Dr Mc Kenna Cup 2007 History

When Dr. Patrick McKenna, Bishop of Clogher presented the McKenna Cup to the Ulster Council in 1925, he was one of only a small group willing at that time, to be publicly associated with the GAA. Ireland in the 1920’s was slowly emerging from war, unrest and change.

When the Ulster Council sought donors for trophies there wasn’t a queue to their door with offers. From 1923 the council were actively looking for a donor for their senior championship and in 1925 the treasurer of the council proposed the establishment of a second competition to prepare teams for the championship.

Two loyal GAA stalwarts came to the council’s rescue in 1925. JF O Hanlon, owner of the Anglo – Celt newspaper presented a trophy to BC Fay, secretary of the Council. It was decided to use the trophy for the Ulster senior championship and it was first presented to Cavan who won the 1925 Ulster championship. Treasurer O’ Duffy was successful in securing a trophy from the bishop of Clogher and the new cup was presented to Council in 1925 although it was not until 1927 that the competition got underway.

Patrick McKenna was born in the North Monaghan parish of Errigal Truagh in 1869. A pupil at St Macartans and Maynooth, he was ordained in 1894. He taught English at Maynooth and was appointed curate of Currin parish in 1896. He spent a period teaching in St Ciaran’s Kilkenny before returning to Clogher as curate of Enniskillen. He was appointed professor of Theology at Maynooth in 1904 and in 1909 he was consecrated Bishop of Clogher.

The Bishop provided a glowing reference for Eoin O Duffy to help him secure the position of assistant –surveyor in the Clones/Cootehill district. Later in 1918 O ‘Duffy was arrested in Clones and Bishop McKenna issued a lengthy statement condemning the arrest. When the Bishop McKenna presented the cup to the Ulster Council in 1925 the council recognised an old friend.

The regulations for the new McKenna cup were drawn up at the Ulster convention in 1926 and the competition commenced in 1927. The first final was played in Clones on May 8, 1927 with Monaghan defeating Donegal 2-7 to 2-3.

The first and only trophy presented to the late Cormac Mc Anallen as captain of the Tyrone senior team was the McKenna cup. It was fitting that Miceal Greenan as Uachtaran Comhairle Uladh presented that original McKenna cup as a permanent memento to the Mc Anallen family. It resides now with pride in Brantry.