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The Story so far…
You don't have to have a long history to have a proud
history: Holloway Gaels have been in existence since November 1993 when
they were founded by 2 student nurses who missed playing gaelic back home and
wanted to get back into the action over in London.
So Ann Dunning (WestMeath) and Joan McEvoy (Laois) badgered friends and
acquaintances who they knew played the game - and even some who didn't' - to
join their new team and the great adventure began. As with all teams the
first year was a struggle trying to keep a team together and learning the game.
But the second and third seasons (1994 and 95) saw things pick up on the pitch.
Holloway reached the London Junior Championship under the guidance and expertise
of their coaches Denis Dowling (Kildare) and Paddy Kelly (Roscommon)
respectively.
The girls had high hopes for winning the junior championship in 1996, when they
were once again coached by Paddy Kelly. Once again, however, it was a case
of so near yet so far and the girls were defeated by London's best - Father
Murphys.
1997 saw the arrival of a new coach, one 'Tosh' Kilcommons who brought a new
level of experience. This year also saw the start of Holloway Gaels
'Aussie Invasion' a link that continues to this day. The new look team
didn't gel sufficiently to bring home silverware but off the field they more
than made up for that on their first end of season trip to Ireland. The
crew ended up in Mullingar and as the saying goes 'the craic was 90'. The
girls did manage a football match against a local team (Moat) but sore heads and
hangovers won the day as the girls were defeated by a point.
'Tosh' stayed for another season, determined to see some silverware come to the
club and the long wait finally came to an end in 1998. Holloway won the
Junior Championship for the first time defeating long-term rivals Heston Alts
(3-6 : 2-3) making all the hard work of the past 4 years worthwhile. They
went on to represent London in the All-Ireland Junior 7-a-side in Dublin and
further honour was bestowed on the team as two of the girls, Ann-Marie Dargan
and Dorothy Connor were chosen to play for the London Senior Ladies team.
As any female Gaelic player knows, men may come and go but football lasts
forever and so 1999 started with a new taskmaster named James Power. The
team was now a force in the league in London. Training was gruelling but
paid off when Holloway walked away with the British Provincial 9-a-side shield
in Birmingham. They came 3rd in the senior league and were
runners up in the Junior Championship, beaten by old rivals Heston Alts.
For a third year, Holloway went to Ireland. They competed again in the
All-Ireland 7-a-side and went to see the All-Ireland Finals at Croke Park.
Holloway can boast of having 6 of the team playing for the London Junior team
including Dorothy Connor (captain), Ann Dunning, Noreen Kennedy, Sinead Norris,
Helena Keating and Georgia Spokes.
Over the years there have been many changes at the club but one of the most
noticeable is the interest from Australians and New Zealanders in the game.
As antipodeans are by nature more sports orientated than their European
counterparts, they naturally adapt to the game and generally take to it very
easily. This year alone has seen Holloway recruit 5 Australians, a few
English girls and a Scots lass. The club has become solid over the years
both on and off the playing field due to the hard work and dedication of players
and club members. Holloway is now a well-established club and look set to
be around for many years to come.
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