There were a number of GAA clubs founded in Galway City over the years, many of which have since disappeared. These included the Thomas Ashe Hurling Team of the 1920s who won the West Galway Championship of 1923.
There was also the famous Fr Tom Burke’s Hurling Team made up of mostly Claddagh men. In 1929, they were awarded the Galway City Challenge Cup in Galway Sportsground when they defeated Galway City Hurlers.This was a memorable game for both the teams and spectators alike as the match had to be abandoned after just fourteen minutes following a major flare-up between the players. The referee called off the game and awarded the Claddagh team the cup as they were ahead at the time the fight started. The pitch was invaded and sticks, fists, and crutches were used in the melee that followed.
Other City GAA teams of the early twentieth century include the Commercial Football Club, Bohermore Hurling Club, Castlegar Emmets, Young Rosaleen Football Club, Wolfe Tones Hurling Club, St Patrick’s Hurling Club and the Galway Emmets. The 98’s was another club. It was formed in 1898 to commemorate the 1798 Rebellion. They played both hurling and football and won the U-16 League in both sports in 1968. They went out of existence in the early 1970s.
One of the great supporters of the GAA in Galway in the early twentieth century was Thomas Wilson-Lynch of Renmore House. In 1913, representatives of the senior and junior Galway City hurling clubs made the presentation of a Hunting Whip to this, ‘most unselfish benefactor’ on behalf of the City Gaels.
