| Full name | Buncrana Hearts Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Hearts | |
| Founded | 1961 | |
| Ground | Castle Park, Buncrana, County Donegal | |
| Chairman | John McGrory | |
| Manager | Gary Duffy | |
| League | Inishowen Football League | |
Buncrana Hearts F.C. is an association football club based in the Inishowen peninsula, County Donegal, that play in the Inishowen Football League. [1] They play in Castle Park in Buncrana. The club was founded in 1961.
Castle Park, the home ground of Buncrana Hearts, is based at The Buncrana Youth Club. [2] This has been Buncrana Hearts's home since the 1970s. It has two full-size pitches, one training pitch, two Astroturf pitches, indoor pitch and excellent changing facilities.
Buncrana Hearts' underage structure in recent times has been extremely successful Thanks to John Mc Grory who was the brains behind the youth set up, producing teams that have won all competitions they have played in the past 20 years. Individual progression has also been excellent in recent times with players progressing to higher levels. Since 2007, the club has had several players go on trial with professional clubs in England. [3]
The club has had several players go on to play for Republic of Ireland at various levels, including Kieran McDaid, Aaron McDaid, Mark McFadden, Jonathan Bonner, Conor O'Donnell, Mark Timlin and Seanán Murphy.
Former players currently playing in the League of Ireland include Mark Timlin (Finn Harps) and Mark McFadden (Derry City FC), with other recent graduates including Jonathan Bonner (Finn Harps, Wexford Youths, Crusaders FC), Conor O'Donnell (UCD AFC, Limerick FC), Colm McLaughlin (Ballinamallard, Institute FC), Kieran McDaid (Finn Harps, Republic of Ireland Amateurs captain) and Rory Kelly (Institute FC, Finn Harps, Derry City FC).
Buncrana Hearts has also produced several prominent women's players in recent years, most notably Leah McDaid (Life University & Northern Ireland international) and Emma Doherty (Republic of Ireland international). Beckie Temple from fergleen park finished the 2022 season top goal scorer with 102 goals in the league. She went on to sign for Leeds united.
Buncrana Hearts won the Ulster Senior League and Buncrana Cup double for the first time in 1992/1993. F.A.I. Development Officer Stephen McNutt was player-manager and was assisted by Sean Murphy with Derek Smith team captain. Player of the Year was Shane Byrne with Top Goalscorer going to John Coyle. The team continued its success the following season narrowly missing out on retaining the title after losing a play-off and by becoming the first winners of the Ulster Senior Cup defeating Letterkenny Rovers in the final.
In the last few years, Buncrana Hearts have developed a relationship with Derry City in the League of Ireland, [4] and English Championship side Preston North End. This has seen several players join these clubs, either on trial or on a permanent basis.
County Donegal is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconnell, after the historic territory of the same name, on which it was based. Donegal County Council is the local council and Lifford the county town.
Inishowen is a peninsula in the north of County Donegal in Ireland. Inishowen is the largest peninsula on the island of Ireland.
Buncrana is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is beside Lough Swilly on the Inishowen peninsula, 23 kilometres (14 mi) northwest of Derry and 43 kilometres (27 mi) north of Letterkenny. In the 2016 census, the population was 6,785 making it the second most populous town in County Donegal, after Letterkenny, and the largest in Inishowen.
Finn Harps Football Club is an Irish football club that play in the First Division of the League of Ireland, as of 2023. The club was founded in 1954 and elected to the league in 1969. They hail from Ballybofey, County Donegal and play their home matches at Finn Park in Ballybofey. The club's colours are blue and white, and they go by the nickname Harps. The main successes of the club include winning an FAI Cup in 1973–74 and the First Division title in 2004. They also contested the 1999 FAI Cup Final, a second replay of which ended in a narrow defeat, the first replay having been lost to a draw with 30 seconds left to play.
Kevin McHugh ; born 19 January 1980 in Letterkenny, Ireland) is an Irish former footballer and current manager of Finn Harps F.C. under-15 League of Ireland team. He is considered one of Donegal's best-known sportstars.
The North-west Derby is the name of the association football match played between Finn Harps and Derry City. It has been hotly contested on a season-to-season basis since Derry's inception into the League of Ireland in 1985, with the rival West Ulster clubs often meeting on a number of occasions during the one season.
Fanad United Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Fanad in the north of County Donegal. Their senior men's team currently plays in the Donegal Junior League. In 1986–87 they were both founding members and inaugural champions of the Ulster Senior League. They remain the USL's most successful club, having won fourteen titles. They also field teams in both the Donegal Youth League and the Donegal Women's League. They have previously fielded teams in both the A Championship and the League of Ireland U19 Division. They have also played in the FAI Cup, the League of Ireland Cup and the FAI Intermediate Cup. They have won the latter competition on two occasions, in 1987–88 and 1994–95. In September 2020 the club made the decision to Leave the USL and Intermediate Football and return to Junior Football in the Donegal League.
Paul Hegarty is former Irish footballer and current assistant manager of League of Ireland Premier Division club Finn Harps. 'Heggsy' as he is commonly referred to has also previously managed nearby clubs Institute and Finn Harps as well as another brief period as assistant to Stephen Kenny at Derry from 2005 to 2006.
The Inishowen Football League (IOFL) is an amateur league for football clubs in the Inishowen peninsula of County Donegal, Ireland. There are three divisions, with a promotion-and-relegation system in operation. This three-division setup, introduced in 2016, replaced a structure that had been in place for twenty years.
David Gerard McDaid is an Irish professional footballer who plays for NIFL Premiership side Ballymena United as a striker.
Declan Bonner is an Irish Gaelic footballer and manager. He played at senior level for the Donegal county team, winning an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 1992. He later managed the Donegal county team for two spells between 1997 and 2000 and 2017 and 2022, winning two Ulster Senior Football Championships during the latter, while playing as goalkeeper for Na Rossa.
Hugh Doherty was an Irish footballer who played on the right wing.
Mark Timlin is a retired Irish professional footballer that played for League of Ireland clubs Derry City, St Patrick's Athletic and Finn Harps.
Maginn Park is a football stadium located in Buncrana, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. It is used by the amateur Inishowen Football League for staging cup finals and other important matches. During the 2017 League of Ireland season, the ground served as the temporary home of Derry City.
Cockhill Celtic Football Club is an Irish association football (soccer) club based in Buncrana, County Donegal. Their senior men's team currently plays in the Ulster Senior League.
The Charlie O'Donnell Sports Grounds is an association football (soccer) stadium located in Buncrana, County Donegal, Ireland. It is the home ground of Cockhill Celtic F.C.
Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana is a co-educational voluntary Catholic secondary school, located in Buncrana in County Donegal, Ireland. The school was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1933 and continues to have a Catholic ethos under the trusteeship of the Catholic Education an Irish Schools Trust (CEIST). It had 788 students in 2021.
Mark Anthony McGinley is an Irish sportsperson. He has played Gaelic football as a goalkeeper for St Michael's and was formerly number one keeper with his county team, Donegal. McGinley has also been involved in the sport of association football and currently plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division with Finn Harps. He is from Ards, County Donegal.
Paul Callaghan is an Irish Gaelic football coach and former goalkeeper for the Donegal county team. First called into the senior county team in 1991, he was reserve goalkeeper when the team won the Sam Maguire Cup the following year by defeating Dublin in the final.
Caolan McGonagle is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Buncrana and the Donegal county team.
