The Thirties

The 1931 Championship was played without Kilcoo Owen Roes because the County Board banned the team after complaints from other clubs that the competition was non-competitive because of their superiority. In addition, many more of the top players emigrated to both the U.S. and England.

However, six players from the club joined the up-and-coming Rathfriland side and helped Rathfriland win the County Championship that year. The Kilcoo club competed again in 1932. This year marked the beginning of the South Down / East Down League division. Kilcoo got to the final of the Eastern division and, with a brilliant second half performance, overcame opponents Rossglass to win the match. Kilcoo were actually Down winners as the South Down division failed to reach the final stages that year.

During this time Larry Malone and Pat Morgan were involved in the Down Junior panel which was successful in capturing the Ulster title at the expense of Cavan. Meanwhile, John Breen was busy taking the first tentative steps towards the revival of the Owen Roes by becoming a very active member of a committee set up to organize the first Castlewellan Primary Schools League. Our own local school, St. Joseph’s in Tullaree took part in the first competition towards the end of 1931. They played against teams from Castlewellan, Newcastle, Clanvaraghan and Maghermayo. Many of the enthusiastic Tullaree lads were to become regular members of the Owen Roe club in the future and this early involvement was to prove invaluable in competitive football in that respect.

Kilcoo entered the Senior and Junior championships in 1933- the Seniors winning the County title. This was the seventh County title in 12 years- a brilliant accomplishment. The championship final in 1934 went Castlewellan’s way but League victory went to Kilcoo. Two Kilcoo players made the County panel this year - Arthur McClean and Joe Kane.

The Magpies continued their superiority in Down football in 1935. They were top of the Castlewellan and District League table for most of the year.

They had notable wins in the Feis and Rathfriland Sevens. After some hard fought games in the summer months Kilcoo were confirmed League winners. The Championship went Downpatrick’s way but ‘The Magpies’ were gallant finalists. 1936 marked the beginning of an All County League. Kilcoo were playing new participating teams in new venues. League table statistics from this year show continued success for the Owen Roes. The success of the Senior and Junior teams this year encouraged new young lads to join the club and even some players from neighbouring districts joined too.

With a rejuvenated panel hungry for success, Kilcoo embarked on the 1937 Championship campaign. Players were now competing for places on the teams and the opposition teams were also hungry to succeed. The Championship final that year was a Kilcoo/ Mayobridge clash in Newcastle on 1 August and at the final whistle the Championship trophy was on its way back to Kilcoo. Tom Breen and Owen McMullan played for the County that year.

The trophy was not to return to Kilcoo, again, in the 1930s. However the Owen Roes had continued success in the League campaign. The success of the players was rubbing off on young lads in all areas of the parish. Teams from various townlands took part in competitions at sports days and other gatherings. Summer Sevens competitions always had Kilcoo entries.

The Upper Road Team

In the late 1930s a group of locals decided to start a new football team and when a field belonging to Johnny McGreevy on Moyadd Hill had been rented up to fifty footballers could be seen enjoying the game. In 1940 a committee was formed and the P.P. Fr. James McGrath was asked to allow the men to collect funds. There were many fund raising activities, including raffles and ceilis and a bigger field was supplied by Stephen Morgan. So the name Stephen’s Green became synonymous with the playing area for games in Kilcoo.

In November 1940 the team was accepted into the South Down & Mourne League along with Rathfriland, Barnmeen, Annaclone, Gargory, Aghaderg and Ballylough. Surprisingly in the first game against Aghaderg the new Upper Road team had an easy victory and, by the end of the League matches, they finished in a respectable mid-table position. As most of the teams were then upgraded to Senior status the League ceased to exist and many of the Upper Road players joined the Kilcoo Seniors for the 1942 Championship and the Upper Road team was disbanded. The Upper Road team did re-appear in 1947/48 when they finished just three points behind the League leaders Greencastle.

With two separate teams in the parish it wasn’t surprising that Kilcoo Seniors were relegated to the Intermediate Level but, by the early 50s, the management of both teams got together and decided to join forces once more.