After Valley United finished ( Ballyboden’s Soccer Team), Jim Kearns and I suggested reviving the old Ballyboden Wanderers. We decided to go to the Junior County Board to do this. That was the year of 1958. I was a board delegate from 1958-1960. I also played Juvenile for Pearse Brother’s GAA Hurling. The first Ballyboden Wanderers Team was Minor U18 football. Myself and Jim Kearns, were mentors of that team. Later on Frank Kelly, John Kearns (brother of Jim Kearns) and Jim Kearns of Taylor’s Lane joined. The following year we went junior and Ed Doyle, Peter Molloy of Ballyboden and Stanley Doyle came on board. Our first match was played on the Valley United pitch, which was located at the back of Perry’s shop in Ballyboden. It was a friendly match against St Annes of Bohernabreena. Jim Kearns of Taylors Lane left Ballyboden after this match, due to the fact that it was played on a soccer pitch! The first official minor match was against Round Towers. We won that match! After that year we went Junior. Around the same time, Noel Callan and Jim Mangan joined.
At this point Ballyboden Wanderers were going from strength to strength, despite not having our own pitch yet! We were still paying Taylors of the Grange for the hire of their pitches. As we progressed, a juvenile section was set up under the watchful eye of Fran O Brien of Nutgrove. The St Patricks Juvenille Hurling team was located where Ballyboden St Endas stands today. Daithí Scolard started going into the local schools asking our footballers to play for St Patricks Hurling team to make up numbers. Daithi, along with Kevin Cardiff, John O Brien, Seán O Sullivan, Paddy Ring and Ned Murphy were all members of St Patricks. A meeting was soon held at Ballyboden Library. A few fathers came along to it. Pearse Murray was Chairman of Ballyboden Wanderers at this time. At this meeting, it was agreed that Ballyboden Wanderers and St Patricks would amalgamate. A change of name was also agreed on. Kevin Cardiff suggested the name Ballyboden St Endas, as it stands today. Ballyboden Wanderers would not agree to this unless the Ballyboden name went first! St Patricks had a pitch of their own in Firhouse and once the two clubs amalgamated it became Ballyboden St Enda’s pitch.
Now having a pitch of our own, we had to organise how we would look after it! We had no mower at the time, so a man who worked for Dublin County Council cut it for us for a while. I then decided to buy a mower. I got one from the Loretto Cinvent for the price of £100.00. Later, some of the members of Ballyboden St Endas asked Paddy Malone, of McInerney’s Builders, could they have use of the grounds at Scholarstown to play their matches and Paddy agreed. Now we had a problem because there was no tractor to pull the gang mower! So, I used my truck to pull the gang mower to cut the grass for a hurling match that was to take place later that day! A hurling match, that I was to be taking part in myself.
The early 70’s was an exciting time because the clubhouse was being built. Ned Meade supplied the 9 inch block’s for free and Paddy Malone of McInerney’s Builders sent over a bricklayer along with more blocks. There was great talk at the time about having our changing rooms at the club. After the clubhouse was built, we set up a junior hurling team. This is when the Keary’s, Kennys and Denis Ryan joined. Around 1971/72, the G.A.A sent out an invitation to a set dance competition in the Players Wills hall on South Circular Rd. We entered a team of eight, under the instruction of Breda Warren. There was myself, Myles Warren, Seán O Sullivan, his wife Maebh and four others. We were just beaten by Na Fianna who took the first prize.
In 1974, former member Seán Doherty played for Ballyboden St Endas and was the first to be called up to play for the Dublin panel under Heffo. That year, Seán and the Dublin team went on to beat Galway in the All Ireland Final and won the All Ireland Football Championship. After the match, there was talk in the club about inviting the Dublin team up to Ballyroan Church Carpark. So, I painted my truck in the Dublin colours and parked it at the church for the homecoming. The Dublin team were on the back of it ( it was a flat bodied truck). There was a great turnout for them.
As the club continued to grow, I looked after Juvenile Hurling and Football at St Enda’s Park, Rathfarnham. I also mentored the Junior Hurling team with Dick Clinton and Paddy Halpin. My wife Theresa used to wash all our jerseys for the Juvenile team at that time. Unfortunately, my wife was unable to continue washing jerseys as she was expecting my daughter Belinda. I then had to take the jerseys to the laundrette in Terenure and bring all the dockets over to John Kirwin, who was treasurer at the time. Maebh O Sullivan was the first woman to start a camogie team at Ballyboden St Endas. A few years later, Mrs Margaret Francois and Kathleen O Sullivan took over. My three sons and four daughters all played for Ballyboden St Endas; Patrick, David, Sharon, Caroline, Belinda, Darren and Terina. My grandson, Daniel Scully, still puts on the Ballyboden jersey today and has done so for the past 20 years.
Ballyboden St Endas has been a huge part of my life for the best part of 45 years. I’m very proud to have been able to play a part in the formation of the club and witness how far it has come over the years. Seeing the senior football team win the All Ireland Club Championship in Croke Park for the first time ever was a very special moment for me. I just want to say congratulations to all involved, and may the success continue across all levels!