It’s a strange one…
An interesting one, which you probably know about, is that a North Tipp club changed in 1990 from Éire Óg Nenagh to Nenagh Éire Óg. I think that decision involved similar issues to ones facing us.
I think Shamrocks Ballyhale could catch on if ye give it a chance.
Catch on, like brains adhered to you.
From what I understand that was to differentiate themselves from the other Éire Óg’s. Annacarty etc. As to why that was important, I don’t know.
If you talk to Donie Nealon he’ll tell that his own club Burgess aught really be called Duharra. Some skullduggery on the Ballywilliam side of the parish allegedly had it named after a bleak townsland on that side of the parish notable only for its graveyard.
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Any chance of a split in Ballyhale?
They tried their best in the winter of 2017.
There you have another interesting (West Tipp) exception, where the placenames come second. Had a think about that case a while back and arrived at the conclusion that the placenames come second because Éire Óg rather than Young Ireland(s) is used. That West Tipp name is amphibious, so to speak, between English and Irish grammar.
A cognate example, as regards spelling, would be using '‘Ritchie’ as a name abbreviation. There is no t in ‘Richard’ but there is a t in ‘Risteard’.
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Never knew that and always wondered where the name came from. The camogie club is known as Duharra that play out of the same parish.
I have a vague recollection of being pushed around the Blackrock dressing room of old Leyland Road by my dad getting the autographs of the players in the match program, Frank Cummins, Ray Cummins, John Horgan and his hair, Tom Cashman, Dermot McCurtain etc. What a team they were. That was March 1979 and dont recall much of the match but Blackrock won well.
Then in 1981 my memory of the Shamrocks (thats what i remember them being called at the time!) semi-final was a full length diving save from Kevin Fennelly to deny us a goal and Shamrocks won by 5 in a tight game. Shamrocks came up to us again a year or 2 later for a tournament and then we played them in the All Ireland club semi-final in centenary year in Navan. Quiz question, what was unique about the All Ireland club hurling semi-finals and final in 1984?
The other Kilkenny connection for Ballycastle was the All Ireland semi final in Feb 1985 vs St Martins, That match was played in Callan and my memory was of a pretty grim ground and pitch but it was a miserable day in February. Actually seen some highlights of club matches on TG4 this year from Callan and theres a lot of new houses around the pitch now so dont know if its the same ground that the game would have been played on in 1985. St Martins were a tough outfit but they didnt have any star county players at the time compared to the likes of Ballyhale or James Stephens. Maybe they had some county players alright, im sure the KK posters could fill us in on that.
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Thanks very much for those memories. Enjoyable to read.
– 1984 was unique because the semi finals and final took place over the one weekend.
– John Lockes of Callan still have John Locke Park as their home ground. But it has been much redeveloped over the years. And, yes, a lot of houses have been built in its vicinity since the 1980s.
That was the “new old Leyland Road”. The “old old Leyland Road” was on the other side of the road and closer to the town. 
but I’d guess you know that!
Those were the “glory days” Gone! Would you have the a programme from the Ballyhale game?
On another side note … those days the semi final was played not on a neutral ground. One team had home advantage. Strikes me it was a better way. It built relationships between clubs which doesn’t happen now it seems.
The naming of the club here is an issue that has kept us going since the foundation of the GAA. Still ongoing really.
Shit like that is the foundation stone of the gaa. Built on pettiness
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Eamon “Yommie” Morrissey was a sub on that St Martin’s team, for the final anyway. I think he played in the semi final. His brother played midfield.
Wasn’t Eamon Morrissey O Loughlin Gaels originally
@myboyblue tells a great one about Arles in Laois.
Instead of having one club in the parish, they ended up with three. 
Them Laois lads would fight with their nails.
Gort beat Midelton in the other semi-final in 1984. Not sure where it was played but the final was in Birr on the Sunday. Didn’t Ballyhale and Gort draw that match? Imagine the uproar today if they organised an All Ireland competition to be played off over a weekend? Mad stuff.
Is that thee Eamon Morrissey that lost his boot in a Leinster final playing a ball into DJ for him to bat into the goal? Later played for O’Tooles in Dublin winning 3 county medals?