Although it is known that a GAA club existed in the area in the late 19th century and that the nearby Barrington estate was a patron of a hurling team in the 18th century, the present club was founded in 1915 by Lar Brady and Jim Bergin to promote hurling in the country area to the south of Portlaoise. Clonad was promoted to the senior grade in 1927 and won its first Laois senior hurling title in 1930.

The club has added 14 Laois Senior Hurling Championships since then, the most recent being in 1992. Other years are as follows; 1930, 1933, 1935, 1937, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1962,1970 & 1992. Clonad has also won the O'Bradaigh Cup twice, the Centenary Cup in 1984 and U-21 and minor hurling titles in recent years.

The captain of the last Laois team to win the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship in 1949 was a Clonad player, Paddy Ruschitzko. Other renowned Clonad players were Andy Bergin, Jack Dick Conroy, Joe McCabe, Joe Styles, Billy Bohane, Andy Dunne, Paddy Norton, Ollie Fennell and George Conroy, who was former chairman of the club.

In the 1950s Clonad won the Laois Junior Football Championship and Laois Intermediate Football Championship.