Ballina Stephenites is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Ballina area in

County Mayo County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the Taxus baccata, yew trees") is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Conn ...

, Ireland. They are the most successful club in Mayo and fourth most successful in Ireland based on trophy amount.

History

The Ballina Stephenites Club was founded on the 28th (last Saturday) of August 1886 by James Wallace Melvin. (Pen-name Larry Doolan) who also penned the Club's rallying song-"Forward to the goal of victory" The first meeting was held in "Barney's Boreen" at the top of Convent Hill. The first President of the Club was Tom Courell with "Cappy" Fitzgerald as Secretary and Michael Connolly as Treasurer. The club is named for James Stephens (1825–1901). Ballina Stephenites were affiliated to the Mayo County Board a short time later and played their first "official" fixture in Jones' Field in Ardnaree against Commercials Junior. The Club won 13 consecutive Senior Football Championships from 1904 - 1916 and 2 Archbishop Croke Cups in 1908 and 1909. In 1933 James Stephens Park was opened by

P. J. Ruttledge Patrick Joseph Ruttledge (1 January 1892 – 8 May 1952) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Minister for Health (Ireland), Minister for Local Government and Public Health from 1939 to 1941, Minister for Justice (Ireland), Ministe ...

, Minister for Justice - (A Ballina man). Bord Na N'óg was founded in 1972 resulting in many juvenile successes since. The Club hosted 2 G.A.A. Congress weeks in 1984 and 1985 and "Welcome Home Week" in 1984 - the Centenary year of the G.A.A. The Club has produced 5 G.A.A. Football All-Stars in - Kevin McStay, Jimmy Browne,

Liam McHale Liam McHale (born 1 June 1965) is a Gaelic football coach and former player (and basketball player) who played in midfield with the Mayo county football team between 1985 and 1999. He played from the start in four finals of the All-Ireland Seni ...

, Ger Cafferkey and David Clarke. In 2005 a team captained by Brian Ruane defeated

Portlaoise Portlaoise ( ), or Port Laoise (), is the county town of County Laois, Ireland. It is located in the Midland Region, Ireland, South Midlands in the province of Leinster. The 2016 census shows that the town's population increased by 9.5% to 22,050 ...

to win the Andy Merrigan cup as All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship winners. Rev. Fr. Gerry Courell, grandson of Tom Courell and son of Gerald, was the club patron until his passing in May 2012, maintaining a proud family association with the club.

Honours

* Mayo Senior Football Championships: 36 **1889, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1918, 1920, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1933, 1935, 1938, 1940, 1943, 1947, 1955, 1966, 1985, 1987, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007 * Connacht Senior Club Football Championship: 3 **1998, 2004, 2007 * All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship: 1 **2004/05

Notable players

David Brady David Brady (born 1974) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played for the Mayo county team in midfield in the 1990s and 2000s. As of 2020, he works as a journalist. Early life Brady grew up in Ballina, County Mayo; his mother was from M ...

Ger Brady Ger Brady (4 January 1980 – 21 March 2024) was an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Ballina Stephenites and the Mayo county team. He played centre half-forward or alternatively left half-forward or most often as a utility playmaker. He ...

* Jimmy Browne * David Clarke *

Ger Cafferkey Ger Cafferkey (born 5 August 1987) is a former Gaelic footballer who plays for Ballina Stephenites and the Mayo county team. Playing career Cafferkey studied at NUI Galway. While there he played for the university team. Cafferkey played in ...

Pat Harte Pat Harte is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Ballina and the Mayo county team. He is a midfielder. Harte's recent successes include reaching the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2006 final, although Kerry Kerry or Kerri ...

* Kevin McStay

References

External sources

Club Website
{{Mayo GAA clubs Stephenites Gaelic football clubs in County Mayo Hurling clubs in County Mayo Gaelic games clubs in County Mayo