THE EARLY YEARS

St. Pat’s was formed in the spring of 1968 to promote the sporting and social life of young Irish immigrants in the Toronto area. At that time, many young Irish lads were arriving in the city. One of the main aims of the club was to give more players a chance to play GAA, have fun and socialize with other young Irish people in Toronto. The founding committee were Fr. Gerry Scott – President, Ed Nevin – Vice President, Jim Mullins – Secretary, and Syl Bowles – Treasurer, and Larry Bowles, John Keane – Delegates. The first game was played at Neil McNeil High School. The club became an instant hit on the field in both hurling and football. The year 1976 was a busy one for the club. Highlights included a club trip to Dublin to compete in the Allied Irish Bank’s All Ireland 7-a-side. The club maintained a strong position in Toronto for next ten years both competitively and socially.

THE NEXT GENERATION

Determination was the word to describe 1980. With great leadership from John Feehan, Jack & Tommy Murphy, St. Pat’s got to the league final. Their opponents were the powerhouses of the day, Garryowen, who were heavily favoured to continue their domination. St. Pat’s had other ideas. With inspiring performances from Feehan, Sean Shanahan, Paddy Gleeson, James Devane, Kenny Walsh, and the Murphy brothers, St. Pat’s were victorious. The following year the hurling team won the Carty Cup. They won the league-championship double in 1982. Special mention to coach Mulchahy, the Bonner brothers, Padraig Burke, and of course the orange peeler John Cleary. The team headed to Detroit and narrowly lost to a strong Boston team in the North American Championship semi-final.  St. Pat’s continued to dominate the hurling league in 1983, with their form rubbing off on the footballers who won the Fay Cup. Unfortunately 1984 saw the end of organized hurling in Toronto. However the footballers would record their historic first Championship title.

The on-field success continued for the next few seasons with St. Pats winning or competing in nearly all finals. The achievements include the McKenna Cup (1988), League (1985), Fay Cup (1986), Senior Football Championship (1985 and 1987). 1988 was a tougher year for the club with many players suffering injuries in the first couple of games. They did however come together at the end of the season winning the McKenna Cup over the championship finalists, Ottawa Gaels.

JOINING FORCES

The Irish Canadians, an all Canadian-born team coached by Danny Columb Sr. and Jimmy Hayes officially entered the Toronto GAA league in 1983. They saw success early on, winning the McKenna Cup in 1984 and the Fay Cup in 1989. They were also active on the Toronto GAA committee having 7 members on the executive, including Chairperson Pat Morrison. In the 1990s the Celtic Tiger impacted most clubs in the city including the Irish Canadians and St. Pat’s. A decision was taken to join forces and field a competitive team. The new team name was St. Pat’s Canadians with Enda McGuinness elected as President and Paul Connally as Vice. A new red and white strip recognized the Canadian colours. Both sets of players benefitted from competitive games. In 1995 the club made it to the Championship final, finishing runners-up.

THE NEW MILLENNIUM

The 2000’s would see a new era of football in Toronto, including the St. Pat’s Canadians. With the economy booming in Ireland, fewer young Irish were travelling to Toronto and joining local clubs. And many who had emigrated during the lean years in Ireland were deciding to make the move back home. The club would rely on a new batch of young Canadian players who had learned their skills in the local minor program lead by John Morley and Dermot Ryan and others who were passionate about passing on Ireland’s national game to a new generation. Highlights include winning the Junior Championship in 2001 with Mayo students Niall Feerick, Terry Reilly and Brian Diamond and Dubliners Darren Reddy and Paul Connelly. Credit must be given to John Morley and Alan Hussey for the support they provided these young players during these years. 2014 stands out as the year that nearly was. St. Pat’s dominated the league, topping the table and going into the Championship draw as the number one seed. But it wasn’t to be, as we narrowly lost out to Toronto Gaels in the semi-final. The good season did not go unnoticed by Toronto GAA, with Colm Fitzpatrick winning Senior Men’s Player of the Year.

LADIES RISE & RISE

2013 was a landmark year for the St. Pat’s club as for the first time in their 45-year history the club fielded a ladies Team. Spearheaded by Yvonne Morley, a recruitment campaign began in earnest in January of 2013. With great support from the men’s team, indoor training was organized to take place at St. Michaels’ College on the first Saturday in February. Barry O’Connor stepped up and volunteered to take on the role of trainer/manager. On that first day, 16 ladies turned up to give Gaelic Football a go, and for most it was their first taste of the sport. The girls made their official debut at the Toronto GAA St. Patrick’s Day indoor tournament. Teresa Jer O’Sullivan was appointed as the first ever St. Pat’s Ladies captain. The ladies next foray would take place 500 km east of Toronto at the annual Montreal 9-a-side tournament. The ladies then took to the field at Centennial Park for the league and championship and gave a good showing for a rookie team. The first major success for the ladies team came in their third year, 2015, where they won the Ladies Shield. Captained by Rebecca Sheehan, it was a proud day for the club to win silverware such a short time after the team being formed. Adding to the hardware won that season, Aoife McLaughlin from Co. Donegal was awarded Toronto GAA Junior Ladies Player of the Year. The ladies team continued to go from strength to strength, with them dominating the annual Montreal Shamrock’s 9-a-side tournament in 2017 winning both Junior and Senior Divisions. That same year the girls headed to San Francisco to compete in the US GAA Finals, where they were crowned the Ladies Shield Winners. In 2018 the club celebrated 50 years, a huge milestone for the club, which was followed by another big milestone in 2019, with the ladies team taking home the senior ladies title at the Montreal 9-a-side tournament and earning a place in their first Senior Ladies Championship Final.

STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

In the span of just a few years, St. Pat’s GAA has went from strength to strength, cementing it’s status as one of the premier Gaelic football clubs in the city. A testament to the dedication and talent of our players, coaches, and community, the club has experienced an incredible upward trajectory since 2020. 2022 marked a major milestone, as our ladies team made history by winning their first ever Senior Ladies Championship. The following year, 2023 our ladies team capped-off an undefeated season by taking home both the Toronto League and Toronto Senior Championship titles.

St. Pat’s club have continued to reach new heights, with our ladies team retaining their Senior Ladies Championship title, making it three in a row and the Senior Men’s squad having an impressive run to secure a spot in the Senior Men’s Championship Final, narrowly missing out on the title.

Beyond our on-field accomplishments, St. Pat’s have also fostered a vibrant club culture. In May 2024, our players had the opportunity to represent Toronto at the prestigious Chicago 9’s Tournament hosted by Pádraig Pearse GAA in Chicago, further expanding our horizons and connections within the global Gaelic sports community.

From winning championships to cultivating a welcoming, supportive environment, St. Pat’s GAA Club has truly gone from strength to strength in recent years. As we look to the future, we are excited to build upon this momentum and continue strengthening our club, by welcoming new members, helping them settle into life in Toronto and continue to make Toronto GAA history.