Soccer Victory 100 Years Ago

Chapo

100 Years ago on the 11th March 1911 Chapelizod AFC won the 32 Counties Junior Cup. This Dublin team was the first ever team to win the Cup in the North and only the second team outside of Ulster to capture it. I have tried both IFA and FAI sites for information on the match unsuccessfully. Could any Boards.ie historians point me in the direction of further information on this wonderful centenary which should be celebrated?

declanduddy

Rings a bell, this, I'd heard about it and think I've seen an old photo of the team somewhere in Chapelizod?

Chapo

I spoke to the Chapelizod Heritage Society last night. They may have a photo in their archives and are looking for it.

When researching this article I happened on the following Great War accountsof a member of the South End Rangers; I wonder if he played in the final against the ‘Lizards?

Mr. William Leetch 54 Queen Street, Ballymena, has received a communication from his only son, Sgt. Wm. Leetch, Royal Irish Rifles, stating that he is a prisoner and dated April 2. He enlisted in 1915 and went to the front at the latter end of last year. He was formerly a clerk in the office of Messrs. Kane Bros. Ballymena Foundry and was well known in local football circles having played for both South End Rangers and Summerfield. He was also a member of Ballymena Young Conquerors Flute band.

declanduddy

Very interesting, Chapo. Would I have seen a team photo in one of the pubs in Chapelizod?

johnny_doyle

the Irish Times archive shows it has articles about the match on the Monday 13th March 1911 issue and the Saturday 18th March issue. I don't have a subscription so can't see the details of the articles.

irishnewsarchive.com shows there was an article in the Sunday Independent 12th March 1911 entitled "Chapelizod's Cup". Again I don't have a current subscription so can't see the details.

Re William Leetch, he appears to have been in the 18th Battn, Royal Irish Rifles (no 18/275) and to have survived the war. In the 1911 census he's listed as being 25years old.

I believe that this is his signature on the Ulster Covenant :
http://applications.proni.gov.uk/UlsterCovenant/image.aspx?image=M0007380001

teekayd25

This book might have some info . . . if I recall right its focus is on national trophies / competitions won by Leinster-based clubs.

http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000012493

Chapo

I have been given a cutting from the Herald with the names of the teams but William Leetch is not included. However, I found the following article and John McNabney played an important role for Rangers in the match. The story shows John to have been a very brave man.

57836 Sergeant John McNabney, Royal Engineers, Signal Company, is awarded the DCM. He is a son of Mrs. McNabney, 9, Larne Street, Harryville, Ballymena and prior to joining the colours was prominent in local football circles, playing for South End Rangers and Cliftonville FC. He was awarded the Military medal in 1917 for gallantry in the field and subsequently a bar to the Medal, while he also holds the Ulster Division parchement certificate. His brother Pte. Samuel McNabney is serving with the Engineers.
57836 Sgt J. McNabney , M.M. 36th Div. sig. coy. R.E. (Ballymena)
In the Dadizeele sector, during the fighting from 28th September to 5th October 1918, this n.c.o. was constantly out repairing lines under heavy shell fire and it was chiefly due to his courage and fearlessness that communication was maintained . On 2nd October he went out accompanied by another n.c.o. and remained out during a very heavy barrage, maintaining communication during the enemy counter attack.

Chapo

John Doyle's link above to the Ulster Covenant signature might support local lore in Chapelizod that the team and supporters had to flee to the train after the match? (And they took the trophy with them of course!!)

johnnyunitis

Did Chapelizod AFC make it back to their train and home to Dublin? Presuming they did, did the club survive long after their historic win, and where did they play?

I've been researching the Pheonix Park racecourse recently, and am generally interested in the sporting history of this corner of Dublin. It was undoubtedly lively!

Chapo

Yes they made it home safely. By all accounts the celebrations were similar to Ireland beating England at the cricket yesterday!
They had a ground in Chapelizod but due to a dispute with the FAI were decommissioned and barred from using the name just before the Second World War (lively?). Various other incarnations of the team appeared over the next 50 years. Some time in the 1990's the last game was played by a 'Lizard team. I'm currently on the trail and have got photos from the 1950's onwards.

johnny_doyle

Chapo wrote: »

I have been given a cutting from the Herald with the names of the teams but William Leetch is not included. However, I found the following article and John McNabney played an important role for Rangers in the match. The story shows John to have been a very brave man.

57836 Sergeant John McNabney, Royal Engineers, Signal Company, is awarded the DCM. He is a son of Mrs. McNabney, 9, Larne Street, Harryville, Ballymena and prior to joining the colours was prominent in local football circles, playing for South End Rangers and Cliftonville FC. He was awarded the Military medal in 1917 for gallantry in the field and subsequently a bar to the Medal, while he also holds the Ulster Division parchement certificate. His brother Pte. Samuel McNabney is serving with the Engineers.
57836 Sgt J. McNabney , M.M. 36th Div. sig. coy. R.E. (Ballymena)In the Dadizeele sector, during the fighting from 28th September to 5th October 1918, this n.c.o. was constantly out repairing lines under heavy shell fire and it was chiefly due to his courage and fearlessness that communication was maintained . On 2nd October he went out accompanied by another n.c.o. and remained out during a very heavy barrage, maintaining communication during the enemy counter attack.

his service record shows him as Sig Company UVF; enlisted 22nd September 1914 in Belfast. Born 1891. DCM, MM and a Mentioned in Dispatches. The brother Samuel is no 57837, also Sig Company UVF; enlisted same date. Both survived the war and neither committed any offences whilst in the army.

It would be interesting to see if any of the Chapelizod team joined the Volunteers/British Army/IRA.

Chapo

A very interesting thought Johnny. We had a bit of an event here in 1916 in O'Connell Street and around the city. Chapelizod is only 3 miles due West along the Liffey from O'Connell Bridge so the Helga's gunshots were heard here. I'm sure some of our young men became 'curious'.

However, for the moment I'm just concentrating on the actual match. I will follow up your suggestion but this time next week, -100 years, the 'Lizards were celebrating!

johnny_doyle

the census site has some sports photos :

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/exhibition/dublin/sport/

including an image of the 1906 Shelbourne team. This appears to be from the Dublin City Library Archives (Pearse St?). Might be worth contacting them if you haven't done so already to see what else they might have.

Zebra3

Chapo wrote: »

100 Years ago on the 11th March 1911 Chapelizod AFC won the 32 Counties Junior Cup. This Dublin team was the first ever team to win the Cup in the North and only the second team outside of Ulster to capture it. I have tried both IFA and FAI sites for information on the match unsuccessfully. Could any Boards.ie historians point me in the direction of further information on this wonderful centenary which should be celebrated?

Chapo,

I suggest you contact the IFA in Belfast. If they can't give you much info they may be able to put you in contact with a footie historian.

I doubt the FAI would be able to help in anyway as the competition was organised by a seperate entity and before they came into existence.

Chapo

I’ve copied some details of the IFA’s website below for other readers and am following up the enquiry with it. Thanks Zebra3.


Founded in the Queens Hotel, Belfast back on 18th November 1880 the Irish Football Association is the fourth oldest governing body in the world behind the other three home associations.
Up until partition in 1921 the IFA governed football across the entire island but a decision by the Dublin clubs to form their own association led to the formation of the FAI (Football Association of Ireland).

Chapo

Many thanks to Tomás O Faoilán, a local historian, who provided me with the following article from the Evening Herald of 23rd February 1911

Chapelizod, who meet South End Rangers at Grosvenor Park, Belfast, on March 11th have made arrangements with the Great Northern Railway to allow a reduced return fare of 6s. 6d if one hundred travel. Those desirous of following the brilliant Lizards to the North should communicate on or before the 4th March with Mr. J. Mulligan, their popular hon. Secretary, Martin’s Row Chapelizod.

johnnyunitis

The 'Lizards and their 100 supporters must have made some spectacle on their escape from the football grounds to the GNR station in Belfast?! No doubt, this element of their trip might have been slightly elaborated on by the time they got home, though they had the Cup, so that part of the story can't be in any doubt

Chapo

Des Blackadder of the Ballymena Times forwarded the photo below of South End Rangers which shows John McNabney, one of the match day players, circled and with insets of his war medals, as I said previously, a very brave man. Thanks Des.

Chapo

The Chapelizod Residents' body(COVA) Chapelizod Old Village Association has just updated its website with a wonderfully written story by Tobar na Gleann of the match, using some of the content of this thread. I'm sure there is more information available and will continue to research it but see what you think at:
https://sites.google.com/site/covachapelizod/sports/chapelizod-afc

Chapo

A handy way to find the above site is to Google the two words:
COVA Chapelizod , just leave a space between them. This saves trying to remember the long URL.

declanduddy

Great article on the COVA website, Chapo. Is anything planned to commemorate the Lizards' Centenary on the 11 March?

Chapo

Alas, despite an attempt to get past footballing heros from various Lizard teams together for a grand re-union on the night, it looks like it won't happen.