Craigbane GAC
Encyclopedia
St. Joseph's GAC Craigbane is a Gaelic Athletic Association
club based in Craigbane, County Londonderry
, Northern Ireland
. The club is a member of the Derry GAA
and currently cater for both Gaelic football
and Ladies' Gaelic football
.
Underage teams up to U-12's play in North Derry league and championships, from U-14 upwards teams compete in All-Derry competitions.
. They have also won the Derry Intermediate Football Championship
on seven occasions.
in their first game. Lamh Dearg soon folded, but a Craigbane team was reformed in 1959 under the guidance of Philip Crossan. Their first game also ended in a defeat to Claudy.
Like much of rural Ireland
, Craigbane suffered greatly in the 1960s from emigration and the club folded in 1962. The present club, St. Joseph's GAC Craigbane came into existence in 1972 under the leadership of Gerry Crossan. The side played in Division 4 and their first game was a victory away to Coleraine. St. Joseph's were runners up to Drum
in the 1973 Derry Junior Football Championship
and won Division 4 the following year. At the end of the 1975 season, Craigbane were promoted to Senior football for the first time. Their first game in Division 1 was a defeat against Glen
on a 2-09 to 1-09 scoreline. Craigbane were relegated to Division 2 for the 1977 season and were back playing Intermediate football
for the next five years.
In 1983 Eddie McElhinney became the first Craigbane player to win an All-Ireland medal went he was Gaelic football and Hurling positions#Center Half Forward on the Derry minor side that won the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
against Cork. Craigbane first Championship trophy came in 1985 when they beat Claudy in the Derry Intermediate Reserve Championship final. They won the cup again two years later. 1986 was a successful year where they won the Derry Intermediate Football Championship
and the Dr. Kerlin Cup, beating An Lúb and Faughanvale
in the respective finals. They also won the League Division 2. The following year Craigbane became the first ever Derry club to retain the Intermediate Championship when they beat Claudy after a replay. The club finished joint top of Division 2.
St. Joseph's current pitch, in the heart of gods country, Páirc Gheárod Uí Chrosaín was officially opened by GAA President
Peter Quinn (GAA President)
and blessed by Bishop Daly on 13 May 1990. The club won the Intermediate Championship for a third team in 1992 and the team also won the 1994 Dr. Kerlin Cup. Craigbane beat Banagher
in the 1995 Intermediate Championship final and in the Bishops Cup final. 1997 saw Craigbane win five trophies. They defeated Claudy in the Intermediate Championship final at Celtic Park
. The club also won the Dr. Kerlin Cup, the Bishops Cup and Division 2. The Reserves also won the Grade B Championship defeating Drumsurn
at Claudy
. 2000 saw the club win their sixth Derry Intermediate Championship. They went onto win the 2001 Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship
, their greatest success to date, defeating Inniskeen of Monaghan in the final.
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
club based in Craigbane, County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The club is a member of the Derry GAA
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
and currently cater for both Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and Ladies' Gaelic football
Ladies' Gaelic football
Ladies' Gaelic football is a team sport for women, very similar to Gaelic football, and co-ordinated by the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association...
.
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
Craigbane fields Gaelic football teams at U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, Minor, Reserve and Senior levels. The club's biggest success came in 2001 when they won the Ulster Intermediate Club Football ChampionshipUlster Intermediate Club Football Championship
The Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of intermediate football clubs in Ulster. There are nine county championships between the nine counties of Ulster. The nine winners go on to play each other in the Ulster Club...
. They have also won the Derry Intermediate Football Championship
Derry Intermediate Football Championship
The Derry Intermediate Football Club Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the intermediate Derry clubs...
on seven occasions.
History
The first officially formed Gaelic football club in Craigbane was Lamh Dearg, who were established in 1934. They played in the North Derry League and lost to ClaudyClaudy GAC
John Mitchel's GAC Claudy is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Claudy, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They are a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football. The club is named after Irish patriot and revolutionary John Mitchel.Claudy fields Gaelic football...
in their first game. Lamh Dearg soon folded, but a Craigbane team was reformed in 1959 under the guidance of Philip Crossan. Their first game also ended in a defeat to Claudy.
Like much of rural Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Craigbane suffered greatly in the 1960s from emigration and the club folded in 1962. The present club, St. Joseph's GAC Craigbane came into existence in 1972 under the leadership of Gerry Crossan. The side played in Division 4 and their first game was a victory away to Coleraine. St. Joseph's were runners up to Drum
Drum GAC
St. Colm's GAC Drum is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Drum, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Camogie and up to recently also played Hurling....
in the 1973 Derry Junior Football Championship
Derry Junior Football Championship
The Derry Junior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition between the Junior Derry clubs...
and won Division 4 the following year. At the end of the 1975 season, Craigbane were promoted to Senior football for the first time. Their first game in Division 1 was a defeat against Glen
Glen GAC
Watty Graham's GAC Glen is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Maghera, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The team draws players from Maghera and some surrounding townlands. They currently cater for Gaelic football, Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie.Glen are also committed to Scor,...
on a 2-09 to 1-09 scoreline. Craigbane were relegated to Division 2 for the 1977 season and were back playing Intermediate football
Derry Intermediate Football Championship
The Derry Intermediate Football Club Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the intermediate Derry clubs...
for the next five years.
In 1983 Eddie McElhinney became the first Craigbane player to win an All-Ireland medal went he was Gaelic football and Hurling positions#Center Half Forward on the Derry minor side that won the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
against Cork. Craigbane first Championship trophy came in 1985 when they beat Claudy in the Derry Intermediate Reserve Championship final. They won the cup again two years later. 1986 was a successful year where they won the Derry Intermediate Football Championship
Derry Intermediate Football Championship
The Derry Intermediate Football Club Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the intermediate Derry clubs...
and the Dr. Kerlin Cup, beating An Lúb and Faughanvale
Faughanvale GAC
St. Mary's GAC Faughanvale is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Greysteel, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, in the parish of Faughanvale, nine miles from Derry City...
in the respective finals. They also won the League Division 2. The following year Craigbane became the first ever Derry club to retain the Intermediate Championship when they beat Claudy after a replay. The club finished joint top of Division 2.
St. Joseph's current pitch, in the heart of gods country, Páirc Gheárod Uí Chrosaín was officially opened by GAA President
Presidents of the Gaelic Athletic Association
The role of President of Gaelic Athletic Association has existed since the foundation of the GAA . The current president of the GAA is Christy Cooney. The role of President involves representing the GAA in Ireland and across the world...
Peter Quinn (GAA President)
Peter Quinn (GAA President)
Peter Quinn served as President of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 1991 until 1994. A native of Teemore, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, Quinn is a financial advisor by profession. He is also a brother of Seán Quinn.-References:...
and blessed by Bishop Daly on 13 May 1990. The club won the Intermediate Championship for a third team in 1992 and the team also won the 1994 Dr. Kerlin Cup. Craigbane beat Banagher
Banagher GAC
St Mary's Banagher GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Feeny / Park area of County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA. Banagher is a dual club and currently cater for Gaelic football, Hurling and Camogie...
in the 1995 Intermediate Championship final and in the Bishops Cup final. 1997 saw Craigbane win five trophies. They defeated Claudy in the Intermediate Championship final at Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
. The club also won the Dr. Kerlin Cup, the Bishops Cup and Division 2. The Reserves also won the Grade B Championship defeating Drumsurn
Drumsurn GAC
St. Matthew's GAC Drumsurn is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Drumsurn, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Camogie....
at Claudy
Claudy
Claudy is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies southeast of Derry, where the River Glenrandal joins the River Faughan. Claudy is located in the Faughan Valley....
. 2000 saw the club win their sixth Derry Intermediate Championship. They went onto win the 2001 Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship
Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship
The Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of intermediate football clubs in Ulster. There are nine county championships between the nine counties of Ulster. The nine winners go on to play each other in the Ulster Club...
, their greatest success to date, defeating Inniskeen of Monaghan in the final.
Senior
- Ulster Intermediate Club Football ChampionshipUlster Intermediate Club Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of intermediate football clubs in Ulster. There are nine county championships between the nine counties of Ulster. The nine winners go on to play each other in the Ulster Club...
: 2- 2001, 2011
- Derry Intermediate Football ChampionshipDerry Intermediate Football ChampionshipThe Derry Intermediate Football Club Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the intermediate Derry clubs...
: 7- 1986, 1987, 1992, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2011
- Derry Intermediate Football League: 3
- 1986, 1997, 2011
- Derry Football League Division Four: 1
- 1974
- Bishops Cup 2
- 1995, 1997
- Dr. Kerlin Cup 6
- 1986, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2009
- James O'Hagan Cup 1
- 2003
U-16
- North Derry U-16 'B' Football Championship: 1
- 2004
- North Derry U-16 'B' Football League: 1
- 2004
U-14
- North Derry U-14 'B' Football League: 1
- 2007 and 2008
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.