HISTORY/CLUB HONOURS
Roll of Honour | Club Crest
Although Ballingarry A.F.C. was only formed in 1984, soccer was played by many from the parish well before that date. In the late 1960's, a Ballingarry team played in and indeed contested the final of the Holycross tournament, with Jim Carmody, Pat Malone, Paddy Dunworth and Moss Doody being members of the side that was probably the very first soccer team to represent the parish.
The foundations for the club were most likely laid in 1974, when the under-12 team became the first to win a memento of any sort, finishing in the bronze medal position in the Community Games under the guidance of Dr. Michael Lucey. Many of this team went on to play for the junior team in the following decade. In the intervening years, players from the parish were playing for local clubs such as Deel United in Rathkeale, until such time as a junior team was in place. Many would also reference a 7-a-side tournament organised by Moss McAuliffe and Conor Snow in 1981 as another major step in bringing soccer to Ballingarry. It was run on an annual basis, and contributed greatly to the creation of a soccer community in the parish, as numbers of up to 100 were taking part.
The exact date that Ballingarry A.F.C. was formed is not recorded, however what is certain is that it was in Ferbruary 1984, in the supper room, that Ballingarry Association Football Club was formed. After much discussion by a gathering of approximately 30 people, it was decided to enter a team in the Desmond District League for the coming season 1984/85. The following officers and committee were elected and entrusted with the task of getting the club off the ground, Chairman: Moss McAuliffe, Secretary: Noel Hayes, Treasurer: John Clancy, Committee: Joe Burke, James Clancy, James Cronin. The team manager was Moss McAuliffe, who was joined in the role by Moss Doody later that season. It was decided that the clubs colours would be yellow and green, which with little variation, remain in place today.
With very little actual resources, the club set about raising funds to make the club solvent - up until this point the only item the club had in its possessions was the name Ballingarry A.F.C., nothing else. A sponsored walk was organised, money was generated, and a pitch was secured in large part thanks to the generosity of the late Archdeacon Lyons, and affectionately became known as the 'Canons Field'. During the course of the first season, the club moved home to a pitch supplied by the late Bernard Sheehy at the rear of the 'Grove'. All the necessary equipment was purchased, the clubs application to the Desmond League was successful, and the aforementioned annual 7-a-side tournament was the basis for selection of the first Ballingarry A.F.C. squad. Finally, the parish was to have its very own soccer team, and the new season was awaited with great anticipation.
Ballingarry entered Division 2B of the Desmond District League, and the first Sunday in September of 1984 was the momentous day on which the club played their first competitive game, in Askeaton against the local B team. Liam Casey had the honour of scoring the first goal for the club in competitive football, and the day had a happy ending with a 4-3 victory recorded. The line-up on that famous day was as follows: Shane Hartnett, John Clancy, Noel Hayes, John Murphy, Anthony Quaid, James Clancy, Liam Casey, Tommy Cronin, Ned Cagney, James Cronin, Noel Forde and Billy Hayes. A 'B' team was in place from 1989 until early 1993, but due to falling numbers could not be maintained, and the emphasis was placed once again on one squad of players.
Ballingarry A.F.C. has enjoyed its fair share of success in the Desmond League, both in its early years, and most recently since the turn of the millennium. The first silverware won was when the team swept to the Division 3 League title for season 1985/86, a tremendous achievement for a club so young. Another notable success was victory in the Munster Junior Area Cup in 1988/89.
After a barren period in the 1990's, during which relegation was experienced for the first time in 1992/93, Ballingarry A.F.C. again forced themselves into the winners enclosure with victory over Knockaderry in 2002 to win the Desmond Cup for the first time, and duly followed that up with promotion by winning the Division 1 championship the following season. But without question the clubs finest hour was in May of 2004, when the dreams of those who founded the club 20 years previously were finally realised, and Ballingarry A.F.C. became Desmond League Champions. Denis Kelly is the name that will go down in local folklore as the player who scored the late winner against fierce local rivals Rathkeale A, in the title play-off decider in Clounreask, Askeaton. Niall Condron lifted the League trophy for the team on that famous night, as the foundations were put in place for Ballingarry to challenge for more league titles and become one of the heavyweights of Desmond League soccer.
The honours won by the club at junior level are as follows:
1985/86 - Division 3 League Champions
1987 - Park United Tournament Winners
1987/88 - Division 2 Runners-up (Promoted)
1988 - Park United Tournament Runners-up
1988/89 - Munster Junior Cup Area Winners
1988/89 - F.A.I. Area Cup Runners-up
1992/93 - Division 1 League Cup Runners-up
1993/94 - Division 1 Runners-up (Promoted)
1999 - Foynes Tournament Runners-up
1999/2000 - Division 1 League Cup Runners-up
2001/02 - Desmond Cup Winners
2001/02 - Division 1 League Cup Runners-up
2002/03 - Division 1 League Champions
2003/04 - Premier Division League Champions (Won Play-Off)
2004/05 - Premier Division League Cup Runners-up
2006/07 - Desmond Cup Winners
2007/08 - Division 1 Double Winners (League & League Cup)
2008/09 - Division 3 League Champions (B Team)
At the club's Annual General Meeting on June 15th 1989, the committee proposed the idea of a crest for the club, which was passed. The crest was researched by Mr. Patrick O' Doherty and designed by Paul Cassidy.
The crest is divided into three sections, the top scroll showing the name of the club (A.F.C. is an abbreviation for Association Football Club) and the year of the formation of the club, 1984.
The middle section is a shield subdivided into 3 parts and joined by a football, the symbol of football in the parish. The top section depicts a hill, and is a reference to Knockfierna hill, the historical local landmark which it was felt was approptiate to be represented on the crest. In the lower left section is a lion, which is the DeLacy Desmond crest, who were the one-time owners of Ballingarry castle, which is shown in the lower right section, and again it was thought appropriate to represent this on the crest. Finally in the bottom scroll is the Latin phrase "Meritis Augentur Honores" which when translated to English means "Rewards Increase With Effort". It was agreed that this would be a fitting club motto.