Ever since the foundation of the GAA in 1884, and even prior to that, we have archival evidence that Irish Football and Hurling were played in Montreal. However, we have more concrete evidence that from 1945 onwards, Irish immigrants gave exhibitions of their native games at Fletcher's Field and at the old MAA Grounds. We know that in 1948 the Montreal Branch of the GAA was officially convened under the Presidency of the late Martin Greene. Martin applied for, and in the next year received, official approbation from the President of the GAA in Dublin.
Subsequently, the American County Board of the GAA was established to include Montreal and Toronto in separate Divisions. Division IV saw Montreal in competition with teams from Buffalo Rochester and Syracuse. Both Montreal and Toronto fared well in international competition as we were equally enriched by an influx of young Irish immigrants. Each did in fact, on more than one occasion, win the American Championship in both Football and Hurling.
In the early fifties, the Montreal GAA which adopted the name "The Montreal Shamrock Hurling and Football Club" was able to form an inter-squad league consisting of five teams in Hurling and four teams in Football. And out of that league sprang the nucleus of the team that not only capped its Division but also captured the Northern Division of the American League from Toronto at Kingston on 4 October 1959. Martin Green felt truly vindicated. And two years later, the Montreal Hurling Team won the American Senior Championship against Boston GAA while on the same day at Loyola Park in Montreal, the Montreal Football Team narrowly lost to Boston Galway in a hectic final (click here for photos).
On 9 May 1965 the Montreal Shamrock Football Team played host to a visiting Australian Rules Team from Melbourne, playing the first half under GAA rules, and the 2nd half under Australian Rules. The score at the final whistle read Montreal 29, Melbourne 28.
On St Helen's Island Park, at the World Fair of Expo '67, the Montreal Shamrock Hurling Team soundly defeated the visiting New York-Kilkenny Champions, before several hundred fascinated spectators, while on the same day, our footballers were narrowly defeated by an all-star Toronto team.
On 29 October 1969, Montreal GAA entertained the Kerry Senior Football Team, All-Ireland Champions, who were on their way home from their successful American tour. Trainer, Jackie Lyne and the Chairman of the Kerry County Board expressed their gratitude and appreciation to the Montreal Shamrock Club for the reception and fraternity shown the visiting champions.
On 8 October 1973, the Montreal Shamrock Hurling team captured the American Ieague's title against Cleveland in a hotly contested game at Toronto.
In August 1974, Montreal played host to an Irish Civil Service Football Team at Trenholme Park. This was the first time that a visiting Gaelic Football team from Ireland played in Montreal. Much publicity was given to that game by the media and several hundred spectators saw an excellent exhibition of Gaelic football under floodlights. The fitter Irish squad was easily victorious over their hosts on this occasion.
From the mid 70's, however, Montreal was not attracting as many young Irish immigrants as Toronto, Boston and Chicago - cities that continued to be serviced by Aer Lingus. Accordingly, our Club was forced to rely on its still nimble but ageing veterans and their up-and-coming sons. Competition between us and our traditional rivals from Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse (teams affected by the draft and the Vietnam War) had to be abandoned in favour of games with Canadian teams from Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton.
To commemorate the 35th Anniversary of our Club, a two-day Gala Celebration was held featuring games of Football and Hurling and culminating in a sumptuous Dinner Dance at the Seville Holiday Inn on 18 August 1984. A heart-warming citation from the President of the GAA in Ireland, Mr. Paddy Buggy, was presented and read at the Banquet.
In the meantime, our Club has participated along with the Ottawa Gaels in the Toronto GAA League as well as in exhibition games and various Tournaments, including our own Feis Ville-Marie Tournament, the Denis Leyne Tournament, and the celebrated Powerscreen Tournament.
Perhaps the highlight of our Calendar is our yearly Tournament at John Abbott College Grounds on the May Victoria Day Weekend.
On the occasion of his historic visit to Montreal on 24 January 1999, the President of the GAA, Mr. Joe McDonagh addressed more than a hundred members and guests at a Gala Banquet at McKibbin's Pub-Restaurant. He paid tribute to the stalwart members who down through the years promoted and nurtured the games and culture of our ancestors, and he urged the current and future Executive to grasp the torch and carry it aloft to even higher and greater eminence.
Since the days of Ras Tailteann and Feiseanna at Tara, Irish Games have tended to symbolise the irrepressible nature of our spirit, and the Montreal Gaelic Athletic Association seems, in the light of that spirit, determined to prove that our flag is still there.