RAPPAREES/STARLIGHTS CLUB HISTORY
It is only fitting in this year 2007 which is the 90th anniversary of the formation of the Starlights that we are once again back in the final. There are many theories about the origins of the name Starlights - but the most popular and the most romantic version seems to be that on a starry night 90 years ago this year Jimmy Murphy Jnr and his friend Joe O`Brien were standing at Murphys doorway at number 3 Lower Duffry Gate discussing the idea of starting a football team for all the lads on the Duffry. It had been the main topic amongst them for some time and the big issue was what they would call themselves. As Jimmy and Joe talked excitedly about starting this new club it came to them suddenly like a bolt from the Heavens above that the new club should be called the Starlights - and the rest is history.
And what a history! The Starlights won their first ever title in Junior in 1921 and less than a decade after their formation they moved up into the senior ranks and did the hat trick winning the senior championship in 1927/28 and 1929. In 1933 they beat the Sarsfields in the senior decider and won titles back to back in 1936 and 1937. In 1961 they were beaten by their old opponents the Sarsfields and were beaten again 2 years later in 1963 by Ballyhogue.
In 1971 Bellefield GAA Grounds – the home of the Starlights became the home of the newly formed Rapparees/Starlights – with the amalgamation of the Starlights and Emmets footballers and the St. Aidans and Shamrocks Hurling Clubs. The name Rapparees was chosen for the hurling team from the legendary Enniscorthy side …………….. the Red Rapparees 1904-1914.
The newly formed Rapparees/Starlights contested their first County Final in 1972 and were beaten by Rathnure in New Ross. In 1976 we were back in the final again and this time tasted defeat at the hands of Buffers Alley. In 1978 was to be third time lucky for us when we defeated Rathnure by 16 points to 2-7 in Wexford Park and Captain Ger Collins brought the cup back to a joyous Bellefield.
Our footballers won the Intermediate County title in 1977 and 1979 went on to contest the Senior decider to be beaten by Castletown in a replay. Their moment of glory came in 1983, when they captured their first County title defeating the Wexford District and they were back in the final again in 1988, but were beaten by that great Duffry Rovers side.
In 1993 the Rapparees made their way once again to the final and after a drawn game were defeated by Cloughbawn in the replay. In 1994 it was again the turn of our footballers who lost the County Final to the Duffry Rovers once again. In 1996 it was disappointment once more for our hurlers when they lost out to Rathnure at Wexford Park and they went on to repeat the disaster two years later in 1998 in New Ross. In 2000 our Senior Footballers were back again this time losing out to the up and coming St. Annes Club at New Ross and the 2001 hurling final saw the Rapparees go down to the Faythe Harriers and finally after all that trial and error our footballers beat the Duffry Rovers in 2002 and brought the coveted trophy back to Enniscorthy.
We were able to repeat that triumph in 2004 beating the Sarsfields in Wexford Park and here we are again today looking for the Hat Trick!
Other Adult titles won over the years include Junior B Football in 1983 and 1995, Junior Football in 2006, Junior `A Hurling in 1993, U/21 Football in 1982, 1985, 2001 and 2002 and U/21 Hurling in 1989, 1990, 1992 and 2001.
We have a plethora of success at underage level recording championship wins in every grade would you believe except U/12 football – over all the years this is the only title that has eluded us despite being in a multitude of finals including this years where we were beaten by the Shelmaliers. Our title wins include nine U/12 hurling, 14 U/14 hurling, 4 U/14 football, seven Juvenile hurling and seven Juvenile football, seven Minor hurling and five Minor football. Added to the list of Championship wins were five premier Slaney hurling festival finals and three Jim Byrne Cup wins and this year we reached both the U/12 hurling and football finals and beat Naomh Eanna to win the hurling but lost that illusive U/12 football title once again. At the time of going to print we are in the U/14 football final and in the Juvenile football final – and still in contention in Minor hurling so the very best of luck to the teams concerned.
Our Camogie section has gone from strength to strength since its inception. We began at Junior B and won that in 2004 the following year our first year up in Junior A we managed against all the odds to get into the Final and were beaten by Bannow/Ballymitty and in 2006 we got that bogey off our backs and won the Junior Final and progressed into the Intermediate ranks a truly marvelous achievement and as if that wasn’t enough this year 2007 our first year at Intermediate we made it all the way to the final only to be beaten once again by Bannow/Ballymitty. But full credit to this team they just strive onwards and upwards. We also made it into the Juvenile final this year being beaten by Bunclody and we hold a Minor camogie title won in 2004.
This year we began Ladies Football at U/12 and Junior B and despite the fact that most of our girls had never kicked football before we gave a very good account for ourselves which augurs well for its future in the Club.
In 1972 the Rapparees/Starlights set about providing facilities at Bellefield for its own benefit and those of kindred associations and organizations with mutual aims and outlooks. Following exhaustive deliberations on the proposed development, the contract was signed in October 1974 and phase one was expected to be completed and opened by GAA President Paddy Buggy in 1983.
Since then we have gone from strength to strength – we have an adult membership of approximately 500 and we cater for almost 400 boys and girls of all ages at Underage. We boast of one of the finest Clubhouses in the country which provides for our members and the Community at large ……………….. weekly Bingo/Bridge/Art Classes/Yoga Classes/Salsa Dance Classes/Boules/Lion Dancing/Savings Club. Our function room provides an excellent and convenient venue for many Community based activities and socials and we are closely associated with Co. Wexford VEC., who provide Second Chance Education for many people through the VTOS Programmes being run at our premises.
We pride ourselves on being a focal point in the Community and an integral part of the town of Enniscorthy as well as being a GAA Club. Our aim is to provide meaningful activity for all our members young and old.
In an effort to give our young people a viable alternative to the drink and drugs culture that we are now living in we have in association with the FDYS set up an Internet/Youth Café where our youngsters can meet and mingle in their own alcohol free environment 2 evenings a week.
We are endeavouring along with Wexford HSE to organize Go for Life Programmes for shall we say our more senior people and we are at present exploring the possibilities of a Parent/Toddler Group and an After School Childcare Service.
Along with all of the above we are endeavouring to keep hurling and football alive in an extremely competitive climate in an ever changing town. A trojan amount of work is being done with U/8s and U/10s in particular to produce the next generation of gaa players and this year we introduced Ladies Football for the first time ever in the club in an effort to provide the same facilities for both sexes.
We can promise our members that we will continue to be progressive and win, lose or draw today we will continue to strive for success because the only failure is to stop trying.
Maria Nolan
(Secretary)
Origin of the Starlights Name |
