A Little "Bit" of Irish Basketball History: (Sligo) All Stars

Established 1965

In the early 1960s there were two basketball clubs in Sligo. Our Lady of Lourdes Boys Club and the Sligo Collegians from Summerhill College.

In 1965 an article appeared in the Sligo

Champion newspaper announcing the formation of a new team in the process of recruiting players. The club became the Sligo All Stars and the main organizer was Tom O'Brien (an American) who was coach of the SummerhillCollege team. Most of the players recruited by this new club mainly came from the Boys Club and Summerhill College. Initially concentrating on their youth programs playing in Gillooly Hall Sligo, the All Stars very quickly challenged for a more prominent position on the senior level in the West.

They went to the finals of the 1967 in the Connacht Mens Senior Championship falling to another western powerhouse Galway ( Shamrocks). Later that year they participated in their first Roy Curtis Tournament in Dublin.

1967 Roy Curtis Tournament

Link to Nov 17 1967 Article Link to Nov 24 1967 Article

In the early 1970's Sligo won the National Invitational Blitz in Dublin and continued to make their presence felt in the National league. They also became a frequent participant and various national tournaments such as the US Navy Tournament in Derry, the Lota Tourney in Cork as well as the the Roy Curtis and Glenn Abbey Tournaments in Dublin.

1970 Blitz Champs

In 1970 and 1971 the All Stars also stepped up to the International stage playing in a number of tournaments in Dublin and Scotland including the Great Britain and Ireland Championship Tournament.

1970 St Vincents International Tournament (Glasnevin Dublin)

1970 Tournaments in Scotland

In addition the 1971 The All Stars also established their own GWI Invitational Tournament which always attracted many of the top teams in the country.