Jamestown GAA 1938-1964

25/11/2022

The Laois junior football team to play Westmeath from 1941.

Jamestown players John Lalor, Bill Connor, Faun Hughes and Austin Stack started with Clare native Paddy Sexton on the subs list along with Henry Reilly of Ballybrittas.

Three Annanough players too. John McGlynn, Mick Shortall and M Dunne. Not sure if that was Mick or Matt Dunne but it's believed it was Matt.

25/11/2022

Jamestown, on official maps, stretches from the Courtwood GAA pitch in the townland of Kilbracken to Closelands just across the old N7 at Jamestown Cross.

It covers part of Ballyadden Lane and then on the other side, it stretches over to the Grand Canal at Killaglush and the Sally Island on the old course of the River Barrow.

25/11/2022

Back in 1940, Jamestown reached the intermediate semi final but not before surviving an objection from Ballyadams.

Jamestown were then beaten 3-5 to 0-5 by neighbours Annanough in the semi final.

Annanough, in their first year down from senior, went on to win the final against a team called Irish Worsted Mills.

23/09/2022

O'Dempseys v Courtwood in the senior county semi-final on Sunday.

The first time these two clubs, who can both trace their origins back to Jamestown and further back to Ballybrittas, will meet at this stage of the championship.

They met once before in a quarter-final in the 1970s and a number of other times in earlier rounds.

Good luck to both teams!

07/01/2022

Jamestown played their first ever game in the senior football championship on Sunday 28th June 1942.

They drew with the famous Graiguecullen team of the 1930s and 1940s but were well beaten in the replay.

Graiguecullen went on to win the county title beating Ballyroan in the final.

30/11/2021

In 1941, Jamestown beat Portlaoise 1-6 to 0-2 to win the Laois intermediate football championship.
The game was played on 23 November in Portarlington and the Jamestown team included Andy Whelan, Paddy Hackett, Charlie Keogh, Paddy Sexton (a native of County Clare, schoolteacher, moved to play with Mountmellick in 1943), John Lalor, Tom Hughes, Bill Connor, Stephen "Faun" Hughes, John Hickey, John Stack, Austin Stack, Tommy Connor, John Mulhall, M Stack.

26/08/2021

Offaly All-Ireland under 20 winning midfielder Morgan Tynan is pictured.
We think we're correct in saying that Morgan is the grandson of former Jamestown player, Tom Tynan of the Old Pound. If anyone wishes to confirm below, that would be appreciated!
Congrats Morgan!

26/05/2021

Back in 1926, Ballybrittas was the main football team in the area. The "Offaly Independent" of 18 September 1926 reported on their defeat at the hands of Portarlington in the "final round" of the junior championship. This was possibly the 1925 championship. Plenty of familiar family names in the report.

24/02/2021

The 1948 Laois junior football championship semi final. The game wasn't played until March 1949.

19/02/2021

Our sympathy to the family of Ben McCormack, Killenard who died earlier this week.

Before his football career with O'Dempseys Gfc began in 1951, Ben played with Jamestown.

Attached match report against Killeshin is from 1950 while also below is a report of the Laois GAA meeting in 1951 where Ben and a number of his teammates transferred to the newly formed O'Dempseys club (despite the protests of the late Tom Hughes!)

RIP Ben.

12/02/2021

Very sad to hear of the passing of Terry O'Connell of Vicarstown who, before his stellar career with Annanough, Laois and Leinster, played minor football with Jamestown, playing in the 1948 county minor football final.

Vicarstown, Laois

21/01/2021

Laois junior football and hurling teams to face Kildare from April 1938.
Jamestown had only been founded a few months previously but John Lalor of Ballycarroll had already done enough to make the team.
Of course Ballybrittas were still a prominent team at that time too and R Slevin, Percy Langford, J Tynan, J Critchley, Henry Reilly and Bill Connor (sub) were all on the team.