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| Founded: | 1916 | |
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| County: | Louth | |
| Nickname: | The Clans | |
| Colours: | Green with Yellow stripes | |
| Grounds: | Clan na Gael Park | |
| Coordinates: | 54°00′40″N6°24′47″W / 54.011°N 6.413°W | |
| Playing kits | ||
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Clan na Gael GFC is a GAA club from Dundalk, County Louth, which fields Gaelic football teams in competitions organised by Louth GAA. Their motto is 'Once a Clan, Always a Clan'.
Affiliating in 1916, [1] the club won the Louth Minor Football Championship in 1920. [2] The first adult title followed in 1922 with victory in the Louth Junior Football Championship. 1923 saw the club win the Louth Senior Football Championship by defeating Boyne Rangers of Drogheda, captained by inter-county player Peter Garland. [3] In 1924 the Clans retained the championship by beating Larks of Killineer in the final on a scoreline of 1–06 to 0–01 at the Dundalk Athletic Grounds.
In 1933, the club lost the Louth Senior Football Championship final for the first time, going down 3–03 to 1–07 against Newtown Blues at the Drogheda Gaelic Grounds. [4] It would be a further 26 years before Clans would reach their next senior championship final. In 1959, they came from behind to draw with St Mary's, going on to win the replay at the Drogheda Gaelic Grounds 0–08 to 0–05. The side was captained by Benny Toal. [5]
The early 1960s saw the emergence of Newtown Blues as the dominant force in Louth football. [6] The Drogheda men would win seven Louth SFC titles during the decade. Their replay victory in 1964 at Ardee came at the Clans' expense, on a scoreline of 3–08 to 0–04. [4]
The club's new home ground Clan Na Gael Park was officially opened in 1966, coinciding with 50th anniversary celebrations. [7]
The club's minor team won the Minor Championship in 1976, [8] beating Oliver Plunketts 1–02 to 0–04 at St Brigid's Park, Dowdallshill. This side contained Jim Brady, Aidan Wiseman, Gary O'Callaghan and the McKeever brothers who all went on to win SFC titles in the 1980s.
The drought at Louth Senior Football Championship level finally ended in 1985 with a 1–06 to 0–04 win over Roche Emmets in the final at Dowdallshill. [9] A bid for two in-a-row ended at the semi-final stage with defeat to Kilkerley Emmets in 1986. The Clans returned, however, the next year and defeated Newtown Blues in the final at Ardee, 1–07 to 0–04. The Louth county team now included several Clans players, including the O'Hanlon brothers, Niall O'Donnell, Peter Fitzpatrick and Gerry Curran. More success at minor level followed in the Eighties, with the Fr. Larry Murray Cup returning to the Ecco Road in 1981, 1983 and 1988. [10]
The next few years saw Clan Na Gael lose three county finals in a row, all narrowly, to opponents Newtown Blues (1988), [4] Cooley Kickhams (1990) [11] and Stabannon Parnells in 1991. [12] Only a late equalizing point from the boot of Séamus O'Hanlon prevented a fourth straight county final defeat, against town rivals Dundalk Gaels in 1992. Clans won the replay at Dowdallshill on a scoreline of 3–11 to 1–06. [13] The arrival of Stefan White from Castleblayney Faughs in 1991 further strengthened the team. [14] The club went on to win all three Senior football competitions in both 1992 and 1993. The 1993 SFC final versus St Mary's at the Gaelic Grounds was won by four points, 1–12 to 1–08. This side was managed by Peter Fitzpatrick who also played centre-half back.
Clan Na Gael won their eighth county SFC title in 1998 with a 0–08 to 0–04 win over Lann Léire in Castlebellingham. [15] This was followed by further silverware in each of the next two seasons - the ACC Cup in 1999 and the Cardinal O'Donnell Cup in 2000 [16] - defeating Cooley Kickhams in both finals. There was also success at underage level in this period, as the club won consecutive county Minor championships in 1999 [17] and 2000. [18]
A 1–10 to 1–07 defeat to Mattock Rangers at the semi-final stage ended the Clans' hopes of winning another Joe Ward cup in 2002. [19] The club reached their last Senior championship semi-final to date in 2004, losing to eventual winners St Patrick's on a scoreline of 0–08 to 0–06. [20] Relegation to the intermediate grade of Louth football was confirmed at the end of the 2006 season. [21]
Clans' efforts to return to senior football since being relegated have been hindered by four successive defeats in the final of the Louth Intermediate Football Championship - in 2011 to O'Raghallaighs, [22] to O'Connell's in 2012, [23] in 2015 to Kilkerley Emmets (via replay) [24] and O'Connell's again in 2017. [25] As of 2023, the Ecco Road men are still competing at intermediate championship level and in Division 2 of the county football leagues. [26] The club's manager for the 2023 season is Alan O'Neill. [27]
The club was founded by residents of the Castletown district of Dundalk and draws its players from the housing estates in the vicinity of the Castletown Road and the Redeemer parish. The clubhouse and pitches are located on Ecco Road just off Castletown Road and adjacent to the Dublin-Belfast railway line. [28] In 2004, the County Board honoured the club by choosing Clan Na Gael park as the venue for that year's Louth Senior Football Championship final, for the first time since their foundation in 1916. [29] Three further SFC finals have since been staged at the Ecco Road grounds, in 2006, 2009 and 2022.
The club's main local rivals are cross-town neighbours Dundalk Gaels - whom they beat in the 1992 Louth SFC final replay [30] - and Seán O'Mahony's. [31] At various times in their history, the Clans have had rivalries with clubs such as Newtown Blues, Cooley Kickhams and Stabannon Parnells. [32]
Current and former club members, who have played with Louth inter-county football teams, include:
The Louth County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) or Louth GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Louth. The county board is also responsible for the Louth county teams.
The Louth Senior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association competition organised by Louth GAA among the top Gaelic football clubs in County Louth, Ireland. The winning club qualifies to represent the county in the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship, the winner of which progresses to the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship.
Stefan White is a retired Gaelic footballer who played in the full-forward line at inter-county level for his native Louth and Monaghan during the 1980s and 1990s.
Newtown Blues are a Gaelic Athletic Association club from Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland. The club fields Gaelic football teams in competitions organised by Louth GAA. They are the most successful club in Louth GAA and hold the record for the most Louth Senior Football Championships won in Gaelic football history. The club won their last such title in the 2019 Louth Senior Football Championship.
Colin Kelly is a Gaelic football manager and former player from Drogheda, County Louth. He made 26 Championship appearances for the Louth senior football team between 1989 and 2002 and is one of the Wee County's leading scorers of all-time.
St Mary's are a GAA club from Ardee, County Louth, Ireland. The club fields Gaelic football teams in competitions organized by Louth GAA.
Dundalk Gaels GFC is a GAA club from Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland which fields Gaelic football teams in competitions organized by Louth GAA.
The Louth Intermediate Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association competition, organised by Louth GAA, among the intermediate grade Gaelic football clubs in County Louth, Ireland.
The Louth Junior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association competition, organised by Louth GAA and contested by the junior One/A grade Gaelic football clubs in County Louth, Ireland. The winner qualifies to represent the county in the Leinster Junior Club Football Championship, the winner of which then progresses to represent Leinster in the All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship.
Dundalk Young Irelands GFC is a GAA club from Dundalk, County Louth, which fields Gaelic football teams in competitions organised by the Louth county board. The club was formed in the same year as the Gaelic Athletic Association, making it the oldest club in Louth and one of the oldest in Ireland.
Dowdallshill GF & AC is a GAA club from Dundalk, County Louth, which fields Gaelic football teams in competitions organised by Louth GAA. Of the six gaelic football clubs in the Dundalk urban area, Dowdallshill is the only one located north of the Castletown River.
Glen Emmets GFC is a Gaelic Football club located in Tullyallen, County Louth, Ireland, close to the town of Drogheda, which fields teams in competitions organised by Louth GAA.
Seán McDermott's GFC is a Gaelic Football club located in Mountrush, a townland in the civil parish of Ardee, County Louth, Ireland, which fields teams in competitions organised by Louth GAA. 'The Seán's' compete in the Louth Junior Championship and Division 3B of the county football Leagues. Aidan Shevlin is the senior team manager.
St Joseph's GFC is a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club that fields gaelic football teams in competitions organised by Louth GAA. It is based in the Louth village of Dromiskin, near the county town of Dundalk.
St Patrick's GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club that fields gaelic football teams in competitions organised by Louth GAA. It is located in Lordship on the Cooley Peninsula in north Louth. The club has a strong local rivalry with peninsula neighbours Cooley Kickhams.
Lann Léire CPG is a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club that fields gaelic football teams in competitions organised by Louth GAA. It is based in the County Louth town of Dunleer. The club plays home matches at Páirc Uí Mhuirí, named after Larry Murray, the Louth priest who made a significant contribution to GAA affairs in the county and elsewhere.
Naomh Malachi GFC is a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club that fields Gaelic football teams in competitions organized by Louth GAA. As of 2023, the club competes in the Louth Junior Championship and Division 3B of the county football Leagues. Kevin Carragher is the manager of the senior team.
Kilkerley Emmets GFC is a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club that fields gaelic football teams in competitions organised by Louth GAA.
The Louth Junior 2A Football Championship is an annual knockout gaelic football competition organised by Louth GAA, contested by the second teams of Senior clubs in County Louth.
The Paddy Sheelan Cup is an annual subsidiary league competition organised by Louth GAA for Senior and Intermediate grade Gaelic football clubs in County Louth.
