Madden Raparees GAC

Madden Raparees Gaelic Athletic Club (Irish: Ropairí na Madan) is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from the townland of Madden, southern County Armagh, Northern Ireland.[1] The club is part of Armagh GAA and plays Gaelic football in the Armagh Intermediate Championship.[1] They play at Raparee Park (Irish: Páirc na Ropairí).[2]

Madden Raparees GAC
Ropairí na Madan
Founded:1931
County:Armagh
Grounds:Raparee Park (Páirc na Ropairí)
Playing kits
Standard colours

The club takes its name from the raparees (pikemen), a term applied to guerrilla fighters on the Jacobite side during the 1690s Williamite war in Ireland, and subsequently to bandits and highwaymen.

History

Founded in 1931,[3] but not officially affiliated until 1934, Madden initially adopted green-and-black colours and played at a pitch near Brootally crossroads. The club ceased to operate during the Second World War, but returned in 1946, adopting green jerseys with gold hoops and moving to a new field at Lisglyn.[4]

Gaelic football

The club's first county title came in 1953 when the Raparees won the Junior Championship, defeating St Peter's of Lurgan by 4-05 to 1-01.[4][5] These were the years of the club's greatest player, Jimmy Whan, one of the winners of the inaugural Cú Chulainn Awards, precursors of the All Stars.[4] After a time in the Senior ranks, in 1964 Madden won the inaugural Intermediate Championship final, defeating Blackwatertown 1-08 to 0-08.[6] In the following year, in which its Senior team briefly featured in Division 1 of the All-County League, Madden reached the county Minor final, losing the replay. Madden won Division 2 of the ACL in 1969.[1] The present red and black strip in the 1960s.[4]

The Intermediate title came back to Madden in 1970 (beat Mullaghbawn 0-06 to 0-05) in 1994 (beat Middletown 2-04 to 0-08) and in 2013 (beat Tir Na Nog 0-15 to 2-06).[6] The club lost the Junior final to Collegeland in 1988, lost again in 1990 to Granemore but won the title in 1993.[1][5] The club lost the Intermediate finals of 2003 and 2006.[6]

The high point of Madden's history to date came in 1998 when it featured in the Senior Championship final, having the misfortune to meet Crossmaglen Rangers in the third year of that club's 13-year run of Senior titles.[1]

Honours

Notable players

Camogie

Madden also fields camogie teams, which play as St Joseph's, Madden. In 2011 the Madden camógs reached the Division 4 final of the Féile na nGael.

References
  1. Madden page Archived 2012-12-19 at the Wayback Machine on Armagh GAA website
  2. Armagh GAA, page 10 Archived 2013-06-26 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Maghery GAA website
  4. History section on club website
  5. Armagh GAA, Clár Oifigiúil, Craobh Sóisearach Peile (JFC final programme), 29 September 2012
  6. Armagh GAA, Clár Oifigiúil, Craobh Idirmheanach Peile (IFC final programme), 6 October 2012
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