Home, Sweet Home For St Ita's GAA

St Ita's GAA Club enjoyed the greatest season in their history in 2021 when they were crowned East Cork junior 'A' champions for the first time ever. 

Now less than two years on, they are eyeing up another milestone as their picturesque base in Pilmore is in the process of being registered with the Land Registry Office in the name of the club. 

Once the necessary steps have been completed, St Ita's will then be in a position to plan development at a venue which they can finally call home.

St Ita's have in fact been based in Pilmore for the last four decades and after some great work being done in the background by club stalwarts the long awaited news of ownership is seen as a massive reward. 

This is a very proud club who nestle between Youghal and Killeagh and are also in close proximity to Fr O'Neill's land. 

Despite being without their very own home, records tell us that hurling in the parish was played as early as 1901 under the name of Gortroe Ita's developed their sand based pitch in Pilmore in 1983 and due to its location, it's been playable all year round and has hosted many teams including county panels with the strand nearby offering the additional option of specialised training.

Locals recall quotes by a famous county player citing the venue as the windiest pitch in Ireland and so near the beach that "you could lose a corner forward at low tide."

It is an invaluable asset to the Club, East Cork Division, and the county Rural GAA clubs are without doubt the heart and soul of the local community with several families entrenched in the daily life and times of their beloved home club. 

St Ita's are very much in that bracket and they have been blessed with some wonderful officers, committee members and team administrators through the corridors of time. 

Without doubt, current Cork senior star Seamie Harnedy is the most famous son - mention St Ita's GAA Club in any hurling conversation in any county and Seamie's name is immediately uttered.

Seamie's father Sean is very much an iconic GAA stalwart in the Imokilly division and after serving as divisional and club selector for a number of years, he is now also the club chairman at this pivotal time in their history. 

Sean is happy with the news that the wheels are in motion for potential development which has put a pep in the step of everyone in St Ita's countryside.

"Things are obviously moving in the right direction, with the process underway which will lead to us formulating our plans. 

"Permission will be required from Cork County Council for what we hope to do, but the intention is that over a four to five year time frame we will be able to add dressing rooms, a referees room and a meeting room as well erecting boundary fencing. 

"Once everything is formalised the club will then be in a position to apply for the grant aid to help their cause," commented Sean.

On the field St Ita's will be anxious to get back to winning ways in the JHL1 this weekend. 

A recent 4-16 to 0-11 loss away in Killeagh came on the back of a 1-19 to 1-9 defeat by Bride Rovers. 

It means that the opening day 0-16 to 0-13 success at nearby Fr O'Neill's was the only win from three starts, going into this Saturday's home match against Sarsfield's, who themselves have won two from two.

No doubt, the main focus is very much on the championship summer and the pursuit of the Jamesy Kelleher Cup, which got such a warm welcome when it arrived in the club in the autumn of 2021. 

Ita's face Bride Rovers and this weekend's opponents Sar's as company in group C, with two of the three teams advancing to the knockout stages. 

Interestingly, the Pilmore club have a bye on the opening weekend of action and will not debut until August 13 in Lisgoold, against the losers from the game. 

St Ita's have some new young players who have joined the adult panel this season.