​​​Founded in 1935, Ballyboughal GFC has had it’s share of honours. Follow the page below to find out more…
Ballyboughal GFC was founded in 1935. The first club chairman was Rev. Fr. Sheenan. At the time Ballyboughal  had players from many of the surrounding villages. The club was called Ballyboughal Rangers. The lads travelled to matches on bicycles all over Fingal. The late Dick Swift (R.I.P) looked after the jerseys and finances. Dick (R.I.P) carried the jerseys on the handlebars of his bicycle with his son Peter on the bar. He later served as chairman of the club. After about five or six years both Fingal Ravens and Ballyboughal were finding it hard to field a team as there were no young players to take over from them. A meeting was held and Ballyboughal and Fingal Ravens amalgamated as one club under the name Ballyboughal. They wore black and white jerseys. In 1943 this team drew with Parish Gaels in the semi-final of the Junior Championship. Parish Gaels won the replay by two points.

In 1947 Ballyboughal reached the final of the Junior Championship against Peadar Mackens. The game was played in Parnell Park. Mackens won a very close fought game. This team won many trophies in Fingal. They had many star players. They had Sean Farrell (R.I.P), an outstanding mid-fielder who won two Junior All Irelands with Dublin in 1938 and 1949. His neighbour Frank Harford was also a great player, and won the Junior All Ireland also in 1949. This team broke up around 1950.

In the early fifties, a lot of young men were seen to be playing Hurling among themselves. As the Fingal League was arranging a parish league, it was decided to reform the Club and enter a team in this competition. A meeting was held in the school to form a committee.  The late Mr John Rooney of Ellistown and his son Eamonn were invited to this meeting as Mr. Rooney was a former great hurler. A Committee was formed and a team was entered. As there were no funds and hurleys and jerseys were needed, Mr Rooney kindly loaned the money to get what was needed. When the hurling competition was over, it was decided to enter a football team in the Fingal Junior C competition. The first years of football in the 50’s was not very successful, but as time passed the team got better and in 1953 won the Jubilee Cup after a great game against Round Tower at Man-O-War. In the mid 50’s, a lot of young players migrated to England to find work. This weakened the team somewhat.  The Club suffered a great loss with the tragic deaths of Peter O’Neill and Paddy Corr (R.I.P). The Club managed to survive with some young players coming on in the late 50’s and early 60’s. They brought great success. In the early years the Club had the use of playing pitches in different areas of Ballyboughal from local farmers of which they were grateful. In 1958 the late Dennis Crowley (R.I.P) donated the present ground to the Club.

There were many sets of brothers that played for Ballyboughal over the years. The most famous of these were the Barrett’s. They won many seven-a-side tournaments. Paddy  (RIP) was the most famous of the brothers, playing for Dublin over the years – Sadly Paddy passed away in 2015 having given over 50 years of service to the Club on and off the field. In 1962 the Club reached the final of the Junior Football Championship. Their opponents were old rivals Round Tower of Lusk. In a very closely fought game played in Croke Park, Round Towers emerged winners. The score was Round Towers 0-7, Ballyboughal 1-3.

1963 was another great year for the Club, winning several competitions in Fingal. The highlight of ’63 was Leo Hickey bringing the Sam Maguire Cup to Ballyboughal. He played an outstanding game for Dublin at right full-back. Leo won all the game can at county level; senior All Ireland, three Leinster Senior championships, National League and many other trophies. Leo also travelled with the Dublin team to New York. He served his Club and county with great distinction and is currently serves as President of the Club

1967 is often referred to as one of the best years in the life of Ballyboughal because it was this year that they won the Dublin Junior Championship and became an intermediate team. The final was played in Swords on Sunday the 16 July 1967 against St Maurs of Rush.

1968 was another great year for the club playing intermediate in Dublin. They went on to win the Intermediate Dublin championship and became a senior Club. It was an honour for a small village club like Ballyboughal to play against the best in Dublin. The club also fielded a Junior team in Fingal winning many trophies. They won the Priest cup in 1970 and 1971. After a few years playing senior this team returned to intermediate and in 1972 won the intermediate Championship for the second time, once again going senior.

They won many tournaments in Fingal in the 70’s. One of the best finals was the Roe Quarry Cup when they beat Parnells in extra time. Several players from this team played senior and junior inter-county football for Dublin. In the mid seventies, with several players retiring from the game, the club returned to intermediate in Fingal, winning many trophies.

In 1980, they beat Man-O-War in the Fingal Intermediate  Cup final at Lusk, played on the 13th June 1980. The score was Ballyboughal 0-10, Man-O-War 0-4.

In 1982 the team dropped to Junior but were soon back to Intermediate winning the Fingal League and Cup.

On 27th September 1987 they played old rivals Round Towers of Lusk in the Intermediate Cup final at Balgriffin in a very closely fought game. Ballyboughal emerged winners by the narrowest of margins.

In 1988 the club was devastated when the clubhouse was burned down. Over the years, committees, players and supporters worked very hard to build and the existing Clubhouse.

In 1994 the club lost to local rivals Clann Mhuire in the Semi final of the Junior Championship.

In 2009, under the stewardship of Mick Wogan, Liam Farrelly and Ian McGill, Ballyboughal won the Dublin Junior Championship and Division 5 Dublin league. In 2010 the Club won the Dublin Divison 4 league.