Dunedin Connollys GFC

In the early 1990s, there were nearly 20 Gaelic football teams competing in central Scotland. In 2018 that number has been reduced to just five, including Connollys. Dún Deagh Dálriada, Glasgow Gaels GFC (formed in 1999 from the amalgamation of Glencovitt Rovers and Paisley Gaels), Sands MacSwineys GFC (formed by members of the Glasgow-based Pearse Harps who wanted to set up a team in Coatbridge) and Tir Conaill Harps (also established after an ‘amicable’ break away from Pearse Harps by the club's underage section) make up the other four teams. Dunedin Connollys currently has members from counties Mayo, Kerry, Carlow, Kildare, Tyrone, Leitrim, Sligo, Laois, Donegal, Tipperary, Londonderry, Armagh, and Roscommon.

After losses to St Peter's Manchester GAA in 2004 and Harlsden Harps in 2005, Dunedin Connollys won their maiden British Championship in 2009, beating holders John Mitchel's of Liverpool by a score of 1–08 to 2-04. The club then won three consecutive British titles, defeating John Mitchel's after extra time in 2016,[3] defeating Birmingham side Sean McDermotts of Warwickshire GAA in 2017, and Neasden Gaels in 2018.[4]

Dunedin Connollys has competed in the All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship on four occasions, in 2010, 2016/17, 2017/18, and 2018/19. Connollys lost in the 2010 quarter-final to Emyvale of Monaghan GAA, going down 3–07 to 0-08. In early December 2016, Connollys defeated Laois side Rosenallis GAA 1–09 to 1–06 in Edinburgh [5] before being knocked out by Ulster GAA champions Rock St Patrick's GAC in January 2017, losing 2–06 to 1–18 at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh.[6] In December 2017, Connollys hosted first time Ulster champions Naomh Colmcille, with the Donegal side winning 1–10 to 2–06 in Edinburgh.[7]

In 1998 a Ladies team was set-up by then club chairman Peter Dillon and his wife Suzanne. To begin with, Connollys Ladies competed in the Ladies University Championship and won it three years on the trot. The Ladies also won back-to-back sevens titles in 2006 and 2007. Since 2009 the ladies' team has competed in the Scottish Ladies university league and Championship.

As well as a Men's Senior team, Dunedin Connollys runs a Junior team. The second-string side made it to the 2016 Scottish Junior Championship final, where they were defeated by Glasgow Gaels.

Dunedin Connollys has a youth set-up, named Dunedin Og. Founded in 2012, the establishment of Dunedin Og marked the end of two years of hard work and coaching by local Gaelic football enthusiasts in Edinburgh's primary schools. Dunedin Og runs Under-10, Under-12 and Under-14 teams, all of whom compete as mixed gender teams. In 2015, eight Dunedin Og players were called up to the Scottish feile team while one player made the Scotland Under-16 squad.

Dunedin Connollys have won the Scottish Championship 14 times to date, the first in 1994 and the most recent in 2017. The club won five titles on the trot from 2007 - 2011. Dunedin Connollys have also won the British Championship three times, in 2009, 2016 and 2017.

• Bainisteóir: Alan Ward
• Roghnóirí: Ronan Fahy, Robbie Howe

Squad as per Dunedin Connollys v Naomh Colmcille, 2017 All-Ireland Club Junior Football Championship Quarter-Final, 9 December 2017

Frank Molloy and Sean Malee are former Mayo GAA panellists [8] while Conor Horan turned out for the Mayo U21s and Ronan McGurk did likewise for Tyrone GAA minors.[9] For Dunedin Connollys Ladies, Caoilfhionn Deeney won the All-Ireland title with Wicklow GAA in 2011 [10] while Rosanna Heeney appeared in two All-Ireland finals with Louth GAA in 2010 and 2012.[11]