A Brief History of “The Killes”

 

St. Columbkille’s was founded in 1974 by a group of people in the Brighton area of Boston. The club was named after the parish in which Brighton is located, St. Columbkille’s Parish. Colm Fagan from County Louth was the first chairman of the club, Frank O'Rourke from Leitrim was the first manager and secretary. The club held it's first meeting at the Cosy Bar in Brighton. Other founder members include Pat O'Brien, Gene McMahon, Tom McNally, Vinny Reynolds, Tommy Egan, Pat Feeney and Albie Glynn.

The club started off at junior level. The first New England junior title was won in 1980. American born Bobby Driscoll captained the team which made it to the North American final. Those who made the trip to Cleveland will testify that the club was robbed of the big one. The club repeated in 1981. This time another American born player captained the team, Tom Shaughnessy from Watertown. Following these back to back successes the club went on to compete in it's first senior championship in 1982.

The first few years at senior level were a struggle, and the club was sometimes referred to as "the comicals", however this nickname did not last long as 1986 saw the first senior title come to the club. The legendary Sean McCormack managed the team which was captained by Martin O'Neill, son of Dan O'Neill who won an All-Ireland with Louth in 1957. Also on the team were Chris Sage, Enda Gormley and Damien McCusker. The club won the second of it's two senior titles in 1991. Again, Sean McCormack managed the team and Martin O'Neill captained it. On the team were Mick Hallissey, Mick Kearns, Chris Sage, Dermot McNicholl, Eamonn Burns, Niall Finnegan and a young Paul Brewster. Also playing a starring role on the team was the famous Michael Kearns. Success eluded the club and though we came close with some narrow semi-final defeats at Senior level, and four junior final losses, we never got the big one at either grade. In 1999 the club was relegated to Intermediate level. Success returned to some degree in 2000 as missing out on the Boston Interemdiate Title, St. Cols won the North American Intermediate Championship with a team that was captained by Donnacha Lee and included Niall Crossan and Gary O'Connell of Erins Isle, Gervais Marron from Louth and Rory Hannick of Mayo. We are still trying to get back to where we belong, competing for Boston Senior titles.

Columbkilles is made up of players from all over Ireland as well as from the US and elsewhere. In fact, the club was originally founded for young Irish Americans. Recently the largest proportion of players have come from county Dublin, however this is changing and there is a good representation of players from all over Ireland making this a truly diverse club. Currently there are natives of Leitrim, Kerry, Louth, Armagh, Tyrone, Down, Galway, and Dublin that are involved with the club, not to mention people from almost every other county who have been involved over the years and have returned to Ireland. Some currrent and former senior and junior players have notable footballing pedigree. Gerard McMahon is a holder of two Dublin Senior Championship medals as well as being a member of the Dublin Senior county panel. Mickey Barber and Chris Sage have both won Minor All-Irelands with Dublin. Lorcan Maughan and Marcus Hatt have represented their counties at various levels. Of the recent members of the club, Colin Regan and Padhraic Flynn are both Leitrim county footballers, and Alan Regan has represented Mayo at U-21 level. Currently Limerick county player Darren Burke is wearing the Killes jersey, kieran Kelly has represented Kildare and Colm Giles Dublin at minor and under-21 level. Donal Leahy also has represented Limerick at U-21 level.

Other notable names that have played for the Killes in the past may sound familiar. Enda Gormley and Dermot McNicholl from Derry, Keith Barr, Charlie Redmond, Johnny Barr, and Mick Deegan from Erins Isle and Dublin, Niall Guiden formerly of Raheny and presently with Sylvesters, Tom and Paul Brewster from Fermanagh, Paddy McKeever from Armagh, Neil Finnegan from Galway, and Rory Hannick from Mayo have all come to the States and played for the club.

For many years the post in Oak Square was home for the club which we shared with the Galway Hurling club. Manys a post match celebration was had there. In 1994, to the great sadness of both clubs and many in the Irish community in Brighton, the Post was closed down. For the last three years Porter Belly’s in Brighton center under the proprietership of Seán McCormack has served as the clubs HQ and many's a good night has gone down in the annals.