Desertmartin GAC
Encyclopedia
St. Martin's GAC Desertmartin is a Gaelic Athletic Association
club based in Desertmartin
, County Londonderry
, Northern Ireland
. The club is a member of the Derry GAA
and currently cater for Gaelic football
and Ladies' Gaelic football
.
The club have won the Derry Senior Football Championship once in their history and appeared in four finals. Underage teams up to U-12's play in South Derry league and championships, the U-14 team and upwards compete in All-Derry competitions.
and Division 2 of the Derry ACFL.
were played in the townland of Tirgan. In 1933 Master McLaughlin, a teacher from Derry City
proposed a club be founded. It was decided the club's name should be St. Martins and the club played in yellow with a green shamrock. One of the club's first successes came in 1945 when they won the Derry Football League.
It was in 1938 that Camogie began in Desertmartin, with the formation of three teams; St. Bridget's, Brackagh and Tirgan. These teams amalgamated into St. Mary's in 1959, which went on to win the South Derry League in 1961. However camogie went out of existence in the late 1960s before re-forming in 1977, and again going out of existence in the early 1980s.
The 1950s were a successful period for the club. Among honours they won the 1950 Derry Junior Football Championship
, beating Kilrea
in the South Derry final before beating Coleraine in the All-Derry decider. They went onto win the Ulster title that year. The club greatest honour came three years later when they won the 1953 Derry Senior Football Championship, beating Ballerin
in the final. St. Martin's reached the final again in 1959, but lost out to Bellaghy. In 1960 the club purchased their current playing field in the townland of Longfield. After falling from the Senior ranks, Desertmartin won the Derry Junior Championship for a second time in 1968. The club entered Scór
for the first time in 1971 and have had some successes.
The then GAA President
Paddy Buggy
opened the club's new Gaelic Centre in 1884, the GAA's centenary year. The 1990s saw more development around the new Gaelic Centre in Longfield with the opening of a new re-furbished pitch and the opening of the John O'Hagan memorial stand.
On the field, the senior team had an up and down spell, during which time them won the Division 2 league on 3 occasions, and adding 4 Intermediate Reserve Championships during this time. 1993 also seen the Minor team lift the South Derry Minor Championship, beating Newbridge
in the final. In 2002 Desertmartin lifted both the South Derry 'B' and All-Derry B Minor Championships. They have also lifted the South Derry 'B' championship in 2004 and the Derry League in 2007.
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 Desertmartin
Desertmartin
Desertmartin is a small village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is four miles from Magherafelt, at the foot of Slieve Gallion. In the 2001 Census Desertmartin greater area had a population of 1,276. It had a population of 2257 in 1837 and 3101 in 1910. It lies within Desertmartin...
, 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 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...
.
The club have won the Derry Senior Football Championship once in their history and appeared in four finals. Underage teams up to U-12's play in South Derry league and championships, the U-14 team and upwards compete in All-Derry competitions.
Gaelic football
Desertmartin fields Gaelic football teams at U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, Minor, U21, Reserve and Senior levels. The Senior team competes in the Derry Intermediate Football ChampionshipDerry Intermediate Football Championship
The Derry Intermediate Football Club Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the intermediate Derry clubs...
and Division 2 of the Derry ACFL.
GAA 125th anniversary celebrations
Desertmartin celebrated the GAA's 125 anniversary on the 11th of May 2009.Ladies' Gaelic football
The club also has a number of Ladies'gaelic football groups which range from under 12's to Seniors. The Seniors reached the Derry Junior Final 2008. Managed by Stephanie Brown and Chris Trainor.History
There is a history of the Gaelic Athletic Association in Desertmartin stretching back to June 1885, where Gaelic gamesGaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
were played in the townland of Tirgan. In 1933 Master McLaughlin, a teacher from Derry City
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
proposed a club be founded. It was decided the club's name should be St. Martins and the club played in yellow with a green shamrock. One of the club's first successes came in 1945 when they won the Derry Football League.
It was in 1938 that Camogie began in Desertmartin, with the formation of three teams; St. Bridget's, Brackagh and Tirgan. These teams amalgamated into St. Mary's in 1959, which went on to win the South Derry League in 1961. However camogie went out of existence in the late 1960s before re-forming in 1977, and again going out of existence in the early 1980s.
The 1950s were a successful period for the club. Among honours they won the 1950 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...
, beating Kilrea
Kilrea GAC
Pádraig Pearse's GAC Kilrea is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Kilrea, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for both Gaelic football and Camogie...
in the South Derry final before beating Coleraine in the All-Derry decider. They went onto win the Ulster title that year. The club greatest honour came three years later when they won the 1953 Derry Senior Football Championship, beating Ballerin
Ballerin GAC
Ballerin Sarfields GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballerin, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They are a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football, Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie...
in the final. St. Martin's reached the final again in 1959, but lost out to Bellaghy. In 1960 the club purchased their current playing field in the townland of Longfield. After falling from the Senior ranks, Desertmartin won the Derry Junior Championship for a second time in 1968. The club entered Scór
Scór
Scór is a division of the Gaelic Athletic Association charged with promotion of cultural activities, and the name of a series of annual competitions in such activities.Rule 4 of the GAA's official guide reads:...
for the first time in 1971 and have had some successes.
The then 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...
Paddy Buggy
Paddy Buggy
Paddy Buggy is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Slieverue and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1949 until 1960. Buggy later served as President of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 1982 until 1985.-Club:Buggy played his club hurling...
opened the club's new Gaelic Centre in 1884, the GAA's centenary year. The 1990s saw more development around the new Gaelic Centre in Longfield with the opening of a new re-furbished pitch and the opening of the John O'Hagan memorial stand.
On the field, the senior team had an up and down spell, during which time them won the Division 2 league on 3 occasions, and adding 4 Intermediate Reserve Championships during this time. 1993 also seen the Minor team lift the South Derry Minor Championship, beating Newbridge
Newbridge GAC
Seán O'Leary's GAC Newbridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Newbridge, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Camogie. They have won the Derry Senior Football Championship on ten occasions...
in the final. In 2002 Desertmartin lifted both the South Derry 'B' and All-Derry B Minor Championships. They have also lifted the South Derry 'B' championship in 2004 and the Derry League in 2007.
Senior
- Derry Senior Football Championship: 1
- 1953, Runner-up 1951, 1952, 1959
- Derry Junior Football ChampionshipDerry Junior Football ChampionshipThe Derry Junior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition between the Junior Derry clubs...
: 2- 1950, 1968
- South Derry Junior Football Championship: 2
- 1950, 1968
- Derry Senior Football League Division 2: 3
- ????, ????, ????
Reserves
- Derry Intermediate Reserve Football Championship: 8
- ????, ????, ????, ????, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009
Minor
- Derry Minor Football League: 4
- 1945, 1946, 1956, 1981
- Tommy O'Neill Cup (Derry Minor 'B' Football Championship) 1
- 2002
- Derry Minor 'B' Football League: 1
- 2007
- South Derry Minor 'B' Football Championship: 3
- 1993, 2002, 2004
U-16
- South Derry U-16 'C' Football Championship: 1
- 2003
- South Derry U-16 'B' Football Championship: 1
- 2004
U-14
- South Derry U-14 'B' Football Championship: 2
- 2003, 2006
- South Derry U-14 'B' Football League: 2
- 2003, 2004
- Ulster under 14 feile C:
- 2003
- Derry u-14 'B' Feile:1
-
- 2009
-
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.
See also
- Derry Intermediate Football ChampionshipDerry Intermediate Football ChampionshipThe Derry Intermediate Football Club Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the intermediate Derry clubs...
- List of Gaelic Athletic Association clubs in Derry