Although there were some footballers in Walsh Island who played with Geashill, including the great Geashill five-in-a-row team, there was no team in the "Island" until 1930. In the late twenties, young men from the area assembled in Connor's field in Monevane to kick football among themselves. After a while they played challenge games against other "made up" teams like Ballykeane, which included some Cloneygowan players. After performing creditably against such opposition, it was decided to try to form a team.

After a funeral in Walsh Island a group of players approached the local
curate, Fr. Breen to discuss the formation of a team. First of all, he suggested they join with Clonbullogue but they persuaded him that they had enough players to start on their own. Fr. Breen represented the Club at County Board level and got a junior team affiliated for the 1930 Championship.

At a meeting held in the open air at the Forge, the first officers of the club were selected, John Hickey as Chairman, Bill Mulhall as Secretary and John Connor as Treasurer. A house to house collection was organized and a sum of three pounds and ten shillings was realized, the price of a set of jerseys. Each player supplied his own football boots, which incidentally cost eight shillings. Some flour bags from 'OdIums Flour Mills' were washed clean of any print and stitched up on Mrs. Mulhall's sewing machine to make a set of togs for the team.

The choosing of the teams' colours was initiated from the fact that Shamrock Rovers was the top soccer team in the country and it was suggested that the green and white hoops that they wore would be suitable and they would not clash with the colours of any team in North Offaly. The famous "hoops" were adopted and green and white are still the club colours.

The first football match Walsh Island played was a challenge against a selection of Ballykeane. The match was played in Lacy's field and refereed by Ger Gorman from Geashill. For their first competitive match the team cycled to Clonbullogue in the first round of the Junior Championship. But the more experienced Daingean team, on this occasion, proved too good for them. The team on that day was Charles Mallon, John Connor, Jim Connor, Charlie Kelly, Pat Duffy, Pat Bracken, Paddy Gorman, Jim Duffy, Roger Dunne, Joe Connor, Bill Mulhall, Joe Gorman, Din Connor (Captain) , Tom Mulhall and Tom Connor.

The following year saw some progress being made when they beat Edenderry in the first round in Rhode. But Clonbullogue was the scene of their exit from the Championship for the second year when they failed to beat Cloneygowan in the second round. However, the following year saw big changes in the Club's fortunes. They were rampant in the Junior Championship and their defeat of Doon in the Junior County Final in Ballyduff Park by eight points was the smallest winning margin they had that year.

The team had now to go Senior - at this stage they secured the services of the Cocoman's and Hipwell's from Clonbullogue. They won the 1933 Offaly Senior Football Championship at their first attempt, beating Tullamore by 0-08 to 1-04. Incidentally, this was the last football match played in Ballyduff Park. In 1934, on the occasion of the opening of O'Connor Park, the "Island" retained their title by beating Tullamore again in the Final.

The "Island" were now the dominant team in Offaly football and remained so over the next decade. In 1935 when Offaly won their first ever Leinster title, eight members of the Walsh Island team helped Offaly juniors to beat Dublin in a replay of the Leinster Junior Final in Birr

In 1945, when Offaly contested it's first Leinster Senior Final, for almost 30 years - the biggest Club representation on the team came from "The Island" who had four players; Bill and Tom Mulhall, Dick Gorman and Tommy Connor.
The year 1937 occupies a special place in Walsh Island and Offaly history, as for the first time Offaly players lined out with Leinster in the Railway Cup, and both of them were from Walsh Island, namely Bill Mulhall and Tommy Connor.
Walsh Island's great initial period was now coming to an end - new expectations began to emerge, when in 1953 Walsh Island National School won the Offaly under 14's School Championship. That panel of players formed the basis for the Walsh Island team that won the 1961 Junior Football Title. But unfortunately, those who anticipated and hoped for a repeat of fortunes of thirty years earlier, were disappointed. The Club simply did not have the resources to sustain a realistic challenge at Senior level.

In 1970-1971 Walsh Island were back on County final day, this time in alliance with Bracknagh and Clonbullogue, under the banner of Eire Og. Although the alliance was short-lived, it brought about the circumstances which gave Willie Bryan the captaincy of the County team and the proud distinction as the first Offaly man to raise the Sam Maguire Cup.
In 1974 when the U21 Championship started, Walsh Island travelled to play the first Round with only 15 players. By the time the final came around Walsh Island were there to contest it. With Willie Connor as Captain Walsh Island won that final. It was the first underage Championship, apart from Bord na Scoil, to come to the club.
This was the start of what was to become the second glorious era in the Clubs history. By 1976 Walsh Island were back in a final again. This time it was the Senior final. The opponents on that day were Ferbane. This young team showed that they had something special. After a ding dong battle against a more experienced side Walsh Island drew that game. The replay was just as enthralling but the young team lost by one point to their opponents.

1977 saw Walsh Island bow out of the Championship at the semi final stage. They went out to Tullamore who went on to win the Championship that year. That defeat seemed to spur on this Walsh Island team. When Sept. 1978 came Walsh Island led bye Eamon Mulhall faced the might of Rhode in the County Final. At the end of an hours football Eamonn Mulhall proudly accepted the Dowling Cup from Co. Board Chairman Rev. Sean Heaney. This was the start of the now famous long Championship run. Later that year Walsh Island became only the second Offaly club to win the Leinster Club Championship.

September 1979 saw Walsh Island retain their County Championship and also become the only Leinster Club team to win back to back Club Championships. After losing to Scotstown the previous year Walsh Island travelled to Ballinasloe to take on the Connacht champions in the All Ireland Semi-final. There was an air of confidence in the club as they faced St. Grellans. The loss of this game proved to be one of the biggest disappointments the club had in its illustrious run.

By 1981 four in a row Senior Football Championships been won. It was at this stage that the realisation that a record number of championships in a row was on the cards. When the 5th in a row was won in 1982 one last effort was to be made to set a new record in 1983. Old rivals Ferbane were to provide the opposition for that 1983 final. Walsh Island were lucky to escape with a draw but in the replay on a stormy day Walsh Island achieved their goal by winning a 6th title in a row.

After the dizzy heights of 1983, 1984 was to bring a low point in Walsh Island G.A.A. history. Edenderry knocked Walsh Island out of the Offaly S.F.C. for the first time in six years. The pain of losing this was to be put in the background when a car accident robbed Matt Connor of the use of his legs. Matt was arguably one of the finest players ever to play the game. The team seemed to fall apart and many prominent players left the club through work commitments and also through emigration.
The club was proud of it's ability to supply players to the county team. It was fitting that when Walsh Island was on it's history making run Offaly also broke Kerry's attempt at a record breaking five All Irelands in a row. The captain that day was Richie Connor. Also on that Offaly team were Liam O'Connor, Thomas O'Connor and the inimitable Matt Connor.

Off the playing fields there were also activities to be proud of. The re-opening of the pitch being one of the highlights. The new dressing rooms and concrete railing ensured that the pitch would be comparable to any in the county. The addition of a stand in 1989 saw to it that the venue would be second only to Tullamore in the north of the county.

Walsh Island dropped down to the Junior ranks in 1996 and after an impressive run of games, beat Ferbane in the championship final in Cappincur by 1-11 to 1-09.

That victory over Ferbane was the last trophy Walsh Island received until December 2002 when, with almost a complete set of different players, captained by Mervyn Shaughnessy, defeated Killeigh/Raheen in the final of the Division 4 League.

In 2004, Walsh Island were again victorious in their league campaign. By winning the Division 3 league final against Ballinamere, Walsh Island are setting the foundation for a new generation of players with new goals to achieve.

During recent years, the Walsh Island pitch has undergone a major overhaul. With the addition of large motorised Stop Nets and the major construction work that was undertaken on the Eight Floodlights that now surround the pitch, it is now one of the best anywhere around.

Much has been talked about the future of G.A.A. in rural Ireland. The future of rural clubs will always be secure when the players and the club officials dedicate so much of their time and effort during the high's and the low's of the club.

And now, with Richie Connor at the helm, it is the mixture of this experience and youthful enthusiasm that will secure the future of Walsh Island G.A.A. Club for a long time to come.