Derrygonnelly Harps
Encyclopedia
Derrygonnelly Harps is a Gaelic football
club from Derrygonnelly
in County Fermanagh
, Northern Ireland
. The club was founded in 1924. The club participates in Fermanagh
competitions and has won the Fermanagh Senior Football Championship three times, the most recent of which was in 2009. The Club colours are Purple and Yellow.
The name Derrygonnelly (Doire Ó gConaile), when translated, means ‘The Oak Wood of O’Connolly’.
The Harps playing complex is about half a mile outside the village. Canon Maguire Park comprises the main playing field, a full size training pitch, a spacious changing room complex, a meeting room and a covered stand,(Fermanagh’s first, opened in 1999).
The club draws its players from the parish of Botha, taking in the areas of Boho, Monea and Derrygonnelly itself.
The club’s fortunes since those early days have remained good, safeguarded by a very positive grounds development programme (see later). Successes included Intermediate Championships in 1963 and 1970, a Junior League in 1976 (the Seniors lost the league final the same year.). By this stage, Boho St Fabers GFC, Junior Championship winners themselves in 1965, had amalgamated with the Harps. Senior and Junior titles were won in Division 2 in 1992, followed by what was undoubtedly the finest day in the history of the Harps, the Fermanagh Senior Football Championship win of 1995. The side that day was captained by Sean Flanagan and managed by Hugh Kelly and Donal Fee. The Harps lost League Division One Finals in 1995 and 1997 before claiming the championship title again in 2004 captained by Kevin Cassidy and most recently 2009, captained by Aidan Gallagher.
The club purchased Sandhill Fields, later named as Canon Maguire Park, in 1958. The new pitch was officially opened on May 13, 1962.
The pitch was redeveloped as a Prunty Pitch in 1985. The present dressing room complex was opened in 1987. Intervening years saw the addition of ball stops, a scoreboard, the spectator stand and most recently in 2002, the new training field.
Fermanagh Intermediate Football Championship
Fermanagh Junior Football Championship
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
club from Derrygonnelly
Derrygonnelly
Derrygonnelly is a small village and townland in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Near Lower Lough Erne, the village was home to 594 people and dates to the Plantation era....
in County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, 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...
. The club was founded in 1924. The club participates in Fermanagh
Fermanagh GAA
The Fermanagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Fermanagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. The county board is also responsible for the Fermanagh inter-county teams-History:...
competitions and has won the Fermanagh Senior Football Championship three times, the most recent of which was in 2009. The Club colours are Purple and Yellow.
The name Derrygonnelly (Doire Ó gConaile), when translated, means ‘The Oak Wood of O’Connolly’.
The Harps playing complex is about half a mile outside the village. Canon Maguire Park comprises the main playing field, a full size training pitch, a spacious changing room complex, a meeting room and a covered stand,(Fermanagh’s first, opened in 1999).
The club draws its players from the parish of Botha, taking in the areas of Boho, Monea and Derrygonnelly itself.
History
The club was founded in 1924, with a Sligo man called John O’Grady one of the key movers in getting the club started. The club fielded its first Minor team in 1937, led by club member Eamon Maguire. There followed a lapse and the club was to reform once again in 1948 under the influence of Michael Farrell, Eugene Cassidy and Tom Fee. The Harps went senior in 1953 and were to experience glory at this level in 1959 when they became league champions by defeating Aghadrumsee on a scoreline of 2-5 to 1-4. Key figures on this team included Louis McGullion, Frank Gaffney, Joe Smyth, Raymond Dundas and Eamon Flanagan.The club’s fortunes since those early days have remained good, safeguarded by a very positive grounds development programme (see later). Successes included Intermediate Championships in 1963 and 1970, a Junior League in 1976 (the Seniors lost the league final the same year.). By this stage, Boho St Fabers GFC, Junior Championship winners themselves in 1965, had amalgamated with the Harps. Senior and Junior titles were won in Division 2 in 1992, followed by what was undoubtedly the finest day in the history of the Harps, the Fermanagh Senior Football Championship win of 1995. The side that day was captained by Sean Flanagan and managed by Hugh Kelly and Donal Fee. The Harps lost League Division One Finals in 1995 and 1997 before claiming the championship title again in 2004 captained by Kevin Cassidy and most recently 2009, captained by Aidan Gallagher.
The club purchased Sandhill Fields, later named as Canon Maguire Park, in 1958. The new pitch was officially opened on May 13, 1962.
The pitch was redeveloped as a Prunty Pitch in 1985. The present dressing room complex was opened in 1987. Intervening years saw the addition of ball stops, a scoreboard, the spectator stand and most recently in 2002, the new training field.
Honours
Fermanagh Senior Football Championship- 1995, 2004, 2009
Fermanagh Intermediate Football Championship
- 1963, 1970
Fermanagh Junior Football Championship
- 1942, 1952, 2003, 2005