No. That’s not a typo. Patrons of Cartlann Digiteach Cuala have often been reminded that St. Begnet’s GAA, being one of our constituent historic clubs, is embedded in the Cuala DNA. We previously reported that it was believed to have existed since 1917, but had spent several decades in the wilderness before being resurrected in the late 1950s. Now, that belief about an earlier existence can be upgraded to certainty by the discovery of news reports that record the founding of a club and its very first AGM. We even know the identities of its early players and officials and can point to it being in operation as early as 1916.

But there’s a catch. The earlier team played under the title “St Benedict“. Surely they meant St. Begnet in recognition of our local patron? A newspaper typo most likely? But here’s the strange thing, the team was consistently reported both locally and in Dublin County Board proceedings as St Benedict’s. At no time during its brief lifetime was it ever recorded in the records as “St Begnet’s”. How this unlikely title came to be attached to a Dalkey team remains a mystery. There’s no known local association with St Benedict or the Benedictine Order.

We can offer two clues – but both are too old to be convincing.

One possible explanation for the Club’s name might be that an otherwise authoritative Irish placename gazette. Samuel Lewis’ 1837 “A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland” misattributed Benedict as the Dalkey Island patron instead of Begnet. “The only inhabitants are a few artillerymen stationed at the battery, which mounts three 24 pounders, and has on its summit a Martello Tower, which is entered from the top. Here are the ruins of a church, dedicated to St. Benedict; and kistvaens, or stone coffins, of rude workmanship and great antiquity have been found near the shore. Near the church is a well, said to be efficacious in ophthalmic complaints”  Maybe Mr Lewis’ editor needed some of that ophthalmic remedy and he might have spotted the typo.

John D’Alton’s “The History of the County of Dublin”, published a year later in 1838, adds to the confusion in seeming to suggest that (female) St Begnet and (male) St Benedict were one and the same person. “On the shore, in a little rocky cove, the tourist will find a ready boat to facilitate his pilgrimage to the island, where, surrounded by cliffs and a frequently tempestuous sea, an ancient mariners’ chapel was erected, and dedicated to St. Begnet or Benedict.”

It seems highly unlikely that those setting up the new club – in 1916 – would have been so influenced by these older publications that they overlooked their own local intelligence as to which Saint was in control. And yet “St Bededicts” was the chosen name. Whatever the reason, the journey of this early Benedicts  outfit is still worth telling. It all started in 1916 with the formation of a local committee “Dalkey Athletic Sports Committee” which had as its objective “the formation of a football club and a pipers band“. They ran several Sports Days to raise funds and in June 1917, at a meeting in the Town Hall presided over by T. W. O’Reilly, they announced they had accumulated enough fund to start the football team (but not the band). On a motion proposed by M. Harte (that’s surely Michael Harte / Micheál O hAirt, Inspector of Weights and Measures from St Patrick’s Road) and seconded by a Mr Burke (probably Edward Burke of Ardbrugh Rd.), a total of £15-5s-7d was passed on to the new club which was to be called “St Benedict”. And that name prevailed; all their later activities were reported using this ill-fitting name

Even before the historic meeting, St. Benedicts was already up and running and playing in the Dublin Junior Football League. Between 1916 and 1917 they had fixtures against
Glasthule Mitchels, Bray Emmets, Stars of Erin and St Mary’s Saggart

Sun 1st October 1916 saw their biggest fundraiser – the Dalkey Tournament – held on “Killiney Road”. The tournament was well supported donation of prized by local dignitaries and businesses.

In October 1917, Begnets held its first AGM at the Forrester’s Hall in Dalkey and the following were elected
President: Fr. Fitzpatrick c.c.
Chairman: John Larkin (St Patricks Avenue)
Vice Chairman Frank Coleman (most likely the Postman from St Patricks Rd)
Treasure & Board Delegate: William Redmond (Castle Street)
Secretary: Mr Delaney
Committee: Michael Nolan, Edward Burke (likely to be the same man who seconded the founding motion the previous year), Edward Meegan, Patrick Smith, John Barrett (probably living in Talbot Road)
Capt Junior Team: Edward Reilly (probably from Ardbrugh Road)
Vice-Captain Junior Team: Patrick Keyes (this man is probably one of the Keys of Ardbrugh Rd & Kalafat Lane; his brother was the adoptive father of local playright Hugh Leonard

Capt Minor Team C Dignam (possibly Charles of Talbot Rd.)
Vice Captain: Thomas Byrne (Dalkey Ave.)

Selectors –
James Hammond
John Hammond
R Cullen (there were three Richard Cullens in the area – two at Perrins Cottages Bulloch & one at Sorrento Road)
W R Mooney
F. Reilly
O. Keys

Fun Fact: More than a few of the people named here were Gardeners or “Van Men” (cab drivers); which prompted Cartlann Digiteach Cuala to inquire who was the patron saint of these occupations. Amazingly, they share the same patron – but not who you think. Their common Patron is St Fiacre.

Despite the encouraging conditions surrounding its start up, St Benedict’s appear to have quickly become unstuck.  The last sighting was in 1920  when they were scheduled to play Stars of Sallynoggin (another short-lived side). We can only speculate as to why so few clubs prevailed beyond that time. Cartlann Digiteach Cuala can only guess at the reasons which would include ongoing revolutionary activities – several of those named feature in roundups during the period (e.g. Thomas Byrne & Michael Harte was “lifted” along with Paddy D’Arcy in 1921)  and poor economic conditions leading to emigration.

Our local saint was eventually awarded recognition when “St. Begnet’s GAA” was established  in 1956 playing both codes, changed its name to Dalkey Mitchels in 1962 and in 1974 merged with Cuala Casements so that it continues to thrive as part of the great club we all know today.

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Cartlann Digiteach Cuala (Cuala Digital Archive) maintains an on-line archive of images and stories relating to Cuala, its ‘ancestral’ clubs and other Gaelic clubs that once operated in its area.  If you have any information or material to share with us, please contact –
Michael Goodwin, +353 (0) 87 2266140,  history@cualagaa.ie

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