The club was victorious in winning the county senior championship title, defeating Bartlemey in 1879, in a competition predating the formation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884.

The Ballygarvan club was a founding-member of the Cork County Board in December 1886 and continued to be at the leading edge of activities in the Association's formative years.

[1][2] The establishment of the Divisional Boards in 1924 led to the Ballygarvan club participating in the various Carrigdhoun-controlled competitions.

On 19 September 2010, Ger Spillane became the first Ballygarvan club player to win an All-Ireland medal at senior level.

[4] The grounds are named in honour of Liam MacCarthy whose father, Eoghan, had emigrated to London from Ballygarvan in 1851.