Slieve Bloom GAA 2.56

Slieve Bloom GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association hurling club in County Laois, Ireland.OverviewThe club was founded in 1947 and the club colours are orange and white.The club grounds are located two miles from Mountrath off the mountain road to Clonaslee. The townland that the field is located in is called Deerpark and the grounds were once part of the Deerpark estate. The club obtained the grounds from the land commission when the estate was divided. Previous to that the club had operated from the sportsfield at Clonin, Mountrath and also from Rushin, Mountrath.In recent years the grounds have undergone extensive much needed improvements. The playing pitch was leveled and a perimeter fence was erected. Ballstoppers were erected at each end. The dressing-rooms were built and now stand proudly overlooking the countryside. Most recently a scoreboard was erected and a new road going all around the grounds was laid.The current committee consists of: Chairman-Ken Holmes, Secretary - Chloe Farrell, Treasurer-Sean Breen, PRO-Anthony Phelan, Vice-Chairman-Joseph HeffernanIn 1947 Slieve Bloom won the Laois Junior Hurling Championship but had to wait until 1983 to repeat that success. The Captain of the team in 1983 was Thomas Cuddy as the Slieve Bloom men beat Ballypickas in the final. That team was trained by Tim Keenan. The Junior Hurler of the Year award the same year went to Ger Campion from Rushin who played at centre back. Their only other championship title came in 1999 when Benny Conroy captained them to the Laois Junior "B" Hurling Championship title with a memorable 2-4 to 0-7 win over neighbours Castletown. This time the team was trained by another member of the Keenan family, Tim's brother Frank. Hurler of the Year in the Junior B grade that year was Michael Delaney from Lacca who played at full forward.