Why we’re the Best Club Down Under

In all probability the first G.A.A. meeting to be held in the parish of Glynn was at Muchwood on Sunday 6th December 1885. The first contest took place on Sunday 21st February 1886 when a team (21 players) travelled to Murrintown to play the local team in a friendly game.

Glynn Barntown won their first ever County title in 1929. They defeated Gorey Wolfe Tones by 7 goals 3 points to 3 goals to become County Junior Hurling Champions. Glynn Barntown went on to win the County Intermediate Hurling titles in 1931 and 1934. Nicky Rackard won his first championship medal with Glynn Minors in 1939. In 1966 Glynn Barntown won their first ever Rackard League beating Oulart.

Learning from past mistakes the players were hungrier than ever in 1996, the year when Glynn-Barntown won our first and only Senior title, beating Kilanerin to take the football championship. That final was delayed somewhat by the success of Wexford's Intercounty hurlers, who, on their quest to All-Ireland glory, brought clubmen Gary Laffan, Shane Carley and Tommy Kehoe along for the ride.

The following Year Glynn-Barntown was in another Senior county decider. This time the code was hurling, the opposition was Oulart-the-Ballagh and the result was heartbreak.

It was to be 2003 before the club's Senior team got back in business. Again they reached a county senior final. This time the code was hurling, the opposition was Rathnure and the result? Heartbreak! That Senior hurling title continues to elude Glynn-Barntown, but with numerous underage successes in the recent past, including a Championship in every age group from under 12 to under 21 in 2006, the future is bright.

All that has gone in the past has laid incredibly strong foundations. A huge investment in facilities in recent times has given us a gifted bunch of young players and cemented us at the heart of our community. In recent years we have hit historic milestones: camogie club of the year in 2008, u18 camogie county champions 2008 and 2009. Our first premier under 21 football title in 2008, runners up in 2009. Rionn 1 hurling winners 2009 and an achievement that gave everybody in the club enormous satisfaction was winning the minor premier football and hurling double in 2009. Premier under 21 hurling in 2010, runners up in 2011. It can’t be co-incidence that this group of players is the first to have had the modern club facilities at their disposal since they were 12 years old.

We are now a dual senior club in Wexford after winning intermediate football for the second time in our history in 2009, this coupled with reaching the senior hurling semi finals.

We relish the challenge of being a successful dual senior club and we have the resources on and off the field to be confident of making an impact in both codes. We strive to provide the best facilities for our community. Many look on with envy when they see a hurling wall with an astroturf playing surface, 2 full size pitches, an underage pitch, 2 tennis courts, a walking/jogging track, an indoor fitness centre, 6 dressing rooms and a modern clubhouse all set into a wonderfully picturesque setting with Forth Mountain rising in the ackground. Glynn Barntown also hold a challenge match every year against the Gardai in memory of the late Bernard Thompson who was a local guard that died of cancer. All proceeds from the Bernard Thompson memorial go to charity. I strongly feel that Glynn Barntown GAA deserves this reward from Etihad in recognition of our recent success on and off the field in making a small aspiring rural club one of the most successful and recognised clubs in the country.