Tooreen Hurling Club History
Background
Tooreen is a small rural village located in East Mayo, Ireland. It is a typical west of Ireland setting: local shop/post office, one bar, a church and a small sportsfield. It is historically renowned for two things: a once thriving dance hall and the uniquely Irish sport of hurling.
During the hey day of the showband Tooreen hall was very much a popular and regular venue for dances. Throngs of people descended upon Tooreen and many a life-long romance found its origins in our quiet corner. However, emigration and the economic depression in which our country was struggling through sapped the area of its young adults and the hall slowly became redundant as the dances ceased. Now the only facet the hall is famous for is the scéal that the Devil danced the night away on one occasion.
A club is born
When the young men of the area weren't busy dancing or bringing home the turf they could usually be found down at the turlough driving a leather ball around with wooden bats to their hearts contents. Hurling, or "savage's cricket" as one English observer put it, was not a very popular sport around Mayo and was a game more played around the south of Ireland. Gaelic Football was (and still is) the predominant sport in Mayo and this hurling was frowned upon for its ferocity and the seemingly apparant disregard for the health of its participants.
Some people believe that hurling was introduced into the area by men from the traditional hurling counties like Tipperary and Kilkenny who were installing electricity into the parish. Whatever the origins the local youths quickly became attached to the game and often found themselves sliding off from the chores to go down to the turlough for a game. (A turlough is a flat area of ground that is liable to flooding during the Winter, but is completely dry during the summer).
In 1957 a club was officially formed and thus began a precarious journey as the fledging club struggled through its infancy. Difficulties like funding, locating hurls, getting jersies and arranging transport to games failed to deter the Tooreen men as they boldly began to exert their abilities on the game.
1966: A first title ignites a ravenous thirst for glory
It took nine years to win a county senior title but the men of 1966 set a mark that been met on many occasions since. Dispite the constant torment of emigration Tooreen managed to continue fielding teams and finally annexed a senior title. It provided the inspiration for a generation as the youths at the time would be the future team that would dominate Mayo hurling during the seventies. The domino effect continued as a landslide of senior titles began flooding in as Tooreen went on the rampage from 1978 to 1988. Youngsters could not but be inspired by the exploits of such a dominant force: many great hurlers played for Tooreen during that period; the Henrys (Tony, Joe, Micheal, Vincent), Johnny Cunnane, Pat Delaney, Dom, Ger and Declan Greally, Micheal Nolan, Micheal Lynskey ....... one could go on and on!
1997: A new Beginning
Although Tooreen never dominated much at underage levels due to the simple shortage of lads, there always was a trickle of titles. That is until the nineties. From 1991 onwards Tooreen failed to win a minor or an under 16 title for the rest of the decade. The situation worsened to a point that Tooreen failed to field for an U-16 fixture 1997, which was absolutely unheard of. The drop off rate from fourteen year-olds upwards was deeply unsettling and the future of the club looked bleak when at the end of 1996, Ballyhaunis, a local juvenile club whose players played adult hurling with Tooreen, decided to breakaway and form their own club. This took many talented hurlers away from Tooreen and with the lack of underage success the club looked doomed. However the exact reverse occurred: instead of dying away, the club was reborn as a number of people returned back into the club. The feeling was that Tooreen Hurling Club once again was being run by Tooreen people alone and the sense of identity and belonging returned. It's important to acknowledge the contribution that Ballyhaunis made to Tooreen which helped keep Tooreen top of the heap for many years. However, this unfortunately diluted the enormous sense of pride Tooreen people had when the team was made up solely of local players.
There is no denying that the forming of another adult club had a huge effect on Mayo and Tooreen hurling. It was the birth of a tremendous, and sometimes ugly, rivalry that continues today. It also was the second coming of Tooreen at adult, and importantly, underage level.
Renaissance in Tooreen
Tooreen overhauled its underage system and re-invigorated its adult ranks with stalwarts like Tony Henry at the helm of the senior team. The senior county title, which had been surrendered to Ballina the previous year, was retaken at the expense of our old Ballyhaunis friends. It would be retained for each of the following three years. A huge effort was put into coaching which began paying dividends in 2000. An under fourteen title was won after a six year lapse and hasnt been surrendered since. In 2001, an under 16 title was won after a gap of eleven years. And finally, after three huge efforts the twelve year famine at minor level was ended in 2003.
2004
In 2004 Tooreens underage structure has been richly rewarded with a Feile na nGael division 3 title. This is the one outstanding achievement that the club has made on the field. The team comprised of many local Tooreen lads, but also by youngsters from Gortaganny & Ballinlough in Roscommon to Kilkelly and Kiltimagh. The standard of hurling at that level has improved due to increased coaching and success in previous years. Currently Tooreen cater for children as young as four and upwards. Special training for these children ensures that participation, enjoyment and development of the skills are maximised. Once these children are old enough they progress onto the team levels which is under twelve, under fourteen, under sixteen and minor.
2005
Tooreen U16s become the first Mayo club to win the Connacht U16 title. In a dramatic Final Tooreen totally outplay Galway B Champions, Beagh, and in a bizzare finale Beagh left the pitch with five minutes remaining. Tooreen are declared champions and club wins its first interprovincial title.
2007
A weekend of celebrations in August mark the Fifieth Anniversary of the Club and the official opening of the Clubhouse and Grounds. GAA President Nickey Brennan performed the ceremonial duties and a unforgetable weekend which included a school reunion and a celebration dance plus some hurling!