Clan na Gael GAA (Armagh)

Clan na Gael

Clan na Gael
Founded:	1922
County:	Armagh
Nickname:	The Clans, The Blues
Club colours:	Blue and White
Grounds:	Davitt Park
Coordinates:	54°27′44.01″N 6°20′55.13″W / 54.462225°N 6.3486472°W / 54.462225; -6.3486472Coordinates: 54°27′44.01″N 6°20′55.13″W / 54.462225°N 6.3486472°W / 54.462225; -6.3486472
Playing kits
Standard colours

Clan na Gael is a Gaelic Athletic Association club situated in the town of Lurgan, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The club was formed in 1922 in the Francis Street area following the demise of its predecessors, The Michael Davitts. The club's pitch, Davitt Park is still named in honour of Michael Davitt. Throughout its eighty-year history it has provided some of the most successful Gaelic footballers in Ireland. The club's administrators aim to remain committed to the founding ideals of the GAA, namely the promotion of all things Gaelic - the Irish language, the culture, the games, the pastimes and the country. The club also takes great pride in its tradition in camogie. The club fields football teams at under-10, under-12, under-14, under-16, Minor (under-18), under-21, Senior B and Senior. The senior team is in Division 1 of the Armagh Senior Leagues.

History

The club has been quite successful over the decades, bettered only in Armagh by Crossmaglen Rangers. Clan na Gael's height of dominance came in the 1970s, when the club won the Ulster Club Championship three times, and reached the final of the All-Ireland Club Championship, only to be beaten in a replay by University College, Dublin. However, recently championship success has been minimal at senior level, and the last Armagh Championship won by the club was in 1994.

The club came to its lowest point for a long time when it was relegated in 2004 from the Armagh All County League Division I to the All County League Division II, for only the second time in the history of the club (and the League). Things however improved with the club retaining ACL Division I status in 2005 and also having a run in the Armagh Championship, reaching the semi-final only to be beaten after a replay with Dromintee. In 2006 to be beaten by Crossmaglen in the final. They reached the 2008 quarter-finals but were beaten by Crossmaglen and again in 2009 by Armagh Harps after a replay.^[1]

Notable members

Notable members of the club include:

• Hugh Kelly, Northern Ireland international international goalkeeper^[2]
• Jimmy Smyth, ex-Armagh player and current BBC commentator
• Diarmuid Marsden, All-Ireland winner with Armagh and ex All-star
• Neil Lennon, current Celtic midfielder and captain.
• John Hoy, current Lurgan Legends Basketball midfielder and manager.
• Ruairi Thornbury, former Lurgan Model^[3] pupil.

References

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/8264061.stm

1. ^ "Cross and Harps win in Armagh". BBC News. 2008-09-14. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7614235.stm. Retrieved August 4, 2010. 
2. ^ "Hugh Kelly". Northern Ireland Football Greats. http://nifootball.blogspot.com/2007/01/hugh-kelly.html. Retrieved 20 October 2010. 
3. ^ "LURGAN MODEL Primary School and Nursery Unit NEWS LETTER". January 2010. http://www.lurganmodelprimaryschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/jan10.pdf. Retrieved August 4, 2010. 

External links

• Official website