| Hugh O'Neills GAC | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1948 |
| County | Yorkshire |
| Colours | Green/Gold |
| Grounds | Páirc Beeston, Leeds, UK |
Hugh O'Neills is a Gaelic football team in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1948, [1] and is the longest established team in Yorkshire. In 2025, the club won its 22nd Yorkshire Senior Championship. It previously has won the now defunct Pennine league 10 years in a row.
The club field teams both Men’s and Women’s Senior teams, and were all-Britain champions in 1982 and 1999. [2]
- 2025 Championship
In 2025, Hugh O’Neills GAA Club (Leeds) captured their third consecutive Yorkshire Senior Football Championship, marking another high point in the club’s recent dominance of the provincial scene. The campaign began in memorable fashion with an away fixture against Huddersfield. Due to heavy traffic on the M62, four players — including key forwards Darach Palframan and Paddy Cooke — arrived late, forcing Conor McMahon, the team’s marquee forward recovering from an ACL injury, to start the match at corner-forward wearing a pair of ASIC trainers. Despite the late reshuffle and the match finishing in near-darkness, O’Neills secured a gritty opening win that set the tone for the season. In a moment that has since entered club folklore, McMahon — who played just four minutes before wisely retiring to the sideline — was later nominated for a Yorkshire All-Star award, much to the amusement (and pride) of teammates and supporters alike.
The second group fixture saw Hugh O’Neills take on JFK at Páirc Beeston, where a large crowd — including travelling supporters from as far away as Cork — turned out to watch the clash. In a tightly contested encounter, Hugh O’Neills edged ahead with sharp attacking play and resilient defending to win 0–13 to 0–10, securing top spot in the group. Standout performances from Darren McNamara, Eoin Murray, and Stephen Travers drove the team forward and booked their place in the knockout stage. The victory reinforced the club’s growing reputation for combining disciplined football with a bit of flair — and plenty of sideline entertainment.
The semi-final brought Newcastle to Páirc Beeston for what proved to be a tightly contested encounter. Newcastle held the advantage for much of the game, highlighted by a well-taken goal from Conor Murphy that put the visitors one point ahead with less than ten minutes remaining. However, Hugh O’Neills showed their trademark resilience in the closing stages. Accurate shooting from Eoin Murray, Darren McNamara, and Darach Palframan turned the tide, allowing the Leeds side to edge ahead and secure victory. The final whistle confirmed a 1–11 to 1–7 win for Hugh O’Neills and a place in yet another Yorkshire Championship final.
Following their historic third consecutive Yorkshire Championship win, Hugh O’Neills returned to Millennium Square in Leeds, where they were greeted by supporters and members of the local Irish community. Reports of the celebrations quickly entered club folklore, with festivities said to have lasted more than 72 hours. Even the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, was humorously rumoured to have extended his congratulations — a story retold almost as often as the match itself. In keeping with tradition, the players and supporters ensured that every establishment in Leeds knew the Connacht Cup had returned home once again.
- In previous years
Thomas Duffy, captained Hugh O'Neills to a championship title on Sunday 10 May 2015, scoring 2 goals and 3 points. Duffy scored two penalties, after making a comeback from an ankle injury, which made him miss out on seven months of sport.
On Wednesday 20 May 2015, the usually calm-headed Duffy received the first red card of his illustrious career after reacting to a "sneaky" punch while already on the ground. Speaking to reporters Duffy said "I would like to take this opportunity to express my regret and apologies to the fans of Hugh O'Neills. I am going to be speaking to the priest and we'll get a plan of action, I'm thinking at least 20 Hail Marys to start with."
On Thursday 9 July 2015, Hugh O'Neills played Brothers Pearse away in Huddersfield and won a very entertaining contest 6.9 to 4.9. Despite being suspended and not attending the game, Thomas Duffy still managed a haul of 1.3 to ensure Hugh O'Neills left with the win and a place in the final.
In 2017 Hugh O'Neills completed a clean sweep of Junior and Senior football titles in Yorkshire including the Junior League and Championship double, the Pennine league division 2 and the Yorkshire Senior League and Championship double. [2] This was the club's second senior championship in 3 years after also claiming the title in 2015.