The Beara Junior A Football Championship (abbreviated to the Beara JAFC) was a club Gaelic football competition organised by the Beara Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. It was contested annually by the top-ranking junior clubs in the Beara Peninsula.

The first tournament was held in 1927. It was initially a straight knockout tournament but went through a number of format changes throughout its history, including a round-robin system. The winners, as well as receiving the Cormac O'Sullivan Cup, qualified for the subsequent Cork Junior A Football Championship.

The tournament ran for 92 years, with the final edition held in 2019, after which it was discontinued. The title was won at least once by nine different clubs. The all-time record-holders are Urhan, who have won a total of 28 titles.

History

The Beara Divisional Board was established on 4 April 1927 and immediately organised a Gaelic football championship for the affiliated teams, which included Urhan, Castletownbere, Garnish, Bere Island, Ardgroom and Allihies. The inaugural final took place on 10 July 1927, with Urhan claiming the title after a 2-03 to 2-02 defeat of Allihies. Urhan eventually became the most successful team in the championship, winning 18 titles from 44 final appearances. Lauragh, a team geographically located in Kerry, won the Beara JFC title in 1937. The championship was not held in 1945 and 1946. Urhan and Garnish were the only two teams left taking part in the championship by 2019. Garnish regraded to the Beara JBFC in 2020, leaving Urhan as the only team left, and the championship was discontinued.

Qualification for subsequent competitions

The Beara Junior A Football Championship winners qualified, along with the seven other divisional champions, for the subsequent Cork Junior A Football Championship. From 2017, the runners-up were also allowed to the take part.

Trophy and medals

The Cormac O'Sullivan Cup was the prize for winning the championship. It was named in honour of Cormac O'Sullivan who played for Garnish, Beara and Cork, and who died in a drowning accident on 1 January 1973. The cup replaced the existing Crowley Cup in 1974. Castletownbere were the first winners and would go on and complete four-in-a-row. The cup was returned to the O'Sullivan family in 2024. In accordance with GAA rules, the Beara Board awarded a set of medals to the championship winners.

Roll of honour

By club # Club Titles Runners-up Championships won Championships runner-up 1 Urhan 28 16 1927, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1943, 1944, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1973, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 1932, 1947, 1953, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1989, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018 2 Adrigole 22 11 1929, 1938, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 1930, 1933, 1941, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1985, 1987, 1992 3 Garnish 18 23 1928, 1932, 1940, 1948, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1978, 1979, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 1929, 1935, 1938, 1944, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1976, 1980, 1983, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2019 4 Castletownbere 10 14 1947, 1949, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 1942, 1950, 1951, 1955, 1959, 1971, 1973, 1981, 1982, 1988, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998 5 Bere Island 7 10 1930, 1936, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1981, 1985 1928, 1934, 1937, 1943, 1949, 1954, 1956, 1962, 1984, 1986 6 St. Mary's, Ardgroom 2 2 1954, 1964 1966, 19707 Glengarriff 1 7 2009 1952, 1993, 1995, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2015 Allihies 1 2 1935 1927, 1936 Lauragh 1 1 1937 194810 Eyeries 0 2 — 1939, 1940 St. Brendan’s 0 1 — 1968

List of finals

List of Beara JAFC finals Year Winners Runners-up Club Score Club Score2023–presentNo championship2020–2022Urhan represented the division 2019 Urhan 2-10 Garnish 1-09 2018 Garnish 0-11 Urhan 0-07 2017 Garnish 0-13 Urhan 0-09 2016 Garnish 0-09 Urhan 0-07 2015 Urhan5-18 Glengarriff0-06 2014 Garnish 0-08 Glengarriff 0-02 2013 Garnish 0-14 Urhan 2-07 2012 Urhan (r) 2-07 Garnish 2-06 2011 Urhan 0-12, 0-08 Garnish 0-12, 0-07 2010 Urhan 1-11 Glengarriff 0-09 2009 Glengarriff 2-07 Garnish 1-08 2008 Urhan 1-09 Garnish 0-07 2007 Urhan 2-11 Glengarriff 1-07 2006 Adrigole 0-11 Urhan 2-04 2005 Adrigole 0-13 Garnish 0-06 2004 Adrigole 1-17 Urhan 1-06 2003 Garnish 2-07, 1-15, 1-12 Urhan 1-10, 2-12, 1-09 2002 Adrigole 1-09 Garnish 0-04 2001 Adrigole 0-15 Urhan 1-07 2000 Adrigole 1-11 Garnish 1-05 1999 Adrigole 0-13, 2-12 Garnish 0-13, 0-07 1998 Adrigole 1-13 Castletownbere 0-08 1997 Garnish 0-12 Castletownbere 0-05 1996 Garnish 0-15 Castletownbere 1-06 1995 Garnish 3-14 Glengarriff 1-08 1994 Adrigole 1-10 Castletownbere 0-06 1993 Adrigole 0-13 Glengarriff 0-07 1992 Urhan 2-10 Adrigole 1-08 1991 Urhan 1-10 Garnish 1-05 1990 Urhan 1-08 Garnish 1-10 1989 Adrigole 0-10, 0-08 Urhan 1-07, 0-07 1988 Urhan 3-08 Castletownbere 1-05 1987 Urhan 0-09 Adrigole 0-07 1986 Adrigole 1-09 Bere Island 1-04 1985 Bere Island 2-05 Adrigole 0-05 1984 Adrigole 2-08 Bere Island 1-03 1983 Urhan 0-13 Garnish 1-03 1982 Urhan 0-13 Castletownbere 2-06 1981 Bere Island 2-10 Castletownbere 2-05 1980 Urhan 1-10, 2-10 Garnish 2-07, 3-06 1979 Garnish 1-15 Adrigole 1-03 1978 Garnish 0-09 Urhan 0-08 1977 Castletownbere 1-06 Urhan 0-04 1976 Castletownbere 1-11 Garnish 1-06 1975 Castletownbere 2-14 Urhan 1-04 1974 Castletownbere 3-09 Adrigole 0-14 1973 Urhan 2-05 Castletownbere 0-10 1972 Adrigole 1-11 Urhan 2-05 1971 Adrigole 3-08 Castletownbere 2-06 1970 Adrigole w/o St. Mary's scr. 1969 Castletownbere 0-11 Adrigole 0-04 1968 Adrigole 2-11 St. Brendan's 1-00 1967 Castletownbere 0-09 Adrigole 1-01 1966 Adrigole 3-10 St. Mary's 0-05 1965 Castletownbere 1-09 Adrigole 2-04 1964 St. Mary's 1-09 Garnish 1-03 1963 Castletownbere 1-04 Garnish 0-02 1962 Adrigole 3-06 Bere Island 0-03 1961 Adrigole 1-04 Garnish 0-03 1960 Urhan Garnish 1959 Urhan 1-04 Castletownbere 1-03 1958 Urhan 2-03 Garnish 1-02 1957 1956 Urhan 1-06 Bere Island 0-02 1955 Urhan 0-06 (D), 2-05 (R) Castletownbere 2-00 (D), 1-01 (R) 1954 St. Mary's 0-06 (D), W/O in replay Bere Island 1-03 (D) 1953 Garnish 1-09 Urhan 0-04 1952 Garnish Glengarriff 1951 Garnish 2-03 (D), 1-05 (R) Castletownbere 2-03 (D), 0-02 (R) 1950 Urhan 2-03 Castletownbere 0-03 1949 Castletownbere 2-04 Bere Island 1-02 1948 Garnish 1-08 Lauragh 0-04 1947 Castletownbere 0-02 Urhan 0-021945–1946No championship 1944 Urhan 1-07 Garnish 1-03 1943 Urhan 3-03 Bere Island 1-04 1942 Bere Island 4-07 Castletownbere 0-02 1941 Bere Island 2-04 Adrigole 0-03 1940 Garnish 1-04 Eyeries 0-03 1939 Bere Island 1-01 Eyeries 0-03 1938 Adrigole 0-02, 1-02 Garnish 0-02, 0-02 1937 Lauragh 4-01 Bere Island 0-06 1936 Bere Island 3-04 Allihies 1-03 1935 Allihies 2-00 Garnish 0-02 1934 Urhan 0-05 Bere Island 1-01 1933 Urhan Adrigole 1932 Garnish Urhan 1931 Urhan N/A - League 1930 Bere Island 2-05 Adrigole 0-03 1929 Adrigole 1-02 Garnish 1-00 1928 Garnish Bere Island 1927 Urhan 2-03 Allihies 2-02

Notes 1947 - Game abandoned, and awarded to Castletownbere 1957 - Final Urhan vs Garnish not played - Urhan selected to represent Beara 1960 - Not played - Adrigole suspended and Urhan selected to represent Beara after beating Garnish in the semi final

Records and statistics

By decade The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Beara Junior A Football Championship titles, is as follows:

1920's: 1 each for Urhan (1926), Garnish (1928) and Adrigole (1929) 1930's: 3 each for Bere Island (1930, 36, 39) and Urhan (1931, 33, 34) 1940's: 2 each for Garnish (1940, 48), Bere Island (1941, 42), Urhan (1943, 44) and Castletownbere (1947, 49) 1950's: 5 for Urhan (1950, 55, 56, 58, 59) 1960's: 4 each for Adrigole (1961, 62, 66, 68) and Castletownbere (1963, 65, 67, 69) 1970's: 4 for Castletownbere (1974, 75, 76, 77) 1980's: 5 for Urhan (1980, 82, 83, 87, 88) 1990's: 4 for Adrigole (1993, 94, 98, 99) 2000's: 6 for Adrigole (2000, 01, 02, 04, 05, 06) 2010's: 5 each for Urhan (2010, 11, 12, 15, 19) and Garnish (2013, 14, 16, 17, 18)

See also Beara GAA

References