This past year has been transformational for Cumann Cispheile Mhaigh Cuilinn — on court and across the community. From a historic step into the national women’s game to underage squads testing themselves on European floors, the club’s mantra remains the same: volunteers, families, and players of all ages pulling together for something bigger than any single result.
History arrived in mid-November when CC Mhaigh Cuilinn hosted their first-ever men’s and women’s National League double-header at the University of Galway Sports Arena. The senior women — competing in the Basketball Ireland Development League for the very first time — announced themselves with a gritty opening win before the men pushed Tipp Talons to the wire. It was a milestone for the club, an example of what sustained youth work and community backing make possible. The roar from the stands said it all.
That landmark evening was years in the making, and its roots were visible at the season launch in Wildlands, where the club celebrated 2024/25 award winners, shared pizza, and looked ahead to a two-team national league campaign. The night blended fun with purpose: games for the kids, a panel chat for the hoops obsessives, and the reminder that the men’s team started their own climb at this very development tier — proof that journeys worth taking often begin humbly. Keep an eye on MoycullenBasketball.net for fixtures; there’s a courtside seat with your name on it.
Travel broadened horizons this spring and early summer. Three of the underage groups tested themselves on the continent: the U13 girls embraced the spectacle of the Euro Youth Cup in Barcelona; the U13 boys continued a proud tradition at the renowned Ardes FIBA tournament in France for Moycullen’s 26th appearance there; and the U17 girls showed their mettle at the 30th Euro Jeunes Côte d’Opale in Calais. These trips are about basketball, but also friendship, independence, and representing home with pride.
Closer to home, there was plenty of silver polish. The senior men completed the Galway league-and-cup double for the second successive season, while the senior women reached the Galway Cup final, adding momentum to their national-league breakthrough. Underage success mirrored the seniors: U12 and U16 boys lifted their Galway Leagues, the U17 boys added the Galway Cup, and the U16s — already county champions — carried that form into the Community Games circuit by claiming Connacht and advancing to the All-Ireland stage.
Community, though, is where club identity lives and few days capture it like Cispheil Céilí. In only its second year, February’s edition saw every team from Na Rogairí Óga right up to the senior squads rotate through a 12-hour festival of games, baking, a gear swap shop, and good vibes. It raised vital funds, but even more importantly, it raised smiles — and a few sore legs — reminding everyone why we cherish volunteer-led sport. The date for 2026 is set provisionally for February 8 in Killannin Community Centre.
No Christmas is complete without the St Stephen’s Day Blitz. Now the second longest-running basketball tournament in the country, behind only the Intervarsities, and famously still played outdoors in Maigh Cuilinn since 1968 regardless of the weather. Rivalries are rekindled, alumni fly home to take part, and the community packs in.
Looking ahead: a community centre for everyone, with a full-size home court
While not a basketball club initiative — and with no ownership stake for the club — CC Mhaigh Cuilinn are proud to fully support Fobairt Pobail Maigh Cuilinn’s new community centre. The project has broken ground, work is underway, and it is due to open in early 2027. For the first time in the club’s 60-year history, this development will bring a full-size indoor basketball court to the parish. That prospect has players, coaches, and families buzzing, and the club encourages everyone to learn more, get involved, and, if possible, contribute to the fundraising effort (maighcuilinn.net/ip/donate ).
Come to a home game and lend your voice to the club’s first season with senior men and women sharing the national spotlight. Encourage a youngster to try basketball. And please consider supporting the community centre’s fundraising drive; while it is not a club project, it will be a generational win for everyone in Maigh Cuilinn.
