Belturbet Rory O’Moores

Founded in 1888 the first match was played against Ballyconnell in April 1895. Then in 1916 the club made its only appearance in a county senior final. The club has had several homes, the first on record being in Naughan – Christy Erran’s field – now owned by Mr Peadar Tully. Following its sale, the club played their games in Frankie O’Reilly’s grounds in Kilconny up until the 1970’s when the old Rory O’Moore Park at Kilconny, was vacated. It was time for the Rories to find a home of their own on the other side of the River Erne and the present park at Erne Hill was purchased. At that time the late Fr Paddy Morris was an influential figure in the club and initiated the purchase of the new field. A special mention should be made of Fr. Morris who, as Chairman of the club in the late sixties and early seventies, initiated the purchase scheme for the park from which subsequent developments sprung. The club amalgamated with Redhills from 1971 to 1973 and won the senior championship as Annagh in 1973. He adopted a professional approach to administrative affairs and gave the club a sense of confidence. The new pitch and clubrooms were formally opened in 1984. The club won the Division 3 League in 1987, with it being the clubs first piece of silverware in over fifty years, marking a renewal for the clubs sporting success, winning the Division 3 League again in 1993. The 1995 Junior Championship was next, with the team captained and managed by the same Mark Lawlor wearing the Banaisteoir bib for the Rories today.  In the same year they were promoted to Division 1. In 1996 in their first year in the premier grade they captured the Intermediate Championship and in the following year reached the semi-final of the Senior Championship, a remarkable feat by any stretch of the imagination. The tail end of the millennium along with the noughties brought some exciting encounters for the Rories at the top table, battling with the best and being unlucky not to feature in a Senior County Final. 2013 seen Belturbet drop down to the Intermediate ranks, reaching the Intermediate Final in 2019, the same year which seen the club reopen its renovated facilities, with two all-weather playing fields, a 200 seater spectator stand, 600m running track and new car park. The club entered the Junior Championship in 2023. Five members of the club played for the county Under 21 team in 1996 which won the Ulster title and reached the All-Ireland final. They were Jason Reilly, Paul Murphy, Conor Walsh, Brian Mulvaney and Aaron Donohoe. Jason who scored a great goal in the 1997 Ulster Championship, also took part in the historic Polo Grounds meeting with Kerry in a Cavan panel which also included Paul Murphy. Damien O’Reilly, still part of Belturbet senior setups, also had an illustrious career with Cavan, captaining the County team for a spell. We hope today will mark a new, and memorable chapter in the club’s proud history along the banks of the Erne.