secretary; Mr.Tom McInerney, Caherdavin.
- Treasurer: Mr. Mossy O'Grady, Mayorstone.
- Committee: Messrs. Michael Cotter, Greystones; Donal Curtin, Mayorstone; Jimmy Custy, Clareview; Oliver Moran, Clareview; Frank Cleary, Caherdavin; Jim Beary, O'Callaghan Strand; Michael O'Brien, Shelbourne Road; Paddy O'Malley, Shelbourne Park; Flan O'Neill, Greystones; Jack Ryan, Greystones; John Rowsome, Shelbourne Park.
Underage development
Na Piarsaigh has traditionally well-developed juvenile structures which is reflected by the success of the underage teams at both divisional and county level. The pinnacle of this success was the U14 All Ireland Féile na nGeal Hurling Championship winning team of 1984. As with most GAA clubs, underage development is complemented by well-established links with the local schools. Most of Na Piarsaigh's younger players attend Scoil Chríost Rí Caherdavin or John F. Kennedy memorial school. There is also a strong link to local secondary school, Ardscoil Rís, with Na Piarsaigh players making significant contributions to the very successful Dr. Harty Cup panels of 2010, 2011 and 2014.
