Ballyboden St enda's is the largest by any measure you chose. Others like Na Fianna (Glasnevin) and Kilmacud wouldn't be too far off and easily in the top five. Again by any measure you chose they'd be the biggest and all three mentioned play all codes and genders unlike (still) an awful lot of others around them.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4953 - 10/04/2011 21:12:06    908213

i reckon nemo rangers are

healy96 (Westmeath) - Posts: 177 - 10/04/2011 21:21:13    908232

I can't see anyone beating Ballyboden St. Endas as regards numbers. The problem at times with clubs that are too big is that the club spitir is absent. Individual teams do their own business but don't support other clubs teams. This is especially with the divide between the juvenile and adult teams. Parents are so busy now that they just have about time to bring the kids to their own games and training without supporting the adult team.

N16Calling (UK) - Posts: 260 - 11/04/2011 09:57:48    908353

Ballyboden is the largest followed by vincents or Kilmacud as far as i'm aware...
When I was with Boden (around 7 years ago) we had 74 teams across all codes from u8 to senior. they also have the grassroot programme on weekend mornings which used to attract aroung 200 youngsters. The website lists them as having 70 teams at the moment but if you include all the social members, full non playing members the sheer size of the club is massive.
they play on 15 pitches and the use of another 4 local schools pitches and sancta maria all weather facility.

@N16- I would say from my experience that the spirit in ballyboden is well and truly alive as long as I remember it. We would always go along and shout for the age group team above and below us as well as going to the adult games. when we reached the adult grade we would go along to some of the juvenile games (nothing like the club idols to get the young ones motivated - as was done for us as kids)

d_hurler (Dublin) - Posts: 77 - 11/04/2011 10:58:51    908413

Just came accross this thread and thought i'd revive it. does anyone know for sure which clubs in Ireland are the biggest?My own club Naas is one of the biggest in the country. We have over 90 teams in all codes from U8 all the way up to senior.

11jm11 (Kildare) - Posts: 367 - 09/01/2015 15:57:29    1681850

dhorse
County: Laois
Posts: 11355

906351 Nanderson
County: Down
Posts: 17

906306 In Down, there is a team called Bredagh which isn't a very successful club compared to others but has almost 1000 memebers

Have they a Bar. in some cases clubs run a members draw, resulting in anybody that buys a ticket becoming a member.

They don't have a bar, in fact they don't even have a pitch of their own. Their membership definitly exceeds 1000 though. Biggest in the county. [url=]http://hoganstand.com/Down/MessagePage.aspx?TopicID=62665

Suas Sios (None) - Posts: 1558 - 09/01/2015 16:05:07    1681858

Frances56,if you mean ex cons,then yes Naomh Fionnbara would be the biggest.By quite a considerable margin.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 09/01/2015 16:20:38    1681867

Ive worked the rank at Fionnbarrs over the years and to say that the vast majority of drinkers/party go-ers there wouldnt know 1 end of a hurley from the other is an understatement.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 09/01/2015 16:33:13    1681871

cuederocket
County: Dublin
Posts: 1621

1681871
Ive worked the rank at Fionnbarrs over the years and to say that the vast majority of drinkers/party go-ers there wouldnt know 1 end of a hurley from the other is an understatement.

Not knowing which end of the hurl to hold nas never stopped most Barrs players from getting into the club spirit.

When all they're doing is hitting the jaysus outta anythin that moves.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13796 - 09/01/2015 17:09:24    1681881

Judging by the cut of the revellers they certainly enjoy the clubs cosy comforts.Spirits are high so to speak.As are the punters.Think the Ally Pally for the darts and your still not even close.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 09/01/2015 17:36:51    1681892

To continue the darts parlance,i do 180 mph,to get the headers home asap and out of my cab.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 09/01/2015 17:47:30    1681893

It would be easy to know the membership of the biggest club easy from when the GAA gave out the standard wee membership card a few years back. It was a great job and it is amongst my proudest momentous and it should be renewed each year

carcracker (Monaghan) - Posts: 186 - 13/01/2015 20:45:58    1682986

Now I'm open to correction here but I think I read somewhere before that Ballyboden have 96 teams togged out from juvenile to adult. More teams than even Barcelona. A real success story in terms of giving children games and a social outlet. A real credit to all involved. At eunans are the biggest in donegal. Over 500 adult members I believe.

Bain (Donegal) - Posts: 470 - 13/01/2015 21:18:01    1683006

I agree carcracker. Membership card is a good idea. I was quite moved when club secretary gave me mine. Mind you, I had had about 27 pints by that stage.

Regarding the Barrs, I must jump to their aid. They do a lot of good work in Cabra and have a lot of teams and are competitive at all levels. As for the people who frequent their bar I doubt they are any different than any other club. I was once in club in certain other county where they were showing a "foreign" game rather than a club game and refused to put it on either of the two TVs because some of the "regulars" were apparently passionate supporters of one of the lesser lights of the EPL. And must have had eyes in back of head as well :-)

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 14/01/2015 08:33:51    1683023

As mentioned Boden , Crokes are huge Castleknock at juvenile are building among similar lines , Parnells have massive social member numbers not reflected in team numbers .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 14/01/2015 13:23:38    1683139

Brigid's in Roscommon have a huge pick there. Corofin have about half of Galway then as well.

kevdog (Westmeath) - Posts: 115 - 14/01/2015 14:13:35    1683168

can't belive i wrote that post 4 yrs ago dhorse,

The biggest club in Ulster is Breadagh in Belfast, ( Co. Down ) between 1200- 1500, they are a very progressive club and fair play to them,
The biggest in the country is Killmacud, Ballyboden and then Na Fianna - all over 5,000

The average membership in Armagh is 250

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1688 - 14/01/2015 21:41:11    1683372

Damo, I was out in Parnells on New Years for the two Dubs/Blue Stars games and the bar was packed with people stuffing themselves and watching Man U. If that constitutes 'social membership' they are welcome to it.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 15/01/2015 10:40:35    1683410

By the way, do the GAA in croaker still do the member cards?

carcracker (Monaghan) - Posts: 186 - 18/01/2015 20:17:09    1684337

Whats the total Club membership for every County?

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 18/01/2015 21:06:25    1684360