Club History
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Teams had appeared at various stages such as The John Dillon Branch (1886). It was in 1910 however that the trio of Tom O’ Hanlon, Martin Fowler and Jim Colfer got together to form the Gusserane Shamrocks.
The club had immediate success, winning the county junior football championship in 1911.
Two members of that team, Jim Colfer and Tom O’ Hanlon, went on to be the first of a long proud line of players from the parish who represented their county.
They lined out in 1912 with the Wexford junior team.
Jim Colfer
“Colfer”, as he was affectionately known, was at one stage the chairman, secretary, treasurer and sole selector for the club.
In days when transport and communications were not as developed as they are now, “Colfer” still managed to run the whole show practically on his own. Jim was also at the forefront of the club’s decision in 1936 to purchase land in Ballygarvan from the land commission for the princely sum of £100. In what was a momentous decision at the time, Gusserane became the first club in the New Ross district (apart from New Ross itself) to own its own ground.
The pitch became Ui Rathallaigh Park and the club Gusserane O’ Rahilly’s in memory of the famous Kerryman who was shot at Easter, 1916. The ‘forties were the golden years for the club however.
Tom Somers
Tom was a star player and went on to serve the club as secretary for an amazing 46 years. The team first tasted success in 1944 when they won the junior football county title.
They then went on in 1945 to win the first of three senior football titles in a row.
Many of the same players added another title later in their careers when they lifted the cup in 1954. Success for the parish in the 1960’s came in the form of a junior football title in 1965 and four schoolboy’s Rackard League football titles.
Successes
Unfortunately it did not happen. Gusserane did contend three senior football county finals in the ‘eighties but ended up on the wrong end of the result each time.
A junior hurling medal won in 1979 was the only county medal that many of those players added to their cabinet. A decision was taken in the mid ‘nineties to rename the park after one of the greatest servants the club had known, Tom Somers, and to dedicate the clubhouse to club founder, Jim Colfer. At a supper dance on the eve of the rededication of the park and clubhouse in 1997, members of the winning teams of the ‘forties and ‘fifties were honoured in what was a very special night for the club.
Great Year
The intermediate footballers won their way back to senior status after a replayed final and the junior hurlers scaled new heights when they earned the right to play intermediate hurling for the first time in their history.
1997 Hurling team
A separate Bord na nOg division was set up in the late ‘eighties to handle the affairs of the underage teams. Through the dedication of the officers and selectors of the Bord na nOg (or Coiste na nOg, as it is now known), Gusserane has now become a major force in each age-group, whether it be hurling or football. In recent years the walls of the old dressing rooms came tumbling down to make way for a new larger complex which caters much more adequately for the needs of the modern teams.
The "Friends of Gusserane O’ Rahilly’s" drive was a major success and went a long way towards alleviating the financial burden of the new development. The people of the parish were asked to make a once off donation of €125 towards the club and by doing so, they would have their name erected on a plaque in the club house.
This fund raiser is ongoing for anyone who would wish to make a donation. Further details can be obtained from club officials.
Gusserane people are continuing to give very generously towards the financing of the club, which in itself is a healthy sign for the future.
For many, they see it as putting something back in to a club which hopefully played a significant and positive part in shaping their life.
More importantly, they are making a major contribution to the development of the facilities in the park for the present and future generations.