The Fingal Ravens, the new name In 1935 it was decided to reform the Rolestown football team. The three men responsible for setting up ths club were Malachy Griffin, Jim Crinnigen and (Black) Pat Kettle. The first chairman was Paddy O'Brien, Malachy Griffin was Treasurer, (Black) Pat Kettle was Secretary. In later years his brother Jackie took over the office of Secretary. Ned Sheridan was delegate to the Fingal Board.
The club bought Dewaney's house from its owner Mr. Quigley for eight pounds, ten shillings. Malachy Griffin and Phelam Lawless were made trustees of the club house. Being situated in Rolestown, near the Lawn Gates, it served as a gathering place where games of cards were played on a Saturday night. The club re-roofed the thatched house with sheets of galvanese. The club rooms became known as "ABYSSINIA HALL" as there was a war on in Abyssinia at that time.
|  | This team wore the black and white jersey of the former Rolestown team. It was decided that the club should be given a name besides the Rolestown team. At a meeting in Abyssinia Hall, 3 names were proposed:- St. Brigid's was proposed as St. Brigid is the patron saint of the parish
- Eithne Mays was proposed by Paddy Manning (The Pudden) as there had been a football team by that name in Rolestown in the early 1900's
- Fingal Ravens was proposed by (Black) Pat Kettle as the Raven is the emblem of Fingal
A vote was taken and the name Fingal Ravens won. From that day onwards, the Rolestown Football Team was always called Fingal Ravens.
When the St. Colmcilles team broke up Fingallians got the cream of the team, but Martin O'Hara, Spud Murphy and Charlie McGrane came to play for the Ravens. The Fingal Ravens played Fingallians in the semi-final of the Lusk Tournament. The match was a draw. When it was replayed a year later, Martin O'Hara scored a goal from a penalty and the Ravens won. They beat Pioneers (Balbriggan) in the final.
Fingal Ravens did not win many trophies but they were a good sporting team who enjoyed their matches.
After 5 or 6 years both the Ravens and Ballyboughal were finding it hard to field a team because players were getting on in years and there were no young lads to take over from them. A meeting was held and Ballyboughal and Fingal Ravens amalgamated as one club. They wore black and white jerseys and played in Ballyboughal under the name Ballyboughal. About 8 players from Rolestown went to play with this team. In 1943 this team drew with Parish Gaels in the semi-final of the Junior Championship, but lost the replay by 2 points. In 1947 they were beaten by Peadar Mackens in the Final of the Junior Championship played at Parnell Park. They won the Feis Cup 3 or 4 times. They also won the Fingal Cup and the McArdle Cup.
In 1947 the Fingal Ravens team was reformed. The Wild Geese, St. Brendans Man O War and Garristown were all reformed the same year. They held their meetings in Butler's yard. This team played one of their first matches in a field behind the church in Oldtown. Those who played around that time included Billy Bell, Malachy Griffin, Larry Kinsella, Bartle Howard, Sean Kavanagh, Tony and Louis Lumley, Peadar Flanagan, Mick Kenefick, Phil Arthurs, Martin O'Hara, Tommie Butler, Andy Bell and Austie Gleeson. After about a year the Fingal Ravens found it very difficult to field a team. The Wild Geese were experiencing the same difficulty as the two teams were so near each other. The Fingal Ravens players then joined up with the Wild Geese. |
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