Leitrim GAA

The Leitrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) (Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Chontae Liatroma) or Leitrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Leitrim. The county board is also responsible for the Leitrim inter-county teams. The county football team play in the Connacht Senior Football Championship and compete in Division 4 of the National Football League. Considered "Connacht's traditional minnows" and "one of the GAA's Cinderella counties",[3], Leitrim are never seriously seen as likely to win a major title. They have won the Connacht Senior Football Championship on two occasions, the first in 1927 and their second in 1994.

Leitrim GAA
Irish:Liatroim
Nickname(s):The Canaries
The Ridge County[1]
The Green and Gold[2]
Province:Connacht
Dominant sport:Gaelic football
Ground(s):Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada,
Carrick-on-Shannon
County colours:  Green   Gold
Website:County board website
County teams
NFL:Division 4
NHL:Division 3B
Football Championship:Sam Maguire Cup
Hurling Championship:Nicky Rackard Cup
Ladies' Gaelic football:Mary Quinn Memorial Cup

Governance

Enda Stenson became county chairman in December 2019.[4]

Finances

In late-August 2022, it was reported that Leitrim GAA officials had requested funding from the Connacht Provincial Council and the GAA itself, ahead of the county's expected league and championship expeditions to play London and New York in 2023.[5]

Football
Main article: Leitrim county football team

Leitrim's football history has brought sparse reward. They first competed in the All-Ireland in the 1907 championship. They were beaten by Roscommon on a score of 0–03 to 0–01 in the Connacht semi-final in their first ever match. The county won its first ever match in the 1910 championship, beating Sligo in the Connacht quarter-final by 0–03 to 0–00. They were then beaten by Galway in the semi-final.

Leitrim did not record another win until the 1914 championship. They beat Sligo by 5–07 0–02 to qualify for their first ever Connacht final but were beaten by Roscommon in the decider. In the semi-final of the 1924 Connacht Championship, Leitrim forced Mayo to a draw, then refused to play extra-time. Galway went on to be beaten in the final by Mayo following a replay. In 1927, with training from Sean O'Hehir, father of the veteran radio commentator Micheál and with the help of good fortune when Connacht semi-finalists Roscommon had to line out without five players whose car had broken down, Leitrim won their first ever Connacht title. They went on to narrowly lose to Kerry by two points in the semi-final of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.

John O'Mahony was appointed Leitrim manager to build on the success of the Under-21 team that won the 1991 Connacht Championship. He took Leitrim to the final of the 1994 Connacht Championship. Leitrim did not have an easy route to the final, beating Roscommon by a point and only overcoming Galway by a point in a replay. They took on Mayo in the final, overcoming O'Mahony's native county by two points in Hyde Park. O'Mahony's feat in leading the team that is traditionally the weakest in the province to that title is still heralded nationally to this day.[6] Leitrim were ultimately beaten in the All-Ireland semi-final by Dublin at Croke Park. The first county to benefit under the parentage rule was also the first to lose their big catch, with the loss of Declan Darcy to Dublin depleting the panel in 1998, bringing Leitrim's most successful era to an end.

Leitrim won the FBD Insurance League in 2013, defeating their neighbours Sligo in the final. This was the county's fourth ever trophy and their first since 1994.[7] They retained the title in 2014, defeating Roscommon in the final.[8]

The county's Vocational Schools team have made it to two All-Ireland Vocational Schools Championship Finals losing to Carlow in 1972 and Donegal in 1995.

Hurling

On 20 May 2017, Leitrim defeated Sligo in Round 5 of the Lory Meagher Cup on a scoreline of 3–15 to 3–8 to qualify for the final at Croke Park.[9][10]

On 22 June 2019 Leitrim defeated Lancashire on a scoreline of 2–23 to 2–22 after extra time to win the 2019 Lory Meagher Cup and qualify for the 2020 Nicky Rackard Cup.[11]

Martin Cunniffe, who had been Leitrim senior hurling manager since 2011, resigned in November 2019.[12]

Former players include Tim Slevin.[13]

Leitrim's hurlers announced that their jerseys would feature the words "No to Racism" during the 2021 season.[14][15][16]

  • Connacht League Shield (1)
    • 2022

Ladies' football

Manager: Hugh Donnelly.

Leitrim have the following achievements in ladies' football.

Camogie

Under Camogie's National Development Plan 2010–2015, "Our Game, Our Passion",[17] three new camogie clubs were to be established in Leitrim and a county board assembled by 2015.[18]

References
  1. Corry, Eoghan (2005). The GAA book of lists. Dublin: Hodder Headline Ireland. pp. 182–3. ISBN 978-0-340-89695-2.
  2. "County Board look to Breen & Dugdale in wake of shock Moran departure". Leitrim Observer. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2011. Moran, starting his fourth year with the Green & Gold, had already drawn up a panel for the 2012 Allianz League campaign...
  3. Foley, Cliona (28 January 2013). "Leitrim relish rare success". Irish Independent. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  4. "Leitrim chairman Enda Stenson wants change embraced". RTÉ. 8 July 2020.
  5. Lawlor, Damian (30 August 2022). "Leitrim seek funding for New York and London trips". RTÉ.
  6. Breheny, Martin (24 November 2012). "The import and export business". Irish Independent. Retrieved 24 November 2012. the highest 'outside' football achiever in terms of titles is John O'Mahony...Steering Galway to All-Ireland wins in 1998 and 2001, ending a barren spell that extended back to 1966, was a huge achievement for O'Mahony, but, in many ways, leading Leitrim to their first Connacht title for 67 years in 1994 was just as noteworthy...given the small base from which Leitrim operate, winning a Connacht title is always a massive success story. All the more so in 1994 when they had to beat Galway, Roscommon and Mayo to claim the title.
  7. "Connacht League victory 'a huge lift' for Leitrim, says captain Emlyn Mulligan". RTÉ Sport. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  8. "Leitrim 2-05 Roscommon 1-07". Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  9. Watch Leitrim hurlers celebrate reaching Croke Park after victory over Sligo
  10. Leitrim Hurlers Aim To Make History With First Appearance At Croke Park
  11. Extra-time glory for Leitrim in Lory Meagher decider
  12. "Martin Cunniffe resigns as Leitrim Senior Hurling Manager". MidWest Radio. 5 November 2019.
  13. Tim Slevin Former Leitrim Hurler, 2020-11-09.
  14. "Leitrim hurlers to wear 'No To Racism' on jersey for 2021 season". Hogan Stand. 10 May 2021.
  15. "Leitrim hurlers to display 'No To Racism' on their jerseys for the 2021 season". The42.ie. 10 May 2021.
  16. "Leitrim GAA and County Hurlers team up to back Migrant Rights Centre Ireland anti-racism message on new jersey". Leitrim Observer. 10 May 2021.
  17. "Final goal for camogie". Irish Independent. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
  18. National Development Plan 2010–2015, Our Game, Our Passion information page on camogie.ie, pdf download (778k) from Camogie.ie download site
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