Our Story
Learn about the origins of No Name Club. See where we began and how far we have come.
No Name Club is a National Youth Organisation founded in 1978 with clubs throughout the country.
In 1978, three friends Fr. Tom Murphy, Eamonn Doyle and Eddie Keher, were concerned with the alcohol culture and how young people were becoming more exposed to it. Hoping to resolve the issue, they sought a place where an alternative to alcohol could be provided.
After discussing the problem at hand, an idea began to take shape in their minds that led to the decision to form their very own club. This would be a club where young people could come together and enjoy themselves in a comfortable environment that would be free from alcohol and other drugs.
No Name Clubs are run by, and for young people aged 15-18 years, and enable young members to organise and enjoy positive alternatives to alcohol and drug-centred activities. It increases awareness of the effects of alcohol and drugs, to help young people make informed choices when they are older.
To date, there have been over 11,000 young people who have benefitted from the services our organisation is delivering. It is governed by a Board of Directors, managed by an Executive Operations Manager and supported by a small pro-active team. We are a volunteer led organisation with volunteer leaders who provide considerable support to the organisation in carrying out its mission, whilst respecting the foresight of our founding members with a constant commitment to all young members involved in No Name Club.
We take great pride in confirming that our organisation complies with the Governance Code for the community, voluntary and charitable sector of Ireland and that No Name Club is a Quality Health Promotion Organisation.
Founders of No Name Club
Fr. Tom Murphy
Fr. Tom was born in New Ross, Co. Wexford, his mother was from Co. Kilkenny and his father was from Co. Wexford. His education was spent in The Rower National School, New Ross C.B.S. and St. Kieran’s College, in Kilkenny. He was a member of the Kilkenny Minor Hurling Team where he won a Leinster and All-Ireland medal in 1960. He later became a member of the Senior Team where he also won Leinster and All-Ireland medals in 1963 and 1969. He entered the seminary in 1961 and was ordained to the Priesthood in 1967. In 2017, Fr. Tom celebrated his Golden Jubilee, which marked the 50th anniversary of his ordination as a priest.
Eddie Keher
Eddie Keher is one of Ireland’s best known hurlers. He has played in ten All-Ireland Senior Hurling Finals, won six and was Captain in 1969. He has won three National League medals and was selected on both the Team of the Century and Team of the Millennium. In 2006 Eddie was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Science by the University of Limerick for his contribution to Sport and the Community.
Eamonn Doyle
Eamonn Doyle was born and raised in Wexford. He was educated at Raheen National School and later, St. Peter’s College. He played all grades of football and hurling for Wexford County, between 1960-1964, where he won Leinster College medals and won an All-Ireland College medal in 1962. Eamonn later joined An Garda Siochana and was appointed Juvenile Officer in Kilkenny. For many years he served in this capacity with honour and distinction. He was later given a singular honour of great importance when he was awarded a National People of the Year Award in 1982.
IN MEMORIAM - Fr. Tom Murphy RIP
Words by Eamonn Doyle in April 2023
It is with deep regret that we record the passing of Fr. Tom who died on the 14th November 2022. He had been ailing for some time and was being looked after in a Nursing Home in Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny where he had spent his last years as Parish Priest.
He had many involvements and achievements in the worlds of Ministry, Sport and Young People. Apart from his normal priestly duties, he was Diocesan Youth Director at a time when one of his responsibilities was overseeing the attendance of over 1,500 young people from the diocese at Ballybrit in Galway for the visit of Pope John Paul 11 in 1978.
He was an accomplished hurler. In his career, he won a Leinster Colleges’ medal with New Ross CBS, Leinster and All Ireland Minor and Senior medals (2) with Kilkenny – the latter with his good friend, Rower Inistioge clubmate, and fellow No Name Club founder Eddie Keher. He trained St. Kieran’s College and Kilkenny Minor Hurling teams and was a founding member of the city’s O’Loughlin Gaels GAA Club.
In 1978, when curate at St. John’s in Kilkenny, he was also a founding member of Kilkenny’s No Name Club. He would doubtfully have envisaged then that in a few short years, the concepts of the club would have developed nationally and in time would spread throughout 28 counties. Nor would he have foreseen that upwards of 2000 young people would have committed as leaders locally, some 40,000 such nationally and that hundreds of thousands of other young people would have enjoyed and benefited from the activities that these clubs provided. He would certainly have appreciated it dearly that many of these clubs’ leaders and young people would now have either personally attended his funeral or have offered their condolences online.
At No Name Club tonight, we pay tribute to Fr. Tom and say Thank You for that remarkable legacy.
Eamonn Doyle