A letter sent in 1747 by the Marquis de Lostanges, a French brigadier, to Colonel Richard Warren of the Irish Brigade, who served the King of France at the time, details a hurling match played in France by members of the Irish Brigade.
By John Harrington
A letter detailing the first reference of Gaelic games being played outside of Ireland is part of the Foundations to Future exhibition currently on display at the GAA Museum in Croke Park.
The letter, dated in 1747, was sent by the Marquis de Lostanges, a French brigadier, to Colonel Richard Warren of the Irish Brigade, who served the King of France at the time, and reveals that hurling was played in France by members of the Irish Brigade.
The Irish Brigade was formed in 1692 in the wake of the Williamite war between King James 2nd and William of Orange.
After the Treaty of Limerick came what was known as the ‘Flight of the Wild Geese’ when Patrick Sarsfield and the Jacobite army loyal to King Jame were forced to leave Ireland.
These regiments became the Irish Brigade of the French army in the coast town of Vannes, Brittany in 1692, and would participate in most of the battles fought by the French Army over the best part of the next 100 years, earning a reputation as one of the finest battalions of all.
Over that time it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of Irishmen served in the Irish Brigade with their greatest victory of all coming at the battle of Fontenoy on May 11, 1745, over the British and Dutch armies on the Belgium/France border.
The British seemed on the cusp of victory until the French Army Commander, Marshal Maurice de Saxe, ordered up his last reserves of the Irish Brigade.
4,000 men under the command of Charles O’Brien attacked the flank of the British forces with the cry of ‘Cuimhnigidh ar Luimneeach’ – ‘Remember Limerick’.
The battle was bloody but the six infantry and one cavalry regiment of the Irish Brigade turned what seemed like a certain defeat into a famous victory.
On the second anniversary of the battle in 1747, members of the brigade played a game of hurling in honour of their 656 fallen comrades.
In attendance, from left, GAA Handball President Conor McDonnell, LGFA Chief Executive Officer Helen O'Rourke, GAA Museum Archivist Adam Staunton, Former Uachtarán an Cumann Camógaíochta Hilda Breslin, National Head of GAA Handball David Britton, GAA Museum Director Niamh McCoy and Croke Park Stadium Director Peter McKenna during the ‘Foundations to Future’ exhibition launch at the GAA Museum in Croke Park, Dublin.
This match was referenced in the letter by the French brigadier Marquis de Constanges to Richard Warren of the Irish Brigade who was the aide de camp to Marshal Saxe of the French forces during the battle.
This letter was preserved in the archives of the Departement de Morbihan in Vannes, Brittany, and found by Eoghan O hAnnrachain, a keen Irish historian and past president of the Gaelic sports club of Luexmbourg.
The letter, dated September 16, 1747, reads:
'I saw you yesterday, my dear Warren lobbying Madame the Duchess of Chartes. I remained with Neil who explained very precisely to me all the rules of your game of Hurling. On passing by your residence again, I got your note. I owe you so much gratitude that I won't repeat my thanks. It is said at Tongres that the assault would be given yesterday and that the King would leave on Wednesday. What do you think of that news? I have it from a good source. Let me know, I ask of you of all the games of Hurling that you compatriots will play.'
The Irish Brigade’s association with Gaelic games goes beyond this letter and the game of hurling it details. A number of GAA clubs were named to honour the men who served in it and their exploits on the battlefields of Europe.
The Wild Geese GAA club in Dublin is one such example, and they have a counterpart in one of the first clubs set up in Europe, Rennes in Brittany, who are known as Ar Gwazi Gouez (The Wild Geese).
Then there’s Clanna Gael Fontenoy GAA club in Dublin and Liatrom Fontenoys in Down who are named after the Irish Brigade’s greatest victory.
It seems fitting too that Vannes in France where the Irish Brigade was first formed is also home to a very vibrant GAA club.
The Richard Warren letter is just one of a number of featured items on display at the Foundations to Future exhibition at the GAA Museum which celebrates milestone anniversaries of the Associations as Gaelic Football, Hurling and Rounders turn 140 years old, Camogie 120, Handball 100, and LGFA 50.
Other featured items on display in the exhibition come from all of the Associations, and include:
- The Silvermines Cup, the first trophy presented at a GAA intercounty match
- A letter addressed to Michael Collins arranging for Collins to be a linesman in a GAA match
- Ann Downey's Medal Collection including 12 All Ireland inter-county medals with Kilkenny in camogie
- The football used in the First LGFA All-Ireland Senior Final
- Bríd Stack's medal collection including 11 All-Ireland Senior medals
- 1930 All-Ireland Junior Soft Ball Doubles Medal won by John Molloy
- 2017 Rounders All-Star Jersey
Foundations to Future is housed on the ground floor of the GAA Museum in Croke Park and is available to view for all GAA Museum visitors. The GAA Museum is open daily throughout the year, including match days, when match supporters can enjoy free admission with their match tickets.
