It is a member of the Galway GAA branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association.

Soon, the club came under scrutiny to conform to the proper Gaelic standards of football.

This change was opposed by a local newspaper, The Tuam Herald, which suggested a newspaper campaign to insist on a proper code of rules.

Despite this, in February 1889, the club switched to Gaelic football under the name Tuam Stars.

It played its first game on Saint Patrick's Day of that year.