Centenary commemoration in Ballinasloe of Galway All-Ireland winners

Galway won their first All-Ireland senior football title in 1925 and a centenary commemoration is planned for Ballinasloe on Saturday, November 15.

Family and friends of the 1925 team are hosting a Mass in St Michael's Church, Ballinasloe at 7pm on November 15. This will be followed by refreshments in Gullane's Hotel on Main Street, Ballinasloe.

The vast majority of the successful 1925 Galway team played for the former St Grellan's club of Ballinasloe, with an article on the Galway GAA website stating that 20 of the 24-man squad were from the Ballinasloe club.

Michael Walsh of St Grellan's was the victorious team captain while Corofin, Moylough, Mountbellew and Dunmore were also represented on the panel.

St Grellan's were the dominant force in Galway club football at the time, winning seven senior championships in a row from 1913 to 1919. The Ballinasloe team are also listed as the winners from 1922 to 1929 inclusive, though three of those titles were awarded.

In 2005, St Grellan's merged with Ballinasloe Hurling Club to form Ballinasloe GAA.

The 1925 All-Ireland championship became known for the bizarre circumstances in which it was won, and there was no All-Ireland final played as such.

According to Wikipedia, the Connacht final had not been held by the time the All-Ireland semi-finals were played, and Mayo were nominated to represent the province. In the semi-finals, Mayo beat Wexford and 1924 champions Kerry overcame Cavan. However, both Kerry and Cavan were disqualified for fielding illegal players.

It appeared that Mayo were champions without the need for a final. Following this, however, Galway defeated Mayo in the Connacht final. Galway were therefore proclaimed as All-Ireland champions.

Following protests, the GAA Central Council organised a substitute competition between the four provincial champions, with Galway as Connacht champions. However, Kerry complained that their semi-final victory over Cavan should stand in this new competition. When the GAA insisted that it should not stand, Kerry withdrew, leaving Cavan to automatically proceed to the final.

Galway beat Wexford in their semi-final by 3-4 to 1-1 and the Tribesmen then defeated Cavan 3-2 to 1-2 in the final of this tournament, which was played at Croke Park on January 10, 1926.

The GAA championships were regularly plagued with all sorts of controversy, disputes and objections in those days. Incredibly, it took six games to decide the winner in the 1925 Connacht quarter-final between Roscommon and Sligo. Following Roscommon's initial 'win' there was an objection and a replay ordered. The teams then played out three draws and when Roscommon 'won' the fifth game, another replay was deemed necessary.

After Sligo eventually prevailed in this marathon battle - which even exceeded the storied 1991 saga between Meath and Dublin - they were defeated by Mayo in the semi-final.

Galway went on to edge out Mayo by 1-5 to 1-3 in the 1925 Connacht final, played in Tuam on Sunday, October 18.

If anyone has any photographs, news items or information on the 1925 Galway football team, they are asked to contact johnegan001@gmail.com as organisers of the commemoration hope to compile as much information as possible. For more information, you can also contact 086 273 8219.

Galway All-Ireland senior football panel 1925 (St Grellan's, Ballinasloe unless stated): Fr Hughes, Leonard McGrath, Frank Benson, Sonny Burke, Mick Brennan, Bartley Murray, Paddy Ganly, John Egan, Gilbey Jennings, Jack Deeley, Larry Raftery, Jack Fry, Tom McGrath, Jack Brennan, Mick Bannerton (Mountbellew), Mick Donnellan (Dunmore MacHales), Tom Leetch, Tom Molloy (Corofin), Frank Walsh, Willie Smith, Denis Egan, Harry Burke (Moylough), Mick Walsh (captain), Paddy Roche.