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 Sligo
All-Stars Basketball
The history of Sligo All Star basketball team started in the early 1960's. Basketball in Ireland was in its infancy and The West seemed to be far outclassed by their peers in Dublin and to the South. American Tom O'Brien came to Sligo in the early 1960's and started a team in Strandhill. He was soon approached by Father "Ricky" Devine to coach a team at Summerhill College. That meeting led to Sligo's first basketball success when, in 1962, Summerhill won the Connacht Colleges Championship in both the senior and junior grades. Tom immediately became the driving force behind basketball in the town and played with Our Lady of Lourdes Boys Club located at that time in O'Connell Street in the town centre. However, it wouldn't be until September, 1965 that Sligo All Stars Basketball Club was officially formed in the Gilhooley Hall, across from the Sligo Cathedral. For ease of reference, I have divided the history of All Stars into decades. Their story is one of success and perseverance, sometimes in the face of incredible odds. This website is dedicated to all the players who ever donned an All Stars jersey and in doing so, became part of the ongoing story which is still being written today. Please click on a decade below to learn more: The 1960's: Getting off the Ground My special thanks to all those members of the team with whom I played and those that went before and since and who have helped put together this site with photos and other information. |