Looking back on a glorious era for Armagh camogie

Ursula McGivern reminisces on a glorious era for Armagh camogie in the 1990s in conversation with Niall Gartland.

These were halcyon days for the Armagh camogs. Halcyon years, to be precise about it.

In October 1993, Ursula McGivern hoisted the New Ireland Cup in Breffni Park at the conclusion of the All-Ireland Junior final replay. There was no doubting Armagh’s supremacy at the second time of asking – the scoreboard read 2-10 to 0-6 in their favour. 8,000 supporters, most of an Armagh persuasion, attended the final.

Then, 11 months later, another All-Ireland success – this time at Intermediate level. And this time, there was no call for a replay. Armagh cut loose out against Kildare, running out 7-11 to 3-11 victors at GAA Headquarters. Mary Black had the honours of accepting the trophy on this occasion.

Those weren’t the only special days for a generational group of Armagh players.

There was a historic appearance in the National League Division One final in 1995 against Cork. While they lost, they remain the only team ever from the province to compete in the league final at the top tier.

They also won three Ulster finals in successive years between 1992 and 1994 – overcoming Antrim in 1992 before clinching back-to-back titles over Down. Basically, they were the big cheeses in Ulster.

Time has moved on but the memories remain. And you can’t understand the glory days without examining what went before. All-Ireland Junior Championship final defeats of 1985 and 1987 only served to amplify their desire to get over the line.

Ursula McGivern said: “In 1985 we were beaten by Galway in our first final.

“One of the biggest lessons actually came out of the banquet that night in the Grand Hotel in Malahide. Tom Monaghan brought a lot of class to everything. We had all the gear and were really well looked after.

“We got off the bus in Dublin in our tracksuits with our kit bagsand everything.

“We had all the scores and jerseys, like it was the FA Cupfinal. We were all giggling to ourselves.

“That was nice but in the Grand Hotel we were commended for how we presented ourselves and all that. I just remember thinking, ‘Forget that – I’d rather have an All-Ireland medal.’

“Galway and ourselves were in the Junior final, and Cork and Kilkenny were in the Senior final. It was a class experience and a great memory to have.

“But that line always stuck with me. It showed the importance of getting the balance right – being well looked after, but also winning your All-Ireland medal.

She added: “I used to say, ‘One day I’m going to play in Croke Park.’ After that I would say, ‘I’m going to play in Croke Park and win in Croke Park.’ There’s one thing getting there and playing; all those things motivate you.”

Ursula, a native of Lurgan, stuck with it through thick and thin. She was 30 by the time they won the All-Ireland Junior final in 1993, but for her, camogie was more than a game. It defined her life.

“Clann Éireann was my club growing up. When I came of age, there wasn’t really a senior team for camogie, so that brought me out to St Enda’s. It was a Junior team at the time but we made massive progress – we won Junior, Intermediate and then Senior in the space of three years.”

“I went to Jordanstown and played camogie there. It was a lifestyle basically. So growing up during the troubles, I played for Clann Éireann which was a great club for youth, then went down to Belfast and played there as well.

“I played from county on up through from the minor ranks, and the 1985 and 1987 All-Ireland Junior finals.

“There was a lot of good stuff happening in that period and by the nineties it had really evolved into something big.

“We had a lot of youth, mixed with experience, and there was a great hunger in Armagh for any success at all, and I suppose we helped provide that.”

Rivals on the club scene became a unified force when they pulled on the county jersey. The players got on like a house on fire – exemplified by their very own theme tune.

McGivern said: “A lot of us competed against each other at senior club level and in championship matches. You’d get stuck into each other, but once you got on that bus, the Armagh jersey was the common theme. All the club politics were left aside.

“Sally McCone was a great girl. She had written a song that we all sang together: ‘We are the Armagh camogs…’ We all put it together. It united everyone and the craic was good. There were no mobile phones, no social media, none of that. We sat together, there was good communication, lots of talking, singing and all that.

“We trained hard and we partied hard, but everyone was incredibly committed. Girls travelled to county training from Derry, from Belfast, from everywhere. They made their way to training and then made their way home again.

“You’d do county training two nights a week, club training two nights a week, and matches at the weekends.”

The Orchard camogs were knocking on the door but sustained a gut-wrenching two-point defeat to Galway in a high-octane All-Ireland Junior Championship semi-final encounter in 1992. A year later, they finally crossed the finish line in first place.

“In 1992, Galway beat us down in Galway and that was very painful. But it was also a huge motivating factor for 1993.

“We won a tough semi-final against Carlow in 1993, and then we drew against Galway in Croke Park. The replay was in Breffni Park, we beat them and it was brilliant. We’d won National League finals as well so we rose through the ranks and were playing teams like Tipperary, Dublin and Clare, teams who were right up there at the very top.

“In 1995 we contested the senior National League final against Cork. It was unbelievable. Cork put manners on us! Everything seemed to happen so quickly but I’ve so many brilliant memories.

“There was a lot of media attention as well, from RTÉ, phone calls from different newspapers, so there was a lot of profile involved as well.”

McGivern remembers the homecoming as much as the game itself. Irish Street in Armagh City was thronged with jubilant supporters.

“And then the homecoming… thousands, and I mean thousands, came out. We were probably a hungry county. We were fortunate in that respect. We finished off in Irish Street in Armagh, near St Malachy’s. The whole thing came to a standstill.”

“Here’s a wee story. A few weeks ago I was in the leisure centre and someone said, ‘Go down and talk to that man there.’

“So I went over and he said, ‘Well, Ursula, you wouldn’t know me, but you’d know my wife, Breda Cunningham.’

“I said, ‘Flip me, I surely do know Breda.’

We got talking and had a great conversation. He mentioned the camogie and said, ‘We were there to welcome you home after 1993.’

“I said, ‘Really?’

“He said, ‘We played for you at your homecoming.’ It was Gerry Cunningham, the singer from All Power To Your Elbow. I’d never met the man before.”

McGivern and her teammates remain firm friends, bonded for life by their exploits on the pitch. She’s keen to make the point that it wasn’t all about the mainstays of the team either. Everyone played their part in a glorious era for Armagh camogie.

“Only two weeks ago we had a reunion of the 1993 team. We often do reunions — 20 years, 25 years and so on. We went down to the Carrickdale Hotel, had a big meal, stayed over and enjoyed all those things.

“We still have a WhatsApp group. Everyone is still alive and well. It’s amazing.

“Teams can drift apart but we’re all still friends to this day.

“It’s hard watching teammates who aren’t starting and seeing that disappointment, but each and every one of us brought something different

“Every girl brought something different – different personalities, different qualities, both on and off the pitch. Looking back now, you appreciate with gratitude everything we got.

“We’re talking now about having a big reunion of all the All-Ireland championship teams. A few of us are discussing it at the minute – just bringing everyone together again, recalling memories and stories, and having a big get-together.”

All-Ireland Premier Junior Championship final 1993

Armagh2-10 (3-9)Galway0-6 (3-9)

Armagh: Margaret McKee, Margaret Moriarty, Sally McCone, Celine McGeary, Orlagh Murphy, Collette Byrnes (0-1), Mary Black (0-1), Aine Lennon (0-1), Bernie McBride, Ursula McGivern (capt) (0-3), Donna McCusker (0-2), Patricia McAvoy (1-2).

Subs : Anne Donnelly, Mary Donnelly (1-0), Teresa McNally, Olive McGeown.

All-Ireland Intermediate final 1994

Armagh 7-11 Kildare 3-11

Armagh: Margaret McKee, Margaret Moriarty, Geraldine Haughey, Celine McGeary, Orlagh Murphy, Olive McGeown (0-1), Mary Black (capt) (1-0), Aine French (0-1), Bernie McBride (2-2), Colette Byrne (0-4), Ursula McGivern (0-1), Mary Donnelly (3-2).

Subs : Helen Mone, Deirdre Connolly, Patricia McAvoy (1-0), Siobhán Smyth.