About
Club History
Bray made their first championship appearance at Courtfoyle (near Ashford) on April 18th 1887. They beat Rathnew 0-5 to 0-1.
The club started their Gaelic career in Wicklow and played in the county for the first seven or eight years before moving to play in Dublin between 1899 or 1900. Bray Emmets went on to become Dublin Senior Football Championship winners in 1901. On the back of this success they went on to win the All Ireland and International Championship of 1902 (played in 1904). In that All-Ireland series of 1904 they registered victories over Rathnew, Louth, Wexford, Armagh before going on to defeat Tipperary in the final. They also had to beat the London Irish before being declared champions, which they comfortably won 2-8 to 0-4.
Thus ending the greatest year in the whole history of the club
The above All Ireland Club Medal belonged to Bill Sherry who played for the Bray Emmets team that won the 1902 All Ireland
In the twenties many attempts were made to bring the Emmets GAA club back to Wicklow but many efforts were rejected because of the travelling problem for the Emmets in Wicklow. The people who sought the return succeeded eventually on Feb 18th 1934. On their return Emmets were placed in senior grade in Wicklow and won the Senior football championship that year beating Rathnew 1-5 to 0-6 in the final. In 1935 they got to another county final and beat Donard 2-5 to 0-1 to retain the title.
On the hurling front it is recorded that Emmets brought a hurling team to Courtfoyle (near Ashford) on April 17th1887. There are many records of the junior hurlers participating in Dublin down the years. Their first hurling success in Wicklow came in 1949 when they won the Wicklow junior hurling championship. This was followed in 1952 with the first and only senior hurling title win over Avondale in the final 4-5 to 2-3.
In 2022, Bray Emmets is the largest club in County Wicklow and also one of the largest sporting organisation in County Wicklow.
The club also boasts players on the County Senior Hurling and
Football panels, under-20 hurling and football panels and on every
Juvenile County Development team.
The Club has experienced considerable success in the last few years notably in the Senior hurling ranks with county titles in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021,2022,2023and 2024
.
The club has been established as a premier sporting organisation here in
the Bray area and throughout the county. The success has been built on the hard work and dedication of all the members.
All of below as well as countless underage titles.
Down the years Bray Emmets always wore green and white jerseys or at least green and white colours. They did have an all green jersey with white knicks and they did have a green jersey with a white hoop and shamrock crest. They have also wore blue jerseys with yellow collar and cuffs. Following a motion in 2001 the club added the colour Navy to the club colours and now the official colours for the club are Green, White and Navy
In the early years Bray Emmets played most of their football in the
People's Park. They also played in a number of other field around the
town. The old Emmets Park, Novara Road was secured for the GAA bt Fr Kevin
Brady in 1927 -1928. When Bray Emmets transferred from Dublin the land
was also transferred to the Wicklow County Board. It became the clubs
head quarters until it was sold in 1997 for £2.050 million pounds. The
price originally paid for the ground was £241-8-3. Of this amount the
Dublin Co Board Executive advanced £166-10-9 and the balance was made up
by Bray Emmets £74-17-6. The land was sold in 1997 and the last match played in 1999. At that
time the land consisted of 2 changing rooms, one handball alley and one
full size pitch. The land was sold for £2.050 million pounds. The club
was to re-located to a new development, known as the Golf Club land on
the banks of the Dargle. Due to the long planning delays on the Golf Club development the club
decided to purchases land at Old Conna Avenue, located off the N11.
Approx 17 ½ acres for a cost of £1.5m. The first game played in Old Conna was a minor hurling match
against Eire Og in 2005. The club house was opened for the Wicklow Feile
in 2006. The current facilities (2011) at Old Conna consist of 4 Adult
Pitches including a 3g all weather pitch . 4 Changing Rooms, Club Shop,
Office and a 300 sq m All Purpose Room. The Official title for our grounds is Pairc Emmet Bre and is situated on Old Conna Avenue in Bray.
The club commissioned an impressive Poplin Banner in 1887, which was
designed by artist W.J. O'Grady from Dublin. The banner was always well
admired, and in 1970 it was presented to the president of the GAA by the
Bray Emmets club for safe keeping at Liberty Hall, Dublin. It was
refurbished by a convent in Nenagh and is now stored in Croke Park where
it is one of the oldest and most prized items which is displayed in the
museum area. A full size copy of the Banner is on display in the Club
House