This article takes a brief look at the Togher legacy of 2 famous Cork Institutions - Redmonds HFC and Barracks Street Brass Band and how the circle of life included a sports team and a musical group.
Redmonds GAA Club 1892 - 2018
Redmonds HFC was founded in 1892 and filled its ranks from the surrounding Barracks Street environs. Their social club and the heart of its operations was located on Tower Street in the South Parish.
Their initial formation saw them win many titles but as the 20th
Century wore on this would diminish greatly due to players seeking glory
with the bigger clubs such as Nemo Rangers and The Barrs. However having no official pitch to call their own , they finally adopted Togher ( see below ) as their anchor in the 1980s. This was named Páirc Uí Laoire and was situated next to Everton AFC pitch near the Airport. Over the course of 6 decades , its chairman Mick O'Shea campaigned tirelessly for his beloved club. His greatest achievement saw Redmonds secure their own pitch in Lehenaghmore , Togher in 1984 duly naming it Páirc Uí Laoire. However the distance from their club house on Tower Street and their difficulties in retaining players saw the " Sporting Reds " finally close their doors on over 120 years as a team on September 2018. That year also saw the closure of their sports club and bar on Tower Street. As of 2024/5 , Ballyphehane GAA club have secured tenancy of the old Redmonds ground and are currently upgrading the pitch. Thankfully another Cork Institution ( *see further below ) was to revitalize the old social club of " Na Reamonaigh " ensuring its use for future generations.
*Note original hurleys in photo
Photo : Jim Coughlin
Under construction 1971
Tower Street
Páirc Uí Laoire
Prior to securing their own pitch Redmonds along with some other local G.A.A. clubs used the fields off Tramore Road for their games. Scoil Stiofain Naofa secondary school was built on one of the fields in 1977 and now functions as College Campus of FET.
Former Barrett's Fields
Tramore Road
In the 1850s , Griffiths Valuations listed a plot of land in Lehenaghmore ( at the time in the E.D. of Lehenagh and the parish of St. Finbarrs ) as being in the possession of landlord Jeremiah Carroll , who undoubtedly was the head of Cruiskeen Lodge ( now Marian Lodge ) , located to the north. His grounds included 14 fields of varying sizes. Access was from Togher Road on the west and the old Kinsale Road on the east. For the purpose of this article , the field in question as pertains to Redmonds G.A.A. club was located at the south eastern part of the plots. Originally 3 fields set aside for agricultural use , the passing of over 140 years would see parts of these combine to make one large field for use as a sports ground by the onset of the mid 1980s. It was this grassy pasture which would welcome the arrival of Redmonds in 1984.
Plot No.16 outlined in heavy ink
Note - Everton AFC south of Plot
Holding photograph of new pitch opening in 1984
Lehenaghmore , Togher
Aerial photo
photographed By Mathew Brady
Today , the hill leading up from Pouladuff Crossroads is called Mathew Hill in honour of Fr. Mathew. A tenuous link exists between Togher and The Barracka through their founder Fr. Mathew and his connection to Togher. Following the dissolution of Redmond's AFC , their club house was recently bought by The Barracka as their new premises. So continues an historical tie to Togher which hopefully will remain for a very long time to come.
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