Athenry News & Views Winter 2025

Winter 2025

Camogie Club crowned County Champions Galway CountyTitle wins at all levels in 2025

By: Sarah Gaughran

The Athenry senior Camogie team bridged a sixteen year gap in 2025 when we ovecame All-Ireland Club champions Sarsfields at Kenny Park in the county Senior Championship Final. A goal in each half from ‘player of the game’, Eimear Keane, were key to success. A fired -up Athenry side ended Sarsfields’ six year run as county champions, when Joe Rabbitte’s charges produced a terrific performance to defeat the county and All Ireland Club title holders. The challengers upset the odds with a performance full of heart and determination to capture the their thirteenth senior championship title. Athenry’s physicality, work rate, pace, and overall quality were superior on the day. They defended superbly, restricting the defending champions to 1-4 from play. Overall, it was a well-deserved win for Athenry, whose victory ensured the Catherine Donnellan Cup would have a new home for the first time in seven years this winter. Success at Minor and Junior The Club’s Junior B team also tasted success this year overcoming Craughwell in the County Final but were unsuccessful in the Connacht Final against a very strong Westport side. There were many other victories this year too at underage level including Uner 12, Under 13 and Under 14. Our Under 18 team claimed the Minor A title for the first time since 2002, overcoming Kinvara in the final. The Club continues to grow in numbers, competing successfully at all underage levels as well as fielding two adult teams. The club welcomes players from Under 6 up to adult level. Brief History of Athenry Camogie Club Founded in 1973 by Gilbert McCarthy, a teacher in Presentation College, who engineered the modern re-commencement of camogie in the area. A native of Kerry, Gilbert was training the college team at the time and observed first hand the talent and skill available in the locality. He was the first secretary of the club and retained that position for several years. Without a shadow of a doubt during the early years Gilbert did most to put Athenry Camogie Club “on the map” but got great assistance from the late While this season has come to an end for nearly all our teams, keep an eye on our social media channels to find out details about 2026. Athenry captain Dervla Higgins with Club sponsor and former Galway and Athenry hurler Basil Holian. Photo: Joe Burke

Christy Kelly and Anthony Poniard. The club’s initial accolades were incredible and in their first 10 years, Athenry won no less than eight Galway and Connacht senior championship titles and appeared in six All Ireland Club Finals. The highlight of this golden era was winning an All Ireland Club Title in 1977. Three more senior county titles followed during the 1980s with two more appearances in All Ireland Club Finals. As the club saw a decline in numbers at adult level, Athenry first fielded at juvenile level in 1992, winning the under 10 county title. Following on in 1997 with a county Under 14 title, the club soon became a strong competitor at underage within Galway, winning many notable honours, including All-Ireland Division 1 Féile and All Ireland Community Games titles. The Club won the 2000 Intermediate Final with a fine mix of stalwart players and up-and-coming players. This win saw Athenry regain their senior statues for the first time in over a decade. Four senior titles followed in a row from 2006 but unsuccessfully contested two All-Ireland Club Finals. The club regained senior status in 2017, winning the Intermediate championship and contested the Intermediate All-Ireland Club Final later that season.