Please read the following article submitted by Paddy Twomey any information is greatly appreciated.

The Gaelic Athletic Association in Cork was put on an official footing in 1887 in Alderman’s Hotel, at 27 Maylor Street in Cork City. It became known as the County Committee (Present Day Cork County Board). Little Island were represented at this historic meeting by Patrick Scott of Clash, Little Island, the School Principal at Scoil Inse Ratha(Little Island National School). Mr. Scott’s mother was a sister of Dan Gould and he still has relatives living on Little Island. (Mainly members of the Tobin Family) Patrick Scott was a native of Little Island born and reared there.

Knockraha and Little Island were both represented at the initial meeting and eventually a team from Little Island took part in the very first Cork County Hurling Championship. Little Island drew Blarney in the first round and despite losing they successfully appealed the result on the basis that Blarney fielded players from outside their Parish area, and the match was refixed for Sunday May 8^th 1888. Little Island won this refixed match and then met Aghada the following Sunday 15^th May and again won. They met Cork Nationals a City team and were beaten in the quarter final score 3-5 to 1-1.

The 8^th of May next will be the 125^th anniversary of this historic occasion, and I here list the names of the players who represented the Island on that day. Thomas Twohig (Capt). S. Lane. J.Buckley. B.Tobin. M.Sheehan. M.Flynn. E.Lynch. C. Murphy. P.Murphy. James White. David Higgins. B. Kearney. D.Sheehan. P.Sullivan. L.Twomey. J.Murphy. J.Geary. J.DeLacey. E.McSweeney. Daniel Murphy. P.Kelleher. The teams lined out 21 a side in those days.

As we approach the 125^th anniversary of the match I suggest that people in the area might be interested in letting me know if they can trace their roots back to any of those players. The main aid at this stage, apart from local or family knowledge, would be the 1901 census which is available online.

As most people will know several of the family names mentioned in the panel still exist on the island and surrounding areas. Names like Twohig, Sheehan,Flynn, Murphy, and De Lacey , and in fact are still involved with the present Erins Own Club.