Fr. Eugene Sheehy, the Land League Priest, who was parish priest in Rockhill-Bruree at the time, founded the South Limerick GAA Club. Under the charge of Fr. Sheehy, the club, based in Bruree, won the 1893 County Senior Hurling title. The winning team in 1893 was; T. Buckley, J.J. Flanagan, T. Flanagan, R. Smith, W.K. Martin, J.R. Hayes, L. Roche, J. Byrne, M. Sheehy, D. Higgins, J. Riordan, P.J. Kelly, E.J. Walsh, D. Flynn, N. Simcox, J.M. Hynan, A. Fenton.
After some success in the 1930s, the club disbanded in 1940. The Bruree Hurling Club was revived at a meeting in the L.D.F. Hall in Bruree in November 1944. A large crowd elected the following officers: President D. Horgan, N.T., Chairman D. Cahill, Vice-chairman D. O’Riann, N.T., Hon. Sec. C. Simcox, Treasurer J. Murphy, Captain M. Sexton, Vice-captain H. Simcox. It was a few years before success came Bruree’s way, but when it came, it came in style.
Bruree won the South Junior Hurling title in 1948 and went on to repeat the deed in ‘49, ‘50 and ‘51 to make it a record four in a row of South titles. Some of the prominent members of the Bruree teams at that time included the Mullanes - Bertie Mick and Frank, Mick Sexton, J.J. O’Brien, Connie Carroll, the Simcox’s - Ger, Con and Henry, Mick Potter, Mossie O’Riordan, Maurice Jones, Jimmy Burke, Jim Canty, Edward Barry and J. Kearney.
The winning streak culminated with the annexation of Bruree’s first County title since 1893 when Bruree defeated South Liberties in the County Junior Hurling final of 1951. Bruree went on to win South Junior Hurling titles again in 1957, 1963, 1966 and the Junior B title in 1997. 1966 was another successful year for the club, with Bruree winning its second County Junior Hurling title.
Bruree went Senior the following year and though they came close on a few occasions, it wasn't until 2006 that the County Senior Hurling title came back to Bruree. The victorious team was Daniel Lane, Kieran O’Rourke, John O’Brien, John Paul Murphy, Dessie Lenihan, Stephen McDonogh, Shane Mullane, James C. O’Brien, Emmett Morrissey, Brendan Hogan, Gerard O’Brien, James V. O’Brien, Michael Lane, Stephen O’Halloran, Tommy O’Brien, Declan Sexton, Paul Sexton, Eamon Sexton, Andrew Sexton, Conor O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, Seamus O’Connell, Christopher Sexton, John Lynch, David Hogan, Joachim O’Kelly, Vincent Stanton, Michael Brouder, Donal Deady, Laurence Sexton.
Bruree has one Munster title to it's name, winning the Junior Hurling final back in 2008.
Bruree GAA has all the elements which make for a successful club. We have a dedicated group of players both at adult and underage level. Our collaboration with Castletown/Ballyagran, as Killacolla Gaels, has also brought success to Bruree. We have dedicated people who work with these players to bring out the best in them. Our officers and committee members at adult and underage are hardworking and committed to the future of the club.
We are extremely lucky to have a large and loyal band of supporters within and outside the parish who are very generous with the support on the sideline and financially. We thank everyone who has helped in any way to make Bruree GAA the great club that it is. The club looks forward to 2019 with renewed energy and hopefully bring success on the playing field for both young player and adults.
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