Club History

Charles Kickhams was the first club in Drumreilly Upper which was founded in 1889. The co-founders were Patrick Maguire and Brian McEnroy. In 1891, the Championship was abandoned and activity on the Leitrim playing fileds did not resume until 1903. It was not until 1906 that the Drumreilly Upper Club was revived under the name of Michael Davitts. The tournament was held on O'Hara's Rock, Kilrush in Spetmeber 1906. The day's programme consisted of tug o'war and a three games tournament. The Leitrim PObserver and The Leitrim Advertiser reporters differ on the results of the Michael davitts game against Eslin Sarsfileds, the former giving a 0-1 all draw and the latter giving Sarsfileds vicroty on a score of 0-2 to 0-1. The team was John O'Rourke, Michael Kiernan (Capt), Pee Tiernan, James Quinn, Tom Carter, Bernard McEnroy, Joseph Gaffney, John Charles, Tom Kelleher, Michael McKeon, John Curran, Patrick Maguire, James Maguire, Francis Carcy and Terence Dolan.

There were good times ahead as the club reached the semi-final in 1929 to be beaten by Mohill but the big breakthrough came on 8th November 1931, when assisted by Mohill players, they beat Fenagh in the county final on Ardrum Rock. The following year, they also beat Fenagh in the final but a successful objection lodged by Fenagh against Johnny McGoldrick, home from the US, deprived them of the medals. The team that brought the one and only Senior Champioship to Drumreilly were: Paddy canning, Frank Clyne, John Geelan, Tom Maxwell, Frank Mitchell, Paddy Martin, Paddy Kearns, Francie Holohan, Benny Higgins, Pat McKiernan, Joh Patrick Reilly, Tommy McKiernan, Benny Connolly, Jimmy Holohan, Michael Cox. Subs: Paddy Maxwell, Fancie Holohan Sr and Paddy Gill.

The retirement of some older players and the return of the Mohill players meant a lean period for Drumreilly for the rest of the thirties. They were in Junior ranks, and with the hep of some Carrigallen players reached the South Leitrim Championship Final to be beaten by Annaduff. Reward  for sixteen years of sweat and persverance in Jimmy Holohan's fields came at last on the 29th March 1947 when they won the 1946 Championship after a replay in Cloone Grange against the old rivals Annaduff. The players prominent in that campaign were defenders McKiernan, McGoohan, Gaffney and forwards Kelleher, Maguire and Quinn are mentionned. Drumreilly continued on winning ways getting to the 1948 League Final against Gorvagh.

Some contention and alot of excitement in 1949 when some of the Drumreilly players joined Drumeela Harps. When a weakened Drumreilly and The Harps met in the Championship in Ballinamore, the former led all during the game but a Paddy Donegan goal in the dying minuttes clinched victory The Harps.

The follwoing three decades were relatively barren. Drumreilly did reach the 1953 Senior League semi-final to be beaten by Ballinamore and disappointment was to follow in 1969 when (amalgamated with Aughawillen) a late goal by Cloone robbed them of victory in the League semi-final. In 1972, Aughawillen revived its club and Drumreilly amalgamated with Carrigallen. Drumreily won its forst ever Under 14 Championship in 1968.

1977 was to prove a big year for the Club with the winning of both Junior Championship and League, both at the expense of Bornacoola. The teams were expertly prepared by player-cum-coach the late Michael McGirl. Winning if the Club of the Year Award was an added bonus. The final score in the Championship Final was Drumreilly 0-11 Bornacoola 0-7. The team and marksmen were: Patsy Donegan, Kevin McNamee, PJ O'Connor, Sean McKeon, Francie Masterson, Frank Holohan (0-1), Jim Holohan, PJ McPartlin, Francie Corrigan (0-1), James Holohan (0-4), Noel Maxwell (capt) (0-3), John Joe Holohan, Pat McCabe, Mickey McGirl and Padraig Gaffney. Sub: John McGirl. A penalty goal by Frank Holohan midway through the second half was the turning print in the League Final. The final score was 1-10 to 1-4. The seventies were further fruitful when the Drumreilly/Aughawillen aamalgamation Drumlea won three in a row in the Under 21 Championship with victories in the 1972 Under 16 and 1972 Under 14 Championship. Disappointment was our lot when we were beaten in the 1978 Division 2 League final by Cloone and again against the same opposition in August 1980, when Cloone, trailing by 0-6 to 2-6 with six minutes to go, snatched two goals and a point and victory. A draw against Fenagh in the League semi-final was not sufficient, and Drumreilly were beaten in the following year's final by Carrigallen after a replay. It was a case of third time lucky when they lifted the 1983 Division 2 League title with a 1-9 to 1-7 victory over Gencar/Manorhamilton.

The 9th November 1985 was an historic day when Drumreilly Minors won their first ever Minor Rural League Final. The eighties were a decade that brought Championship victories in 1984 and 1985 and League 1985 to the Under 16s, an Under 21 Championship title to Drumlea in 1989 and also Under 12 League (1982) and Under 14 Championship (1983) titles. Drumlea school team won the 1986 and 1988 Three Teacher Schools Champioship.

Drumreilly won the Intermediate Championship beating Kiltubrid 1-10 to 0-6 on 4th October 1998. A notable feature of the game was that Ollie Maguire scored 1-9 of Drumreilly's total. The team lined out as follows: Des Donegan, Chris Mimna, Hugh Joseph Maguire, Kevin McNamee, Stephen Fee, Frank Holohan, Padraig McGloin, Pat Donohoe, Noel Connolly, Sean Mitchell, Gerard Holohan, John McKeon, James Holohan, Ollie Maguire and Declan Holohan. Sub; Tommy Connolly. Our junior team won a Division 4 title in 1993. Underage players enjoyed a Golden Age in the nineties with victories in the Under 12 League in 1992, Under 12 Championship in 1994 and 1996, Under 14 League in 1993, 1994, and 1998, Under 14 Championship in 1996 and 1998, Dolan Cup in 1998, Under 14 Championship in 1998, Under 16 League in 1996 and 1999, Under 16 Championship in 1992 and 1997. Drumlea school team lifted three successive Three Teacher school title in 1993, 1994 and 1995.

Our Seniors ended a seventy-one years fruitless spell in Senior Championship football by beating Carrigallen 2-9 to 1-11 to win the 2002 Senior B Championship. The winning of their first Division 1 League title against Bornacoola on the 30th November 2003 was one of the greatest feats in the club's history. The lineout was: Mick McGirl, Damien Holohan, Gerry Holohan, Chris Mimna, Damien Mitchell, John McKeon, Ciaran Holohan, Declan Maxwell, Pat Donohe, Mick Holohan, Nigel Maguire, Adrian McGirl, Cillian Maguire, Francis Holohan, and James Holohan. Sub: Sean Mitchell. The finals core was 2-10 to 1-4.

In underage competition the Under 16s completed the treble by winning the Championship, League and Dolan Cup in 2000. In the following year they emerged Division 3 league winners and won the Dolan Cup for the fourth time and Drumlea won the Under 21 title. In 2003, Drumlea won the Two Teacher schools title and Drumlea were victorious in the delayed 2002 decider and also the 2003 Final. Drumreilly Under 16s beat Eslin in the 2004 League Final.

Ladies football has been well catered for in the Club and also through amalgamation with Aughawillan.