Faughanvale GAC

Saint Mary's Faughanvale GAA (Irish: CLG Naomh Muire Nuachongbháil) is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Greysteel, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football, Ladies' Gaelic football.

St Mary's Faughanvale GAA
CLG Naomh Muire Nuachongbháil
Founded:1933
County:Derry
Nickname:Vale
Colours:Green and white
Grounds:John McLaughlin Park
(Páirc An Seán Mac Lochlainn)
Coordinates:55°02′09.88″N 7°06′11.28″W
Playing kits
Standard colours

Faughanvale have won the Derry Intermediate Football Championship five times and the Derry Junior Football Championship once. The club's catchment area includes Greysteel, Eglinton, Ballykelly, Enagh, Highlands and parts of Glack. Underage teams up to U-12's play in North Derry league and championships, from U-14 upwards teams compete in All-Derry competitions.

Gaelic football

Faughanvale fields Gaelic football teams at U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, Minor, Reserve and Senior levels. They currently compete in the Derry Intermediate Championship. Having won Division 4 of the Derry ACFL in 2007, in 2008 they maintained their position in Division 3 in 2009.

Ladies' Gaelic football

As well as Minor and Senior Ladies' football teams, St Mary's fields U12, U14 and U16 teams.

Faughanvale ladies have won the intermediate championship on 6 occasions 2003, 2006, 2011, 2014, 2018 & 2020.

Hurling and Camogie

The camogie and hurling teams ceased playing in 1989.

History

St Mary's GAC Faughanvale was established in 1933. A camogie team was founded in 1946 and affiliated to the club, before folding in 1989.

The club's first major success came in 1943 when they won the North Derry Senior Football Championship, before losing to Lavey in the All-Derry Senior Championship final. In 1975 Faughanvale won the Derry Junior Football Championship. Three years later St Mary's won the Derry Intermediate Football Championship and have won the competition a further four times since (1981, 1996, 1998, 1999). In 2014 Faughanvale were relegated from the Intermediate league. In 2015, for the first time in 40 years, they competed at Junior Level. In 2015 Faughanvale won a treble of Neil Carlin Cup, Division 3 League, and their second Derry Junior Championship. Faughanvale was awarded Irish News Rural Club of the Year 2005 by The Irish News.

The club purchased its current grounds in 1982, before this football was played at the O'Neill family's field on the Clooney Road. When the new pitch opened in 1983 it was named after one of the founding club members and former Chairman of the Derry County Board, John McLaughlin. In May 2007 the club began a £1.2million redevelopment of their playing facilities at John McLaughlin Park and opened the new grounds in May 2009.

In 2008 the club took part in the Celebrity Bainisteoir programme and were managed by journalist Nell McCafferty.[1][2]

Notable club members include Paul Bradley who won an All-Ireland minor medal with Derry in 1983, captained Derry minors to Ulster success in 1984 and who won a Sigerson medal with St Mary's University College Belfast in 1989. Stephen Mulvenna won an All-Ireland senior medal with Derry in 1993. Club Members Kevin Bryson, Tony Grey, Simon Greene, Joe Grey, Jordan Curran, Paddy O’Kane and Mark Creane have all represented the Club at County level.

In administration lifelong member Colum O'Hara a former Club Chairman, Secretary, Vice-chairman and current Trustee of the Club served as Chairman of the North Derry Board and a member of the County Committee. Former Treasurer and Secretary Philip Bryson served on the North Derry Board as Registrar. Long serving member and former Club Secretary Breige McGuinness served in various County Committee roles including Assistant Secretary. Long standing committee member, Club assistant Secretary and later Secretary Conor Nicholl was member of various County sub-committees and was elected County GAA Public Relations Officer serving from 2016 to 2020.

Football titles

Senior Football

Minor Football
  • Derry City Minor Football Championship: 1
    • 1959
  • Derry All County Minor 'B' Championship:
    • 2013

Under 16 Football
  • North Derry Under-16 'B' Football Championship: 1
    • 1999
  • North Derry Under-16 'B' Football League: 1
    • 2006
  • Derry All-County A Under-16 Championship': 1
    • 1984
  • Derry All- County Under-16 'A' Football League: 1
    • 2013

Under 14 Football

 
    North Derry Under-14 ‘A’ Football championship: 1
   1995
  • North Derry Under-14 'B' Football Championship: 3
    • 1998, 2001, 2002
  • North Derry Under-14 'B' Football League: 1
    • 2002
  • Derry Féile na nÓg: 1
    • 2019
  • All-Ireland Féile na nÓg:1
    • 2019

Under 12 Football
  • Limavady Blitz: 2
    • 1984, 2005
  • Drumsurn Blitz: 2
    • 1984, 2005

Ladies' football titles

Ladies Senior Football
  • Derry Ladies' Football Championship: 5
    • 2006, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020.

Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.

See also

References
  1. "Celebrity Bainisteoir – The Clubs". RTÉ News. Retrieved 11 April 2008.
  2. McMorrow, Conor (30 March 2008). "New RTÉ show gives GAA managers the celebrity treatment". Sunday Tribune. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2008.
  3. "Carroll adds gloss for Rockcorry". Irish Independent. 30 November 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
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