History

Toomevara was noted for its hurlers before the foundation of the G.A.A. It is said that a man named Paddy Ryan brought a ball across the country from Cloughjordan when Toomevara and Lorrha met in the days of the hurling homes.

The club was founded in 1885 and took part in their first County Senior championship in 1888 but were beaten in the first round. In 1889 Toomevara reached their first Co. Senior Final after defeating Holycross in the semi final which was played in Dublin because a venue could not be agreed in Tipperary. The final was lost to Moycarkey after a disputed goal and the match was abandoned. Toome refused the offer of a replay.Toomevara were accredited with the honours in 1890 and became Co. Senior Hurling Champions for the first time.

The Club went into decline after this success and it was not until 1910 that a period of fame and glory began for the hurlers of the parish, making their name a household word throughout the country. They were led by Pat ‘Wedger’ Meagher and became known as the Greyhounds. Co. Championships were won in 1910, 12, 13, 14 and1919. The Croke Cup was also won by a Toomevara selection and a number of songs were composed to honour the occasion.

During the 1920’s another Co. title was won in 1923 and a number of junior and intermediate clubs were formed within the parish.

The next success at senior level came with a county championship in 1930 and was again the start of a period of great success for the club. 1931 saw the club retain the Co. Senior Title and the future looked very bright with players of the calibre of Martin Kennedy, who was also Tipperary senior captain, and a host of other top class players. One could not have imagined that it would be 29 years before another Co. title would come back to the parish of Toomevara.

During the 1950’s there ware junior teams in Gurtagarry, Ballinmona, Ballymackey, Monanore and an intermediate team in Toomevara village. In 1956 these combined to form a senior hurling team and took part in the senior Championship. Over the next few years the team was groomed and moulded together. The return of Phil Shanahan and John Hough added considerably to the cause. Neil Williams, national teacher in Ballinree, also threw in his lot with the team, thereby beginning an association with the club which was to last well beyond his playing days. Such has been the level of work and dedication to the cause of hurling and coaching in Toomevara that the club will be forever indebted to him.

In 1960 Toomevara reached the Tipperary senior final and faced a great Thurles Sarsfields team. The final was played in Templemore, The title was returned to Toome on a scoreline of 3-15 to 2-8. In 1961 Matt Hassett captained Tipperary to bring the Liam McCarthy Cup to the parish for the first time. Again the future looked bright but a Co. Senior title was not to return to the parish for another 32 years until 1992 when the Dan Breen Cup was brought back to the village square again.

This was one of the bleakest periods in the clubs history and it was regraded to intermediate in 1979 and remained at that level until 1984 when the intermediate championship was won and the club was back in senior hurling. The long journey in quest of a Tipperary Senior hurling title had begun. During the next few years there were many disappointments and it was not until 1992 that the goal of winning a Tipperary Co. Senior Hurling title was achieved.

That victory in 1992 was the start of an unbelievable run of success at senior level for the Club, winning multiple Co. Senior titles. The club has contested five Munster Club finals winning three in 1994, 2004 and 2006 and lost the All Ireland Club Final to Sarsfields of Galway in 1994.

In 2001 Tommy Dunne captained Tipperary to the All Ireland title and the Liam McCarthy Cup returned to Toomevara for the second time.