HISTORY – GALWAY BOHEMIANS 1932 – 2020
When John O’Dowd came to town to work in the Galway Printing Company, he was amazed to discover that there was no organised juvenile soccer played here, all of the schools regarded it as a foreign game, and the established junior clubs reckoned that young fellas were a nuisance taking up space on pitches and using footballs etc. He approached The Galway Football Committee to demand a juvenile league be set up, and so began a new era in Galway soccer history in 1931/32. The clubs involved included Crusaders, Hotspurs, Reds United, Emmetts, Unknowns, Bective Rangers and Hibernians.
The only soccer pitch available was ‘The Swamp’ which had been acquired by Galway Corporation under the Carnegie Trust. The pitches there were allotted under the Trust rulings, which meant there could be no charge for viewing games. The league was a big success with Hotspurs winning the first title. A minor league was established in 1932/33 thus ensuring continuity of competitive football for the players.
A competition for The Free State Minor Cup was the beginning of organised underage soccer at National level. John O’Dowd decided Galway should be represented. A team selected from the best players in Crusaders and Hotspurs was entered in the inaugural competition under the name Galway Bohemians AFC. They won their first game 3 – 0 against Westport Town in the Swamp, but were beaten 3 – 1 by Sligo United in the next round.
Bohs produced very high quality play and kept winning matches and trophies..
The Young Cup, Schweppes Cup, The City Shield Charity Cup etc, and one by one some of the other clubs folded like Rangers, Rovers, Celtic, Wanderers, City and Collegians. Bohs minors won the Connacht area of the Free State Minor Cup in 1936/37, and in 1941, they became the first Galway club to reach the final of the Free State Junior Cup. By the end of the 1940’s, they had teams playing in all grades of football being organised by The Galway Committee.
Galway Bohemians F.C. is an Irish association football club based in Galway. Their senior men’s team competes in the Galway & District League. They have previously played in the Western League. The club was formed in 1932 and was originally put together as a representative team of a local youth league who wanted to enter a team in the FAI Youth Cup. In 1940–41 Galway Bohemians became the first club from Galway to reach the final of the FAI Junior Cup. [1]Together with Castlebar Celtic, Galway Bohemians hold the record for winning the Connacht Junior Cup the most times. [2]
Honours
- Galway FA Division 1
- Winners 2017-2018
- FAI Junior Cup
- Runners Up: 1940–41: 1
- Western League
- Winners: 1936–37, 1937–38, 1939–40, 1946–47, 1960–61, 1967–68 : 6
- Runners Up: 1966–67: 1
- Connacht Junior Cup
- Winners: 1938–39, 1945–46, 1952–53, 1955–56, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1977–78, 1992–93, 1996–97 : 9
- Runners Up: 1941–42, : 1
- Galway & District League
- Winners: 1969–70, 1975–76: 2
We would love to receive any documents or photos that you have about the history of Galway Bohemians >
LOOKING TO REBUILD WITH YOUR SUPPORT
Gavin Greaney (Club Chairman, Junior Player, Coach of U8/U9’s and Father to a couple of Bohemian Legends in the making)
I started coaching after Darren asked me to “help out ” one Wednesday evening. I got up to Millers and he handed me the reigns of the under 7s and 8s 😂😂
Great bunch of kids training in the cold, muck and rain every Wednesday night in winter with no complaints out of them. I never had any interest in coaching but after that night I was hooked and it means more to be coaching at a club I’ve played with for 13 years and counting.
My son Jake also plays for Bohs now so it’s even more fulfilling. I’m only a year at it but Tom, Darren, Anthony, Wayne, Sean, Mike, Mairt and Ger have being keeping it going since 2015 so fair play to ye lads. Even more joining now to help out is great to see.
Hopefully these young lads can come through and let me retire gracefully 👴
Donna Guinan (Club Secretary & Mum)
My son joined Bohs in 2016 after the mens team won the League and Joe Ryan Cup. His father and uncle played on the team and he wanted to leave his club and follow them after spending 3 years at his local club.
My daughter also does the summer camp each year since turning 5. My kids love playing with Bohs, the coaches are great with the kids and very passionate about what they do. It’s all about the enjoyment of playing.
This year I was asked to be Secretary for the club. I was always volunteering if the lads needed help with anything, just my way of saying thanks for the hard work they do and for the service they provide my son. I’m looking forward to my role and the future development of the club.
Back in the summer of 2015, by chance I spotted a poster for a Bohs kids soccer camp. I signed my boy, Oisin, aged 6 up for the camp and met Tom & Laura, who introduced us to Galway Bohemians AFC. The camp was brilliant and Oisin wanted to stay with Bohs afterwards even though he had spent the previous two years with another local club. I was also very happy with this, as Bohs were beginning a new journey forming the youth academy.
Presently, both my kids play very proudly for Bohs Academy teams.
Bohs have a family feel, and lucky to have knowledgeable coach’s who love working with kids of all abilities. Many parents now also help out the club in various roles. The academy is going from strength to strength, and the soccer games are great to watch.
Colin & Deirdre Geraghty.
Tom Trill (U14/U15 Coach & U5/U7…. Coach 🙈)
I had a book in my house growing up which was the 50th Anniversary magazine for Galway Bohemians AFC. I loved it. The history and the stories reflected my love of the game. There was also an article from one of my heroes in it Chick Deacy RIP. I love the photo of him and my Grandfather Brod Trill RIP attached. I blame Chick and Paul McGrath for my life long struggles as a Villa fan. #wearepremierleague
I only started playing for Bohs in 2008 when Cathal Naughton asked me down. (I think he regretted it when I scored around 5 own goals on him) 🤣 I jumped at the chance to play for a club like this.
When I came back from Australia Alan Byrnes was working hard to keep the club afloat in very hard times. It only got harder and harder and after back to back relegations a vote was called at the AGM in 2013 to amalgamate with a neighbouring club again. The mighty Bohs had only 1 junior team and we were in Divison 3 at the time so it seemed like the best option.
We had a belief that we could bring this club back if we put a proper plan in place and pumped in some new energy. The plan was to get the Junior going again and once running, flip focus to creating a very inclusive and community based underage structure.
It’s been a tough few years but great people keep getting attracted to the club. Darren Corcoran has to get a load of credit as he has stuck at this with me and we are now seeing the benefits. Its also great to have Gavin Greaney back in with us as the man bleeds Bohs. Too many other great people involved to mention all. (Maybe in our 100th Anniversary magazine)
There is such a family and community vibe again at the club that we can only be positive about the prospects. Galway has some amazing clubs doing great work for our sport and I would be devistated if Galway Bohs was not amongst them.
I’m really enjoying the coaching and all the ups and downs that come with it. The last season in the Juniors was a disaster but I learned valuable lessons that needed to be learnt. That team of players were brilliant footballers but alot of ‘fruit loops’ too that could lose the plot at any time…. True Bohemians. We’ve had some amazing achievements over the past few seasons for a club with nothing and the plan is to bring through the next bunch of lads that will start their careers with Bohs and hopefully thrive and gain the love for the club and the game that we have. Coaching the young lads is so rewarding and enjoyable and we’ll 100% deliver what they need.
I think I’ll save the rest for the book. Be great to get more involved so get in touch and I still need a keeper for my U15’s…..
Sean O’Fatharta: Coach with the U10/U11 age groups.
I first got involved with the Galway Bohs youth academy when I saw my old underage coach Mike Cubbard make a post on Facebook looking for new coaches to help out with the growing numbers at the academy and he told me to tag along and see if I liked what they were doing.
When I got down to the club I found like minded and enthusiastic coaches hoping to rebuild a club that had great history and they had a vision of an even better future for this club.
That was four years ago and I haven’t looked back since.
The club has fostered a culture of fun and continuous development which goes for the coaches as well as the players. The club has been supportive in my own coaching development, allowing me to pursue my coaching badges. I have recently received my National D coaching badge and both myself and the club are eager for me to continue on to the National C Licence in the coming months..
Wayne Sherry (Coach U8-U9)
I made the move to Bohs Junior B team back in 2015 as a player. We won the league that year which I defined the highlight of my football career.
The following year I stepped it up a gear when I joined the committee. As a player, sometimes you fail to realise the work that goes on in the background at a football club. I seen the lads were giving 110% to the club so I decided to jump in to help in any way I could.
Tom, Darren, Gavin, Mike and others had a vision for the club and it was decided the academy was the way forward. I started coaching the youngest group that year and haven’t looked back.
Many of that group are still with us today and have developed into great little footballers. The encouragement style of coaching has really paid off for these kids and they absolutely love it.
Mike Cubbard: (Coach U10/U11)
After 15 years involved in various coaching and officer roles at Galway Hibernians I decided to take a year out of local football. A few short weeks after that decision Tom Trill contacted me to try twist my arm about the possibility of managing the Galway Bohs Junior side.
Having met with Tom, Darren Corcoran, Gavin Greaney, Anthony Davitt and Sean Coleman, the opportunity to manage a club with a history such as Bohs was one I could not pass up.
The above mentioned committee had a vision matched with a passion to re-build the club which engaged me instantly.
I enjoyed the experience of managing Bohs and the challenge to produce a competitive side in the junior leagues week in week out.
After a few seasons I then switched focus to development of the clubs academy. The initial days were tough with small numbers but as the word began to spread that Bohs Academy was a low cost, highly enjoyable option for kids of all ability we started to see the number of children attending grow.
The initial passion to re-build the club remains, and with new coaches and many parents now involved behind the scenes, it gives us that community club we have being aiming to achieve.
The next phase is to develop facilities to match the needs of the members whilst we continue to grow our academy and develop our coaches. That, coupled with the return of a junior Bohs side again bodes well for the future of Galway Bohemians in the short and long term.
It is a great club to be part of and I would encourage anyone looking to get involved to get in touch.
Gerard O’Donovan (U13 Coach & Dad)
I first noticed the new Bohs academy when driving past Miller’s Lane in 2016 and seeing a sign encouraging kids to join up. I signed up my two boys soon after and since that day, we have never looked back.
From day one, I have been hugely impressed by the Bohs coaches and their all inclusive philosophy towards training and personal development. All age groups mix well together and there is a genuine community feel to the club.
I have found it to be a fun and highly affordable club for kids to learn about the game, make friends and develop their football skills under the guidance of highly experienced coaches. It motivated me to sign up as a coach to assist Anthony and Martin with the u13s and it has been a pleasure to be involved with the group as they are a great bunch of kids.
Martin Rice (Goalkeeping Coach)
I got involved with coaching last year when Anthony phoned me asking if I would help himself and Ger out with the u12s doing a bit of goalkeeper training.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went down but I have to say the work the other coaches have done with these kids has been exceptional.
The training sessions are really good and all the lads are very eager to learn so it was easy getting started.
Having played for Bohs myslef many years ago now, I was delighted to get the opportunity to help the club and the other coaches with the development of these kids.
Goalkeeper training is not always available at club level especially underage so its been great trying to teach the lads and help them learn a few of the basics I have learned myself over the years.
The club is going from strength to strength at academy level and the work being done behind the scenes is incredible.
The future looks bright for Galway Bohemians!!
TRAIN ALONGSIDE THE BEST
