Glenswilly GAA

Glenswilly GAA
C.L.G. Gleann tSúilí
Founded: 1982
County: Donegal
Nickname: The Glen Men
Club colours: Green and Yellow
Grounds: Pairc Naomh Columba[1]
Playing kits

Standard colours

Glenswilly GAA (Irish: C.L.G. Ghleann tSúilí) is a GAA club based in Glenswilly, County Donegal, Ireland. Most noted for winning the Donegal Senior Football Championship in 2011 and 2013, the team's most famous player is All-Ireland winning captain Michael Murphy. Although Ciaran Bonner would like to think otherwise and considers himself to be Irelands gift to the world. The club's chairman is Michael Murphy.[2][3]

History

The present club was founded in 1982.[4] A teenage Manus McFadden arranged a meeting at Foxhall of Glenswillyites who were interested in forming a team, with Joe Kelly, Roger McDaid, Fr Eamon Crossan, Finbar Glackin, Jimmy Joe McGinley and chair Eddie McDevitt (who has since died).[5]

Glenswilly reached their first ever Senior County Final in 2007, where they lost heavily to near neighbours St. Eunan's.[6] In 2011, they won the Donegal Senior Football Championship for the first time, with a 1-8 to 0-9 defeat of Naomh Mícheál in the final.[7][8][9]

On 25 September 2012, the Donegal senior team—fresh from winning the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final—were scheduled to visit Glenswilly; however, the visit was postponed due to time constraints which arose due the huge crowds around the county eager to catch a glimpse of the team.[10][11][12] The team eventually visited Glenswilly on 27 September.[13][14][15]

In 2013, the club rebuffed allegations that they forced children into GAA jerseys.[2] Later that year they hosted the 2013 All-Ireland Football Series launch, held following confirmation of the four provincial winners.[16][17] That year they won their second Donegal Senior Football Championship and progressed to the final of the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship, which they lost to Ballinderry.[18][19]

Glenswilly's success at senior level is in stark contrast to that (or indeed lack thereof) of nearby Termon, another little rural Donegal countryside club to have made head way at senior level in recent times. Termon and Glenswilly both operate in the shadow of the mighty St. Eunan's; however, while Glenswilly responded to their 2007 Donegal Senior Football Championship Final loss by winning in 2011, Termon responded to their 2003 loss by losing the final again in 2008 and then sliding rapidly into Division 3 and the Intermediate Championship.[20]

Honours

Football

Other

Notable players

References

  1. ↑ "Major test for Eunan's minors". Donegal Democrat (Johnston Press). 11 December 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008. The calendar year of 2008 has brought a clean sweep of adult triumphs for the club from the Cathedral town, with their minor championship victory in Glenswilly's Pairc Naomh Columba, over St Michael's being supplemented by successes for the seniors, reserves and junior B teams.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Glenswilly hit out at jersey ban rumours". Hogan Stand. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  3. ↑ Cahill, Jackie (21 October 2011). "Glenswilly boycott threat over Murphy". Irish Independent (Independent News & Media). Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  4. ↑ "Club History". Glenswilly GAA. 2 October 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  5. ↑ Foley, Alan (24 January 2012). "Founding father McFadden goes back to his roots". Donegal Democrat (Johnston Press). Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  6. ↑ Comack, Tom (29 September 2011). "Gary hoping to copper-fasten a win for Glenswilly". Donegal Democrat (Johnston Press). Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  7. ↑ "Classic Murphy goal gives Glenswilly first senior county championship". Donegal Democrat (Johnston Press). 2 October 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  8. ↑ "St Michaels Wins County Championship for Glenswilly". Donegal Daily. 2 October 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  9. ↑ "Murphy is the star as Glenswilly triumph". The Irish Times (Irish Times Trust). 2 October 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  10. ↑ "Details revealed for Sam Maguire's visit to Letterkenny". Donegal Daily. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
  11. ↑ "Sam on tour – where you can see the team today". Donegal Daily. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
  12. ↑ "Exhausted players facing four hour delays in county tour". Donegal Daily. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
  13. ↑ "Sam on tour today – Times and schedules here". Donegal Daily. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  14. ↑ "Breaking news: Donegal team due in Buncrana at 10.15PM". Donegal Daily. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  15. ↑ "Breaking news: Captain Murphy on way to Glenswilly for 11.30PM". Donegal Daily. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2012. The Donegal team are on their last leg of the World Tour of Donegal.
  16. ↑ "All-Ireland Football Series 2013 Launched". GAA.ie. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  17. ↑ "All-Ireland Series launched at Glenswilly GAA club". Donegal Daily. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  18. ↑ "Ballinderry 1-13 Glenswilly 2-06". RTÉ Sport (Raidió Teilifís Éireann). 1 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  19. ↑ "Live: Glenswilly v Ballinderry Shamrocks Ulster senior club final". Donegal Now. 1 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  20. ↑ Foley, Alan (5 January 2012). "The emigration question for Donegal GAA". Donegal Democrat (Johnston Press). Retrieved 5 January 2012. They are essentially two of the younger clubs in the county, in an era when the powerbase has shifted from south to north. Three years ago Termon were in the Raidio na Gaeltachta SFC final against St Eunan's. This calendar year, though, will see them in Division Three and competing in intermediate football, while Glenswilly are senior county champions. A gulf has grown between the previously inseparable twins.
  21. ↑ "Ballinderry’s 12-year wait is over". Irish Examiner. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  22. ↑ "Donegal SFC final: Murphy delivers man-of-the-match display". Hogan Stand. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  23. ↑ "Donegal rocked as Bonner opts out of county panel 'for good'". Irish Independent (Independent News & Media). 15 April 2008. Retrieved 15 April 2008.

External links