Ballymaguigan GAC
Saint Trea's Ballymaguigan GFC (Irish: Naomh Trea Baile Mhic Uiginn CLG[1]) is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballymaguigan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It plays in Derry league and championships. It currently caters for both Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football.
| Naomh Trea Baile Mhic Uiginn CLG | |||||||||
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| Founded: | 1944 | ||||||||
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| County: | Derry | ||||||||
| Colours: | Green, white and gold | ||||||||
| Grounds: | The Field | ||||||||
| Coordinates: | 54°44′33.26″N 6°31′23.13″W | ||||||||
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| Senior Club Championships | |||||||||
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The club was founded in 1944 and has won the Derry Senior Football Championship once. Ballymaguigan fields Gaelic football teams at U-8, U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16, Minor, Reserve and Senior levels. Teams up to U-12 level compete in South Derry league and championships and U-14 level teams and upwards compete in All-Derry competitions.
History
Gaelic games had been organised on the western shores of Lough Neagh for over 50 years before St Trea's GFC was formed. Before 1944 one team (Newbridge GAC) catered for the Ballymaguigan and Newbridge areas.[2] Both areas are part of Ardtrea North parish. The American Army built Toome airfield during World War II. This effectively split the parish in two, making it very difficult for the Ballymaguigan-based players to travel to the pitch.[2]
Paddy Bateson suggested a ball be bought so the Ballymaguigan players could train among themselves. Soon friendlies were arranged against established clubs. The first of these was against Castledawson. The first home fixture was against Greenlough. St Trea's GFC was soon formed on 23 April 1944. The name was in honour of Saint Trea who has many traditional associations with the area. The first chairman was John McCartney, with Paddy Bateson as vice-chairman.[2]
Ballymaguigan is a very small rural community, consisting approximately of 1-square-mile (2.6 km2) in area. Establishing a Gaelic Football Club in such a small area was quite an achievement.
In 1950 the club built a small meeting hall. The erection of "the hut" was never seen as anything other than a temporary measure and plans proceeded for more permanent premises. In December 1954 Miss Susan Hinfey's farm came on the market and the club committee decided to purchase. Billy McKee was delegated to do the bidding. The farm of approximately eight acres was acquired for £1,230. The task of converting this property into a playing area began immediately. Apart from hiring a bulldozer to level the ground, this work was carried out completely by voluntary labour.
The all-enclosed pitch, considered to be one of the best in the county, was officially opened in 1957 by the then GAA President Séamus McFerran.[2] Thus St Trea's were back playing on the grounds where the club had its beginnings in 1944.
In 1967 steel was purchased for building a hall and during the July holidays the foundations were laid. The hall was completed, again by voluntary labour, in 1969 and hall was officially opened at a variety concert, by GAA past President Alf Murray.[3]
In 1999 the pitch went through a renovation period and was reopened in 2001. Floodlights were installed in the ground, new goalposts, a new pitch, new dug outs and a training pitch next to the playing field. During these renovations the club played on a temporary pitch on the Waterfoot Road.
Three playing members of St Trea's, John Bateson (aged 19), James Sheridan (20) and Martin Lee (18), all members of the South Derry Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army died when the bomb they were carrying exploded prematurely in Magherafelt on 18 December 1971.[4] The trophy for the Derry Intermediate Football Championship is named after the three.
Well known players
- Eamonn Coleman - former Derry manager and footballer.[5]
- Gary Coleman – All Star winning Derry footballer. Son of Eamonn Coleman.
- Jim McKeever – 1958 Footballer of the Year.
- Paddy Crozier – former Derry manager.
- John Henry – former player.
Honours
Senior
- Derry Senior Football Championship: 1
- 1962
- (Runners-up) - 1957, 1958, 1961
- Derry Senior Football League: 1
- 1962
- South Derry Senior Football Championship: 1
- 1957
- South Derry Senior Football League: 1
- 1949
- Derry Intermediate Football Championship: 5
- 1971, 1993, 2001, 2003, 2009
- (Runners-up) - 1981, 2008, 2018
- Derry Intermediate Football League: 3
- 1993, 1998, 2006
- Derry Junior Football Championship: 2
- 1951, 1970
- Derry Junior Football League: 1
- 1951
- South Derry Junior Football Championship: 2
- 1951, 1969, 1970
- Seán Larkin Cup: 2
- 1958, 1959
- Graham Cup: 2
- 1970, 1971
- McGlinchey Cup: 1
- 2011
- South Derry Winter League: 1
- 1980
Reserves
- Derry Intermediate Reserve Football Championship: 2
- 2003, 2004
- (Runners-up) - 2005
Minor
- Derry Minor 'B2' Championship: 1
- 2018
- Tommy O'Neill Cup (Derry Minor 'B' Championship): 2
- 1997, 2003
- South Derry Minor 'B' Football Championship: 2
- 1997, 2003
- South Derry Minor 'B' Football League: 2
- 1997, 2003
Under-16
- Derry Under-16 11 a Side Shield (C)
- 2008
- South Derry Under-16 'C' Football League: 1
- 1998
Under-14
- South Derry U-14 'B' Football Championship: 1
- 1999
- (Runners-up) - 2006
- South Derry U-14 'B' Football League: 1
- 1999
- Derry U-14 'C' Football League: 1
- 2009
- Derry U-14 'C' Football Championship: 1
- 2017
Under-12
- South Derry U-12 'B' League:
- 2003
- (Runners-up) - 2002
Ladies' football
- Senior Ladies Derry Intermediate League: 1
- 2006
- U-16 Ladies 'B' Championship 1
- 2004
- U-16 Ladies ‘A’ Championship 5
- U-16 Ladies League 5
- U-14 Ladies Féile na nÓg
- 2004, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
- U-14 South Derry League: 5
- 2003
- U-14 Derry Championship: 5
- 2003
- U-13 'B' Derry Championship: 1
- 2011
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.
References
- http://www.ballymaguigan.com/ St Trea's Ballymaguigan GAA Club
- "Club History St Trea's Gaelic Football Club (Est. 1944)". Archived from the original on 4 July 2007. Retrieved 3 September 2007.
- "Bluffer's Guide... Ballymaguigan". Gaelic Life. 9 May 2008.
- Corry, Eoghan (1993). Oakboys – Derry's Football Dream Come True. Dublin, Ireland: Torc Books Ltd. p. 5. ISBN 1-898142-10-6.
- Crowe, Dermot (1 June 2008). "Coleman's enduring legacy". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2008.