The year 1886 was a very troublesome year in the Parish of Upper Creggan and the Glassdrummond end of The Parish was no exception, in the spring of the year a priest who was known as the land league priest and who had done a lot of work for the dependants of the prisoners in the Crossmaglen Conspiracy case, was changed to another Parish. The parishioners were furious. The conspiracy was seen as a crown plot aided by landlord McGeough (Bond) to discredit the land league and twelve men were transported. Now the priest who stood by them being took away the result was that the priest who replaced him met with a stormy reception. The chapels of the Parish were closed against him. A row developed in the chapel yard in Glassdrummond, some were for letting the priest in to celebrate Mass, while others held the doors stopping his entry. While those who were for stopping him won the day, the result was the three chapels of the Parish were closed during the period of lend and the dead were buried without going into the churches.
The Land League in the district split, the little Land League Hall had to be closed. It was a very bad time, neighbours were not on speaking terms, even families were divided. Father Raverty the then Parish Priest moved quickly and got Ballsmill Fair closed as he feared a major row, resulting maybe in the loss of a life. What the forces of the crown could not do, the people were now doing themselves, a year and a half dragged by without improvement. When would it end or what way would it end. The Gaelic Athletic Association had been founded three years before and already there was a club affiliated named the "Crossmaglen Red Hands." No doubt the founders of this club had Glassdrummond Castle, the great O'Neill house of the Fews, in mind. Could a new club unite the divided people? It was worth a try and in the dying months of the year 1887 the "William Orr's" were formed with their home ground Tinnelly's Grove Field, just south of the site of Glassdrummond Castle, the same field that thirty years later a County Armagh Junior Championship final was to be played on. This club was known as the Carnally William Orrs, for what reason I don't know, maybe there was a club before the G.A.A. was founded in or around the Carnally townland and that the people of Crossmaglen when the Orrs were formed again called the new team Carnally, but there is no doubt the club was registered in Glassdrummond. It wasn't very long until two men who were on opposite sides in the row of the chapel yard were playing alongside each other for the Orrs and in no time at all Jemmy Murphy as Secretary of " the Land League could call meetings again in the little hall, he also made the journey to Thurles as spokesman for the Orrs. The William Orrs broke up at the time of the Parnell split as also did all the GAA Clubs of the district. The men who wore the green ganseys of the William Orrs were: James Lavelle (Captain), Harry Murphy, James Morgan. Brian Faughey, Owen Murphy, Peter Mallon, Peter Fearon, Patrick Agnew, Pat Donnelly, Pat Lavelle, John Kerk, Larry McElroy, Edward Smith, Pat Lambe, John Campbell, Peter Short, Hugh Campbell, James Garvey, John Grant, Mick Murphy, Bernard Shoulder, Eddie Herty, Dinny Kierans, James Hearty, John Lavelle.
James Lavelle of Tullydonnell, the Captain, was a brother of Thomas Lavelle who moved into Crossmaglen some years previously and who had a hand in founding the Crossmaglen Red Hands. Then Owen Trainor of Drumbilla went into Crossmaglen to his uncle Thomas Lavelle and who also along with his family did good work for the GAA there. The Trainors who stayed around North Louth also did good work for the GAA in that area, Jack Trainor, grandnephew of the Lavelles, was a tower of strength to the Roach Emmets Club and to the Louth County Board. Peter Short's younger brother James set up business in Crossmaglen and he also did great work for the Rangers Club. His family all played for the Rangers, some for the County and now his grandsons are playing for Rangers and County, some of them are playing for St. Malachy's, the North Louth Club which is in the Parish of Upper Creggan. James Morgan of Cornonagh, who served his time to the blacksmith trade with Peter Fearon in the little forge, now in ruins, beside Cortresla crossroads also moved into Crossmaglen. He set up a forge on the Manug Road, his sons all played for Rangers and some also for the County, his grandsons all wore the amber and black ganseys of Rangers, Brian and Seamus wore the County jersey, Gene carved his name in history on the football field, the man with the gifted hands played for his Club, his County, his Province and his Country. So you could go on and on and trace the descendants of the William Orrs to the present day with the local Clubs of the district: Crossmaglen, Silver-bridge, St. Malachys and Roche, they are ^till there the same names, as the Campbells, the Heartys, the Trainors, the Morgans, the Shorts, the Murphys etc.
Mostly all of the William Orrs were of the small farming stock, scutchers, blacksmiths, carpenters and some were stone masons including the Captain James Lavelle, Brian Faughey was a stone mason and a notable musician and poet, he was accidently drowned in the stream which leaves Glassdrummond Lake and which divides the townlands of Dunreavy and Glassdrummond. On his way home late at night, he went up the wood pass intending coming out on the goers, it being a very dark night, his death was the subject of a beautiful poem by a local poet Peter McGeeney, locally known as Peadar Athy.
It will be seen that the family names of the district from the time of the first Crossmaglen Red Hands and the Glassdrummond William Orrs have not changed much down the years. Whatever changes may have happened in the last twenty years or so, it must have been that the country side being of a rough and rugged nature was uninviting to the stranger. After the Parnell Split and football got moving again, it is said that there wasn't a game played in South Armagh for twelve years. In or about 1904 the second Red Hands in .Crossmaglen were formed, this team became a Parish team until 1906 when Silverbridge affiliated.
By now the County Boards were formed and County Championships were being played as well as tournaments, in the days of the William Orrs all games were tournaments and teams met teams from different Counties. The Sky Hill Parnells were a club in the days of the William Orrs and many tales are told of arguments between the Ballsmill people who were strong Glassdrummond supporters and the men from just above Johnstons Scutch Mill Chimney who were Sky Hill supporters, I don't think Sky Hill Club at this time were registered. I do know that the Orrs were called to order over a game they played them, it was supposed at the time of the match, that the County Louth Club were not registered. 1 myself heard an argument between Harry Murphy and Barney Trainor, brother of Owen Trainor who was then living beside Harry. Harry mentioned that the Club at Sky Hill was not registered, that they couldn't be as Parnell was living at the time and a Club could not be registered in the name of a
live person. Maybe he was in error as he was then an old man but he was still intelligent and played in his younger days for the Orrs, he would be likely to know, at any rate the Sky Hill Club took part in games whether they were registered or not. Sky Hill is the name of a hill in Drumbilla just across the border in County Louth. At this time also, a GAA Club existed in nearby Cullyhanna,
named the John Shearers. Sheelagh, the part of Upper Creggan Parish which is in County Louth, also at this time had a GAA Club named Kickhams. Some statesman, I think it was the late President Kennedy, said "A country is strongest not in the men it produces but in the men it honours" and surely the men of the 1880's in the early days of the GAA, in our part of Ireland at any rate, honoured men.
The Red Hands - The great O'Neills.
The William Orrs — The most lovable of all the 98 men.
Charles Kickhams - The blind Fenian poet, Patriot and novelist.
The Parnells — The ablest parliamentarian Ireland ever produced.
What a change today when there is hardly one Irish name among the Clubs of the Parish.
Jem Murphy
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