09/02/10

Holycross is a townland on the shores of Lough Gur in south county Limerick and is an area long associated with the sport of soccer. The club dates back to the 1960s and has been a source of great pride to it’s many members, supporters and players down the years as well as being one of the main social focal points of the locality.

The origins of the the Club lie in the mid ninteen sixties when a few locals, who used to have a kick around, joined with a group from New Rd, Bruff. England’s 1966 World cup win and the influence of a few returned emigrants may have helped generate more interest in the game amongst the locals. Friendly matches were organised and soon the numbers grew. Seven-a-side matches later developed into eleven-a-side games against other local areas.

The first ever match played by a Holycross team was a friendly home fixture against Kilfinney. The match was played at Martin Ryan’s field at Ard Na Ri, opposite the current Nursing Home. The match ended 0-0, but Holycross won the return away fixture shortly afterwards by two goals to nil, both goals scored by John Enright. The players remember to this day the death of politician Donogh O’ Malley which was announced over the airwaves on their journey home.

In 1967 the decision was made to form a club and with this in mind a meeting was held in Margaret Hogan’s house. Present on the night were John May, John Enright, Billy O’ Connell, Pat Enright, Ned Conway, Billy Dineen, James Gennery and Mike Fitzgerald.

No soccer clubs existed in South or East Limerick at the time and even the Desmond league was very small scale at that particular time. The following season a decision was made to enter a league. As no rural clubs were allowed to play in the Limerick City league back then an application was made to join the West Limerick Desmond League.

The first season squad was as follows:

Dan Collins

Ivan Ryan

John May

John Enright

Pat Hartigan

Danny Ryan

Sean Hogan

Mossy Wren

Denis Wren

Billy O’ Connell

Mike Fitzgerald

Pat Enright

Morty Hayes (Manager)

Sadly by 1973/74 interest was waning and the club went into hibernation for a few seasons when no teams were entered in any league. However, in 1977 the club was reformed and entered the Limerick City LDMC league.

The club has recorded many successes since it reformed and in season 1990/91, having started in the lowest division, qualified to play in the Premier Division of the league, even to this day one of the very few rural clubs to achieve that distinction.

We hope that the efforts of all those of seasons past will not be forgotten and can inspire others into the future.