Take a trip back in time at Trim GAA clubhouse

Trim GAA club will host a photographic exhibition at the clubhouse on Friday evening which will provide a pictorial history from around 1890 to the present day. The event will take place in the magnificient new facilities which have been developed in the last few years. During the 1890s there were various GAA teams in Trim and south Meath. Trim John Mitchells, Newtown Round Towers, Breemount Inish Fails, Kilmessan (South Meath) and Galtrim Downes. There were two official GAA playing grounds in the Trim area, Newtown Park and Shanlothe. Newtown Park was also a venue for hockey and was the home of Newtown Round Towers, but Trim John Mitchells also played there. The pitch was located at Rathnally Lane The first Meath hurling final played in the Trim area was at the Newtown pitch in 1912 when Ratoath defeated Killyon. The Shanlothe pitch was the home of Trim John Mitchell's and later Trim Clan na Gael and was located on the Summerhill road at Canty's farm. Cricket was also played at the venue. Trim Clan na Gael started in 1906 and was an amalgamation of Trim John Mitchells and Newtown Round Towers. They set up home at the Fair Green, but in 1910 another club was formed, Trim Abbey Harps, which replaced Trim Clan na Gael. The Fair Green was situated behind the Wellington Monument on the site of the present factories. The pitch was adjacent to the Newhaggard Road with one goals close to the Summerhill road and the other goals across from the St Patrick's Park junction on the Newhaggard road. The Fair Green was the home of the club until April 1936. In the spring of 1937 they procured a playing pitch in the Friarspark / St John's area on the Dublin road and remained there until 1940. Club members like Paddy Yore and Mick Leonard sourced a permanent home for Trim GAA club at Manorland, which also a horseracing venue up to 1914. In the summer of 1939 a concrete wall was built by Tommy Murrin for £350 and the pitch developed. In the mid-1990s a new committee was formed and plans for the current development were formulated. The club purchased 17 acres adjacent to their ground and in 1998 work commenced on the new pitches which were opened in 2002. In 2007 floodlights were erected. Towards the end of 2008 the dressing rooms were opened in the new clubhouse and in 2009 the clubhouse was completed. In May 2010 the main pitch was re-opened. Friday night's photographic exhibition provides a great opportunity to rekindle memories of the past and savour the fine facilities which Trim GAA club now boasts.