St Fechin's GAA

St Fechin's

Naomh Feichín CLG
Founded:	1941
County:	Louth
Colours:	Green and White
Grounds:	Páirc Naomh Feichín
Coordinates:	53°44′10″N6°18′10″W / 53.73602°N 6.30276°W / 53.73602; -6.30276
Playing kits
Standard colours
Senior Club Championships
All Ireland Leinster champions Louth champions Football: - - 2 Hurling: - - 6

St Fechin's GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club that fields teams in competitions organised by Louth GAA. It is located in the seaside village of Termonfeckin, part of Beaulieu parish. ^[1]

Former Louth county footballer Fr Shane Cullen ^[2] helped found the club in 1941. ^[3]

Paddy McGlew, who played football with the club, was Chairman of Louth GAA from 1988 to 1991. ^[4]

In the late 1990s St Fechin's purchased a 27-acre site at Beaulieu, which would become their new home. The official opening was performed by then GAA president Seán Kelly in August 2003. ^[5]

Clogherhead club Dreadnots are the clubs local rivals and Knockbridge GAA are the clubs biggest rivals in hurling. ^[6]

Football

As of 2023, the club competes in the Louth Senior Championship and Division 1 of the county football Leagues. ^[7] Paul Clarke is the manager of the senior team.

Honours

• Louth Senior Football Championship (2): 1983, ^[8] 1984 ^[9]
• Cardinal O'Donnell Cup (1): 1985 ^[10]
• ACC Cup (3): 1980, ^[3] 1989, ^[3] 1990 ^[11]
• Louth Intermediate Football Championship (1): 2021 ^[12]
• Louth Intermediate Football League (2): 2014, ^[13] 2019 ^[14]
• Dealgan Milk Products/Paddy Sheelan Shield (2): 1998, 2018 ^[15]
• Louth Junior Football Championship (3): 1965, ^[16] 1976, ^[17] 2011 ^[18]
• Louth Junior A Football League (3): 1975, ^[19] 1979, ^[19] 2010 ^[20]
• Kevin Mullen Shield (1): 2010 ^[21]
• Louth Junior 2A Football Championship (2): 1961, ^[19] 1978 ^[19]
• Louth Junior 2A Football League (1): 1956, ^[19] 1957, ^[19] 1958 ^[22]
• Louth Junior 2 Football League (Division 4B) (2): 1998, ^[19] 2010 ^[23]
• Louth Junior 2 Football League (Division 4C) (1): 2008 ^[24]
• Louth Under-21 Football Championship (4): ‡ 1976, ‡ 1977, ‡ 2008, ^[25] 2021 ^[26]
• Louth Minor Football League (1): ‡ 2006
• Louth Minor B Football Championship (1): 2010 ^[27]

‡Shared with Dreadnots

Inter-county players

St Fechin's players who have represented Louth at inter-county level include:

• John Crosbie ^{[28] [29]}
• John Maguire ^[30]
• Paddy McGlew ^[31]
• Patrick Duff ^[32]
• Matt McDermott ^[33]
• Johnny McDonnell ^[34]
• Frank Brannigan ^[35]
• Ronan Holcroft ^[36]
• Bevan Duffy ^[37]
• David Collier ^[38]
• Eoghan Duffy ^[39]
• Paul Matthews ^[40]
• Niall McDonnell ^[41]

Hurling

The club started juvenile Hurling in 1997 and entered a team in the Louth Senior Hurling Championship for the first time in 2003. ^[42] In 2015, St Fechin's became county champions for the first time after defeating Pearse Óg in the final at Páirc Uí Mhuirí. ^[43]

Honours

• Louth Senior Hurling Championship (6): 2015, ^[44] 2016, ^[45] 2021, ^[46] 2022, ^[47] 2023, ^{[48] [49]} 2024 ^[50]

• Louth Senior Hurling League (4): 2013, ^[51] 2016, ^[52] 2020, ^[53] 2022 ^[54] 2024 ^[55]

References

1. "Civil Parish of Beaulieu, Co. Louth". Irish Townlands.
2. "Louth Legends pre-1950". Drogheda Independent . 6 December 2002.
3. "Fechin's featured in first TV match". Drogheda Independent . 5 August 2005.
4. "Shock at loss of 'backbone of St Fechin's GAA Club'". Drogheda Independent . 16 November 2021.
5. "Club History". St Fechin's.
6. "Geraldines looking to continue upward curve against Intermediate champions". Dundalk Democrat . 14 September 2022.
7. "Louth GAA Division 1 league preview". The Argus . 21 April 2023.
8. "Vincent was a tower of power". Drogheda Independent . 3 November 2018.
9. "Large turnout for Fechin's '84 re-union". Drogheda Independent . 18 November 2009.
10. "The greatest St Fechin's". Drogheda Independent . 30 July 2009.
11. "Fechin's family out in force for team reunion". Drogheda Independent . 18 November 2009.
12. "Long-awaited Intermediate success is worth the wait for St Fechin's". Drogheda Independent . 26 October 2021.
13. "FL2 round-up: Fechins are champions as playoff places decided". Hogan Stand . 17 November 2014.
14. "Fechin's see off Rovers to seal the deal". The Argus . 17 August 2019.
15. "Paddy Sheelan Shield Final Result". Louth GAA . 10 November 2018.
16. "'Bing' will forever be known for his great football skills". Drogheda Independent . 26 January 2011.
17. "35 years later". Hogan Stand . 27 November 2011.
18. "One man assassin shoots down Glen Emmets". Dundalk Democrat . 28 September 2011.
19. "Honours: Gaelic Football". St Fechin's.
20. "Shield win caps fine fortnight for saints". Drogheda Independent . 3 November 2010.
21. "Mullen win". Drogheda Independent . 10 November 2010.
22. "A great time for football as St Fechins win the cup". Drogheda Independent . 11 October 2006.
23. "Duffy Goal Delivers Treble For Fechins'". Hogan Stand . 15 November 2010.
24. "St Fechin's claim 4C league title". Drogheda Independent . 3 December 2008.
25. "A big year in store?". Hogan Stand . 30 November 2008.
26. "Walsh supreme as Fechin's devour combination in U20 final". Drogheda Independent . 16 January 2022.
27. "Jubilant Fechin's stun Pats". Drogheda Independent . 13 October 2010.
28. "Louth Juniors' win completes Leinster double". The Argus . 3 August 1957.
29. "'Bing' will forever be known for his great football skills". Drogheda Independent . 26 January 2011.
30. "Special night for men of 66". Drogheda Independent . 27 September 2006.
31. "Fitting tribute to the 1966 heroes". Drogheda Independent . 4 October 2006.
32. "Worth the wait for Pat the Warrior". Drogheda Independent . 15 July 2009.
33. "Players of the year". Hogan Stand . 20 November 2002.
34. "Offaly keeper had a hand in Wee Countys downfall". Drogheda Independent . 22 November 2002.
35. "eye". The Argus . 22 November 2002.
36. "Leinster SFC: Impressive Carlow sweep aside Louth". GAA . 13 May 2018.
37. "Kildare's strength and quality an eye opener for veteran Bevan Duffy". Dundalk Democrat . 4 May 2022.
38. "Louth give youth a fling for Royal duel". Irish Independent . 13 January 2012.
39. "Impressive Louth can draw plenty of positives". The Argus . 6 April 2019.
40. "Louth GAA dual star hoping to balance football and hurling commitments in 2020". Dundalk Democrat . 7 January 2020.
41. "McDonnell:We will give it our best shot". Dundalk Democrat . 25 June 2024.
42. "Hurl we go, hurl we go". Hogan Stand . 30 November 2003.
43. "SHC final: historic win for St Fechins". Hogan Stand . 12 October 2015.
44. "Saints leave it late to land fourth MHC title in succession". Drogheda Independent . 7 November 2015.
45. "SHC final: Fechins retain their crown". Hogan Stand . 26 September 2016.
46. "Gallant Knockbridge lose their title as St Fechins break their final hoodoo". Dundalk Democrat . 10 September 2021.
47. "Strong start decisive as St Fechins retain Paddy Kelly Cup". Dundalk Democrat . 11 August 2022.
48. "Fechins bring up Louth hurling 3 in a row, as Mochtas footballers also make history". LMFM . 14 August 2023.
49. "Three-in-a-row 'a massive milestone' for St Fechin's hurlers, says Louth SHC final man of the match Paddy Lynch". The Argus . 14 August 2023.
50. Reilly, Caoimhín (11 August 2024). "Sharpshooter Paddy Lynch steers St Fechin's to fourth Louth title in a row as wides cost Knockbridge". Irish Independent . Retrieved 30 September 2024.
51. "Fechins shock Pearse Og to lift Senior Hurling League title". Dundalk Democrat . 14 August 2013.
52. "SHL final: Fechins take home title for second time". Hogan Stand . 8 August 2016.
53. "2020 SHL Final". Louth GAA . 30 October 2021.
54. "St Fechin's complete Louth hurling double with league final win over Naomh Moninne". The Argus . 17 October 2022.
55. "St Fechins complete Senior Hurling League and Championship double". Irish Independent . 19 October 2024.