Newcastle GAA Club was founded in 1932 but GAA activity in the area can be dated back as far as 1917 when a team from the parish competed in the Junior hurling championship. In late 1932 a meeting was called to set up a GAA club in the parish. The meeting was held in a store owned by MF Nugent and the following officers were elected. President: Frank Hallinan, Chairman: Willie McGrath, Secretary: Watt Hickey and Treasurer: Joe Doolan. Willie Byrne, Ballinamona, gave the club the use of a field for playing and MF Nugent gave the use of the storeroom for meetings and any fundraising events.
The first record of a team from Newcastle competing in a South championship was the junior hurling team in 1935 against Carrick in Kilsheelan on July 31st. The next step for the club was the acquisition of a playing field. In 1939 the Perry estate was divided and the club looked for five acres of land for the playing field. The club was granted four acres, which was not sufficient, and the Land Commission would not grant any more land. However, Minnie Hally of Largewood, who had received some land, very generously agreed to give some of her land to the club. The field was officially opened on Sunday 14th September 1941.
1949 was another very important year for the club in that it marked the first South title in Junior Hurling. Victories over St Marys and Coolmoyne resulted in a South final against Carrick, played in Clonmel on Sunday 27th November. In a very evenly matched game, Newcastle emerged victorious by 5-2 to 4-3. Since that historic first victory, a number of South titles have been won in many grades in both hurling and football. However, the elusive County title in the adult grades still eludes the club.
County titles have been won in both hurling and football at underage. The first county title was won in Minor B Hurling in 1999, when Newcastle defeated Ballina in Seán Treacy Park, Tipperary, on Saturday 9th October on the score of 4-6 to 2-10. Other county titles followed in Under 21 C Football in 2005 and 2007. County titles have also been won by the juvenile teams – in Under 12 C football and Under 14 C football – both in 2006.
As well as on the field, Newcastle has a long and successful association with the GAA’s talent competition, Scór. The club has won 6 All-Ireland titles and numerous other Munster and County titles. More details are found in the Scór section of the website. Camogie, Ladies Football and Athletics have also been prominent in the parish down the years. Newcastle GAA Website is Here.
