O' Donovan Rossa GAA Club

The story of how the O’Donovan Rossa Park came to be is a fascinating one. On September 30th 1945, in the Town Hall, a meeting was held at which the O’Donovan Rossa Memorial Committee was formed. This came about following a suggestion by Dr Micheal O’Sullivan, while delivering a lecture on the life of O’Donovan Rossa to the Skibbereen Historical and Archaeological Society, that a plaque to the memory of the great Fenian should be erected in the town. Such was the success of the Memorial Committee that they collected enough money to buy an eight acre site as they believed that a playing park in which the youth of the town could play our native Gaelic Games would be the best way to perpetuate the memory of O’Donovan Rossa. The unveiling of the magnificent bust of Rossa at the entrance to the park took place on July 2nd 1950 and was performed by President of Ireland Sean T O’Kelly. 

From the very beginning, way back in the 1880s the GAA has been one of the most prominent organisations in the parish. There is much more to it than just fielding teams and winning matches it is about people. People make up the GAA people from every walk of life, from the rank and file members right up to the top hierarchy, from those who start kicking a football or pucking a sliotar at 6 or 7 years of age, right up to the more senior members.  Many improvements have been carried out at Rossa Park over the years and the opening in early 2014 of a new astro-turf pitch ensures that the club has the most up-to-date facilities and in line with any club in the country.