11 Of The Most Successful GAA Clubs That No Longer Exist

While the vast majority of the country's most successful GAA clubs are still going strong, there are a handful of teams that are no longer around.

The nature of the GAA means that clubs can often come and go, even those who have a track record of winning the biggest honours.

With that in mind, here are 11 of the most successful GAA clubs from around the country that no longer exist.

(Where possible, we have avoided including clubs that would amalgamate with other teams to form new clubs.)

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6x Dublin SFC winners

The most recently defunct club on this list, Parnells would fold earlier this year as a result of spiralling debts. The richest club in Ireland at one point in the 00s, severe financial mismanagement would eventually see one of Dublin's most historic teams cease to exist.

Their greatest ever player, Stephen Cluxton, expressed major concerns about the club's spending as far back as 2014. A new club, Poball Parnell, have been set to cater to GAA enthusiasts in Coolock.

Parnells won six senior titles in Dublin, the most recent of which came in 1988.

12x Cork SFC winners

Based in the southside of Cork City on the banks of the River Lee, Lees were the dominant force in the early days of the county's Gaelic football championship.

They would win they would win their first county title in 1887, with nine more to follow before the end of the 1910s. Lees would win their 12th and final crown in 1955, and would win an All-Ireland title as the representatives of Cork in 1910.

They were the most successful football team in the county for over a century before being overtaken by Nemo Rangers.

The club struggled for players from the 1920s onwards, and while they would add another county title in the 1950s, they would eventually fold a few years later.

9x Antrim SHC winners

Still the sixth most successful hurling team in Antrim, O'Connells would win the last of their nine county titles in 1945.

The Belfast based club would fold soon after, although the reasons for that are unclear.

16x Limerick SFC winners

The most successful Gaelic football team in Limerick, Commercials have more county championships that any other club on this list.

They would win 16 county titles from 1887-1927. They would also win two All-Ireland crowns in 1887 and 1896, acting as the representatives of Limerick at inter-county level.

The Limerick City based outfit would struggle from the 1950s onwards, partnering with Young Irelands to field joint hurling and Gaelic football teams.

However, the outfit would fold altogether in the early 1990s.

6x Down SHC winners, 4x Down SFC winners

One of only three clubs on this list to win senior county titles in both codes, Faugh-a-Ballagh were a dominant force in Down GAA circles at the turn of the century.

The Newry outfit would county title doubles in 1903, 1907, and 1909. The last of their hurling triumphs would come in 1930.

Faugh-a-Ballgh would fold in the 1940s.

9x Westmeath SFC winners

The dominant force in the early days of Westmeath football, Riverstown Emmets would win a remarkable nine county titles in 11 seasons from 1904-1914, including eight in nine years.

They remain one of only three clubs to win four successive titles in Westmeath.

Based in the Killucan area, Riverstown Emmets seemed to fade into obscurity from the 1920s onwards.

8x Leitrim SHC winners

It is difficult to find much information on Leitrim outfit St Finbarr's, who eight senior hurling titles makes them the third most successful hurling club in the county.

The last of their eight wins would come in 1980.

7x Kildare SHC winners, 1x Kildare SFC winners

Curragh Camp were a dominant force in Kildare hurling in the 1920s and 1930s, winning six county titles from 1938-1955. They would also win a Gaelic football crown in 1948, completing a double for that season.

Based in the Curragh, the club were a representative side of the Irish army base.

Legendary Cavan footballer, John Joe O'Reilly, who is widely considered as one of the greatest GAA players of all-time, with win both Gaelic football and hurling titles with the Curragh.

4x Kilkenny SFC winners, 3x Kilkenny SHC winners

'Commercials' is a common name for GAA clubs around the country, with the Kilkenny iteration experiencing quite a bit of success in the 1890s.

The Kilkenny City outfit would win seven county titles across both codes during that decade, including doubles in 1893 and 1894.

They seemed to fade into obscurity at the turn of the century.

8x Louth SHC winners

Based in Ardee, Naomh Colmcille would win eight Louth hurling titles across a 20-year period from 1955-1975.

With only three hurling clubs now competing in Louth, Naomh Colmcille no longer take part in the competition.

8x Tipperary SFC winners

Clonmel Shamrocks would win eight county titles, the first of which came in 1897 and the last of which would come 40 years later.

They were the representative for Tipperary when the county won the All-Ireland title back in 1900.

Clonmel Shamrocks are no longer around, with Commercials now the dominant GAA force in the town.