Club History

CLUB HISTORY

1906-1920's

Crookedwood affiliated to the Westmeath GAA in 1906. In 1907 we won our first Junior Championship. In 1913, we reached the Senior Final but were beaten by Raharney on the day. Crookedwood players at that time included Myles Gallagher, Paddy Reilly, Christy Duffy, Pat Murtagh, Mick Murtagh, Pat Kane, Paddy Mc Donnell, Dan Mc Cathy and Arthur Bardon. The club was active during the First World War with the last recorded fixture in 1917, but the club disbanded shortly after and did not reform until 1922. In 1924 The Wood won the Junior Crown again defeating Springfield Stars, a game which wasnt played until the following year. Players such as Pat Duffy, Jimmy Fitzsimons, Dick Clinton, Jack Mc Cormack, and Peter Mc Donnell all helped to bring the title back to Crookedwood for the second time.

1930-1940

It was in the 1930's that the club changed it's name to Clann Lir but the name change did not bring any titles the club's way with record's showing defeats in no less than four Junior Championship semi-finals. Players involved at this time included Jack Seery, Tommy Murray, Joe Connell, Jim Connell, Christy Mc Cormack and Paddy Nevin. The club was briefly out of action again for a short while but reformed in 1943 under the guise of Taghmon Rovers at which they affilliated at Junior and Minor level. The minor team was the brainchild of Fr Gilhooley, the then CC of Taughmon and the first Underage title which came The Wood's way was a Minor League in 1947 with names such as Paddy Maxwell, Dan Mc Carthy and John "Jobber" Mc Grath on the winning side. The Junior team made the Semi Final in 1948 again only to suffer defeat once more with a team made up of John Fagan, Tommy Fagan, Jimmy Fagan, Paddy Maloney, Jimmy Spellman, Kevin Fagan, Mick Fagan, Anthony Brennan, Joe Brennan, Paddy Maxwell, Gerry L'Estrange, Fergus Mc Cormack, Jimmy Murray and Eamonn Wade.

1950-1973

Indeed it was in 1956 that Crookedwood fans had their first taste of Junior Championship glory for quite a while when the secured the title that year. This winning team was made up of Jimmy Dermody, Louis Cahill, Eddie Clinton, Billy Bell, Frank Mc Carthy, Ray Daly, Michael Murtagh, Anthony Gaffney, Frank Leavy, Richie Duffy, Fergus Mc Cormack , Jimmy Ward, William Reilly, Mattie Coffey, Raddy Redmond, Ray Bardon and Noel Bardon.

Towards the end of the 1950's we amalgamated with Ringtown for the first time to form St. Vincents (a move that was to be repeated in the 1990's at Underage Level), and this move was a successful one, when the side went on to win the Intermediate Championship, but Crookedwood's next success under their own name came in 1967 when we won the Junior League. This same side reached the Junior Championship final in 1971 only to lose to Raharney and in 1973 the club disbanded yet again.

1980's

The club reformed in 1981 when they participated at Under 12, 14, 16, 21, Minor and Junior level. The first major success of this period came in 1986 when The Wood won the Junior Championship by beating Father Dalton's. The successful team that evening was made up of Paul Quinn, Matt Purcell, Frank Brennan, Joe Savage, Aidan Bardon, Donal Mc Carthy R.I.P., Willie Gibson (RIP), Tommy Kelly, Oliver Mc Carthy, James Savage, Sean Doolin (Capt.), Adrian Murray R.I.P., Val Brennan, Sean Collins and Frank Gibson. The Club Officers in 1986 were:

President: Richie Duffy; Chairman: Eamonn Orme; Vice-Chairman:Joseph Savage;Secetary: Paul Quinn:Assistant Secetary/Youth Officer: Christy Bardon;Treasurer:Tom Elder;Assistant Treasurer:Seamas Moran;PRO:Donal Mc Carthy;Irish Language Officer:Barbara Orme;Registrar:Phyllis Fitzsimons.

1990's

The 90's brought more success our way with triumph's in the Junior League in 1993, and the A.C.L. Division 2 and Intermediate Cup in 1997. The 1997 panel was made up of James Doyne, James Savage, Val Brennan, Frank Brennan, Gerry Butler, Martin Varley, Feichin Brennan, Conor Duffy, Stephen Leavy, Oliver Connell, John Orme, Joe Savage, Colin Murray, Alan Orme (RIP), Sean Collins, Paul Murray, Derek Orme, Derek Doolin and Martin Griffith but as jubilant as we were in 1997, it was completely surpassed when in 1998 our U-16 panel were victorious in the "B" Final in Archerstown. This was the first major success at underage for the club and it was a fitting tribute to the great work being done at Underage level by the likes of James & Antoinette Savage, Sean Collins, Gerry Butler, Derek Orme and in latter years Sean O Sullivan, Larry O Mara, Gerry Mc Carthy and Ciaran O Keefe to name but a few.

In 1999 we started off the year with a Dinner Dance in the Greville Arms to celebrate the success of our U16 heroes of the previous year at which we were very privileged to welcome the then G.A.A. President Joseph Mc Donagh. On the night we also honoured our 1967 Westmeath Hurling League winners.

2000's

The noughties as they are known brought us our greatest achievement yet when we captured the 2005 Intermediate Championship for the first time.After knocking on the door for many years (beaten semi-finalists in 2000 & 2001 and beaten in the finals of 02 & 04) we came back with a bang in 05 and blew Cullion away in the 2nd half of the final to win by 5-13 to 2-8. Indeed this has been our most successful decade with Intermediate Cup wins in 2001,2002 & 2007, Junior C/ship in 2005