Michael Cusacks is the underage hurling club for two south Galway parishes, Beagh and Kilbeacanty. It carries the name of the man who founded the GAA, and the link to this corner of Galway is older than the Association itself.
Beagh and Kilbeacanty sit side by side near Gort, and both are almost purely hurling clubs. Beagh, whose pitch is at Cregmahon in Shanaglish, dates its foundation to 1870 and wears black and amber. Kilbeacanty, founded in 1885, plays in blue and gold. In 2008 the two agreed to combine at juvenile level, and the joint club was named Michael Cusacks.
The name was not picked at random. Beagh’s club history records its first known game, against Kilbeacanty in 1870, and says Michael Cusack was there to see it, fourteen years before he founded the GAA in Hayes’ Hotel, Thurles. The adult sides still play as Beagh and Kilbeacanty, while the boys and young men come through together in the Cusacks jersey before going back to their home clubs.
The last two seasons have brought county silverware. In September 2025 Cusacks won the county U20 B hurling title at Duggan Park in Ballinasloe, beating Rahoon-Newcastle 1-19 to 1-12 under manager Jason Walsh. A month later the minors reached the county Minor B final in Kenny Park, Athenry, losing 1-15 to 0-14 to Gort.
Then on 26 April 2026 the younger group retained the Toddie Byrne Cup, also in Kenny Park. Loughrea were six points up with five minutes left, and Cusacks hit 2-2 to win it 3-10 to 1-14. Manager Finbarr Gantley’s side kept the cup in south Galway for another year.
It is a long way from 2018, when a Cusacks side lost the county U15 B Shield final to Kilconieron at Duggan Park.
Beagh wear black and amber and Kilbeacanty wear blue and gold. We have not been able to confirm the colours of the Michael Cusacks jersey itself from a club or county board source, so we have left them out rather than guess.
This FanFile covers Michael Cusacks as a club rather than one particular jersey. Check the crest, sponsor, manufacturer label and product code on your own shirt to identify its specific season and edition.
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Facts checked: 11 November 2026.
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