Claudy GAC
Encyclopedia
John Mitchel's GAC Claudy is a Gaelic Athletic Association
club based in Claudy
, County Londonderry
, Northern Ireland
. They are a member of the Derry GAA
and currently cater for Gaelic football
. The club is named after Irish
patriot and revolutionary John Mitchel
.
Claudy fields Gaelic football teams at U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, Minor, Reserve and Senior levels. Underage teams up to U-12's play in North Derry
league and championships, from U-14 upwards teams compete in All-Derry competitions. The club currently competes in the Derry Intermediate Football Championship
and Division 3 of the Derry ACFL.
Brothers Martin and Gavin Donaghy have represented the county at underage and senior level.
Most recently Patrick Hargan and Aidan McLaughlin represented the county in an Ulster and All Ireland Minor Final in 2007.
Aaron Kerrigan represented the countys u21s in 2011
. Many GAA members were interned
without trial. This had the effect of bringing Gaelic games
in the area to a standstill.
In the early 1930s Alfie Devine from the village tried to encourage the establishement of the GAA in Claudy and also tried to organise a North Derry County Board. John Mitchel's GAC was founded and the opening game was played in July 1934 against Craigbane Lamh Dhearg
. The North Derry Board was formed in 1936. After being a member of the North Derry Board for a short while, the club became a member of the Derry City Board in 1935. In 1946 the club moved back to the North Derry Board.
Mitchel's first major success came in 1957 when they won the Dr. Kerlin Cup, defeating Ballerin
, who won the Derry Senior Football Championship that year. The club won the North Derry Minor Football Championship two years later, before being beaten by Magherafelt
in the All-Derry Minor Championship
final.
The 1960s proved to be one of Claudy's most successful decades ever. In that time they won the North Derry Senior Football League a few times, Neal Carlin Cup, Mahon Cup and reached a Derry Senior Championship semi-final, where they were beaten by Newbridge
.
The club's biggest success came in 2005 when they defeated Eoghan Rua in the final of the Derry Intermediate Football Championship
.
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.
1997
North Derry U-16 'B' Football league: 1
2008
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
club based in Claudy
Claudy
Claudy is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies southeast of Derry, where the River Glenrandal joins the River Faughan. Claudy is located in the Faughan Valley....
, County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. They are a member of the Derry GAA
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
and currently cater for Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
. The club is named after Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
patriot and revolutionary John Mitchel
John Mitchel
John Mitchel was an Irish nationalist activist, solicitor and political journalist. Born in Camnish, near Dungiven, County Londonderry, Ireland he became a leading member of both Young Ireland and the Irish Confederation...
.
Claudy fields Gaelic football teams at U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, Minor, Reserve and Senior levels. Underage teams up to U-12's play in North Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
league and championships, from U-14 upwards teams compete in All-Derry competitions. The club currently competes in the Derry Intermediate Football Championship
Derry Intermediate Football Championship
The Derry Intermediate Football Club Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the intermediate Derry clubs...
and Division 3 of the Derry ACFL.
Well known players
- Patsy Gormley - Goalkeeper on Derry's 1958 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship runners-up side.
Brothers Martin and Gavin Donaghy have represented the county at underage and senior level.
Most recently Patrick Hargan and Aidan McLaughlin represented the county in an Ulster and All Ireland Minor Final in 2007.
Aaron Kerrigan represented the countys u21s in 2011
History
The North Derry County Board held a meeting in St. Patrick's Hall, Claudy in 1921, but was forced to disperse after coming under gun attack from the A SpecialsUlster Special Constabulary
The Ulster Special Constabulary was a reserve police force in Northern Ireland. It was set up in October 1920, shortly before the founding of Northern Ireland. It was an armed corps, organised partially on military lines and called out in times of emergency, such as war or insurgency...
. Many GAA members were interned
Internment
Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
without trial. This had the effect of bringing Gaelic games
Gaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
in the area to a standstill.
In the early 1930s Alfie Devine from the village tried to encourage the establishement of the GAA in Claudy and also tried to organise a North Derry County Board. John Mitchel's GAC was founded and the opening game was played in July 1934 against Craigbane Lamh Dhearg
Craigbane GAC
St. Joseph's GAC Craigbane is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Craigbane, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for both Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football....
. The North Derry Board was formed in 1936. After being a member of the North Derry Board for a short while, the club became a member of the Derry City Board in 1935. In 1946 the club moved back to the North Derry Board.
Mitchel's first major success came in 1957 when they won the Dr. Kerlin Cup, defeating Ballerin
Ballerin GAC
Ballerin Sarfields GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballerin, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They are a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football, Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie...
, who won the Derry Senior Football Championship that year. The club won the North Derry Minor Football Championship two years later, before being beaten by Magherafelt
Magherafelt GAC
O'Donovan Rossa GAC Magherafelt is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Magherafelt, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football, Camogie and Ladies' Gaelic football. Underage teams play in the South Derry league and...
in the All-Derry Minor Championship
Derry Minor Football Championship
The Derry Minor Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the top Derry Minor clubs. The winners of the Derry Championship qualify to represent their county in the Ulster Minor Club Football Championship...
final.
The 1960s proved to be one of Claudy's most successful decades ever. In that time they won the North Derry Senior Football League a few times, Neal Carlin Cup, Mahon Cup and reached a Derry Senior Championship semi-final, where they were beaten by Newbridge
Newbridge GAC
Seán O'Leary's GAC Newbridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Newbridge, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Camogie. They have won the Derry Senior Football Championship on ten occasions...
.
The club's biggest success came in 2005 when they defeated Eoghan Rua in the final of the Derry Intermediate Football Championship
Derry Intermediate Football Championship
The Derry Intermediate Football Club Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the intermediate Derry clubs...
.
Senior
- Derry Intermediate Football ChampionshipDerry Intermediate Football ChampionshipThe Derry Intermediate Football Club Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the intermediate Derry clubs...
: 1- 2005
- Derry Junior Football ChampionshipDerry Junior Football ChampionshipThe Derry Junior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition between the Junior Derry clubs...
: 1- 1983
- Dr. Kerlin Cup 5
- 1957, 1970, 1975, 1985, 1990
Minor
- North Derry Minor 'A' Football Championship: 1
- 1992
- North Derry Minor 'A' Football League: 2
- 1990, 1991
- North Derry Minor 'B' Football Championship: 2
- 1999, 2007
- North Derry Minor 'B' Football League: 2
- 1999, 2000
U-16
- North Derry U-16 'B' Football Championship: 1
- 1997
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.
U-16
North Derry U-16 'B' Football Championship: 11997
North Derry U-16 'B' Football league: 1
2008