Kilmeena 3.98

Kilmeena is a small village in County Mayo, Ireland, near Westport. The village has a Catholic church and a school.HistoryThe Kilmeena ambush was the scene of a defeat for the local Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence. On 19 May 1921, British troops surprised an IRA ambush party at Kilmeena. Six IRA men were killed and seven wounded. The remainder of the column fled over the mountains to Skerdagh. One Royal Irish Constabulary man and one Black and Tans member were also killed in the action. The British forces threw the dead and wounded IRA men into the street outside the Police barracks in nearby Westport, causing widespread revulsion among the local people.GAAKilmeena GAA Club was founded in 1889. Club records show that they played their first game against Westport at Kilmeena on 10 March 1889. The club was affiliated to the County Board in the same year. They contested their first county senior final against the mighty Ballina Stephenites and were beaten. Gate receipts for that match which was played at the Showground's in Claremorris was £3. 15.9; of this total, 14 shillings was for labour and gatemen. £2. 13. 11 for the use of the grounds and the remainder for the County Board.Despite contesting a number of county finals at various levels without success throughout the following years, it wasn’t until 1968 the first breakthrough came in the Junior A division, when the Club won the West Mayo Cusack Cup for the first time, beating Westport in the final in Westport. They had a further wait until 1977 before they won their first County Junior title, beating Carramore in the final in McHale Park Castlebar. Incidentally, the under14 team of 1970 can justifiably lay claim to bringing the first county title to the club by winning the championship that year. Many members of that under 14 team were also part of the winning junior team of 77.