O'Dempsey's GAA is a
Gaelic football
Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...
club located in the northeast of
County Laois
County Laois ( ; gle, Contae Laoise) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medie ...
,
Ireland.
History
The club was founded in 1951, won the Laois Junior Football Championship title in that same year and followed up by winning the Laois Intermediate Football Championship title the following year. The club name refers to the
Ó Díomasaigh (O'Dempsey) family, the ancient
Gaelic
Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...
rulers of the Clann Mhaolughra (Clanmaliere) region, incorporating
Portnahinch
Portnahinch or Portnehinch ( is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Ireland.
Etymology
The barony is named after the townland of Portnahinch (''Port na hInse''; "port of the island").
Geography
P ...
and
Upper Philipstown
Upper Philipstown () is a barony in County Offaly (formerly King's County), Republic of Ireland.
Etymology
The name Upper Philipstown is derived from Philipstown, the former name of Daingean.
Location
Upper Philipstown is located in northeast ...
on both sides of the
River Barrow.
O'Dempsey's went on to win two
Laois Senior Football Championship titles in 1963 and 1980.
Locally well-known county players that have played for the club Include John Costello, Billy Walsh, John Paul Kehoe, Johnny Behan, Brian Nerney, Eddie Kelly,
Jack Kenna,
Mick Aherne
Mick Aherne was a Gaelic football and hurling player from County Laois in Ireland.
He played for many years on the Laois senior football and hurling teams in the defence.
In 1986, he starred on the Laois senior football team that won the coun ...
,
Leo Turley
Leo Turley (born 7 December 1966) is a former Gaelic footballer from County Laois.
Playing career
Leo played for the Laois senior football team from the late 1980s until the 1990s primarily as a forward. During that period he was widely regarde ...
and
Peter O'Leary.
O'Dempsey's GAA club grounds are located at the Old Pound, halfway between
Ballybrittas and
Killenard
Killenard () is a village in County Laois, Ireland. It lies in the historic barony of Portnahinch and within the administrative area of Laois County Council.
As of the 2016 census, the village had a population of 671 people, up from 622 inhab ...
.
Achievements
*
Laois Senior Football Championship: (2) 1963, 1980
*
Laois Intermediate Football Championship: (3) 1952, 1977, 2016
*
Laois Junior Football Championships: (2) 1951, 2019
*
Laois Junior B Football Championship
The Laois Junior Football Championships are the lower-tier Laois Club Championships, Laois Club Football Championships.
The Junior A and Junior B Championships use group phases then down to eight-four-two and the Junior C Championship operates sim ...
: (2) 1992, 2009
*
Laois Junior C Football Championship
The Laois Junior Football Championships are the lower-tier Laois Club Football Championships.
The Junior A and Junior B Championships use group phases then down to eight-four-two and the Junior C Championship operates similarly to the Senior Cha ...
: (1) 2011
* Laois Minor Football Championship: (2) 1980, 1997
* Laois Minor B Football Championship: (5) 1983, 1984, 1990, 2014, 2015
* Laois Under 21 Football Championship: (1) 1973
* Laois Under 21 B Football Championship: (2) 2010, 2014
*
Laois All-County Football League Div. 1: (4) 1990, 2006, 2017, 2018
*
Laois All-County Football League Div. 2: (1) 2010
*
Laois All-County Football League Div. 4: (1) 2012
*
Laois All-County Football League Div. 5: (1) 2010
Notable players
* Shane Nerney
* Robbie Kehoe
*
Peter O'Leary
* Stephen O'Leary
* Conor Meredith
* John Paul Kehoe
*
Johnny Behan
John Harris Behan (October 24, 1844 – June 7, 1912) was an American law enforcement officer and politician who served as Sheriff of Cochise County in the Arizona Territory, during the gunfight at the O.K. Corral and was known for his opposit ...
* Jay Keogh
References
Gaelic games clubs in County Laois
Gaelic football clubs in County Laois
{{Leinster-GAA-club-stub