On 16 November 1898, Young Irelands GAA was established as a boys underage hurling club in Limerick.

The new team attracted players from the Shamrocks club, along with adult members of the IRB and of the Young Ireland Society.

In 1902, Young Irelands defeated Monagea in 1902 to win their first of seven County Senior hurling Championships.

They were the first Club to hold a banquet to honour a County Championship success, this being held at Cruises Hotel following their 1928 victory against Rathkeale.

Young Irelands used to train and play matches in the Markets Field during this era; it was not uncommon near the end of the season for Young Irelands and Garryowen rugby club to be training at opposite ends of the Markets Field at the same time.

Young Irelands defeated Newcastlewest in 1920, Bruff in 1922 and Rathkeale in 1928 to capture their fifth County Senior hurling title.

In 1921, Killaloe-born Bob Mc Conkey lifted the Liam McCarthy while in 1923 Paddy McInerney, who was born in O’Callaghan's Mills but who moved to Limerick at a young age, captained the side.

Mick Kennedy originally from The Ragg in Tipperary captained the side that won Limericks First National hurling league title in 1933–34.

In 1938 and 1939, the underage teams in hurling and football were successful In 1949 Young Irelands joined with the Croom club.

Croom /Young Irelands were defeated by St Patricks later on in the championship At the end of the season the combined club was dissolved.

The club had hoped to set up a permanent base in Westfields with a pavilion and call it after their former great player Denny Lanigan.

Seamus O' Ceallaigh had been a very prominent Young Irelands clubman throughout the years and he was instrumental in setting up Ballinacurra Gaels.

Young Irelands was never really a parish based club team in the classic sense, and this was to prove their ultimate downfall.