Francis Bellew
Encyclopedia
Francis "Francie" Bellew (born 25 March 1976) is an Irish
Gaelic football
er who played for Armagh
. He has won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
medal, five Ulster Championships
and a National League
title with the county. He was also awarded an All Star
for his performances in 2003
.
Bellew plays club football for Crossmaglen Rangers
and has won four All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
s, seven Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
s and 13 Armagh Senior Football Championships with the club.
Bellew usually plays as full back for both club and county. He is known as a hard-hitting and tough old-fashioned full back and these attributes along with his quiet demeanor and reluctance to talk to the media has resulted in him having a cult following among Armagh and Crossmaglen fans.
in early 2002, and subsequently made his Championship debut against Tyrone
later that year
. That year he helped Armagh win the Ulster Senior Football Championship
as well as the county's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
.
In 2003
Armagh once again reached the All-Ireland final, but were defeated by neighbours Tyrone. He received an All Star award
for his performances that year. 2004 saw Bellew and Armagh again win the Ulster Championship.
In 2005 Bellew helped Armagh win the National League, beating Wexford
in the final. Later that year he helped Armagh win another Ulster Championship.
Armagh completed a three-in-a-row of Ulster Championships in 2006. Bellew won another Ulster Championship medal with Armagh in 2008, his fifth in all.
Bellew retired from inter-county football in April 2009.
between 1904 and 1916. He has also won the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
seven times (1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2006
, 2007
and 2008
) and the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
four times (1997, 1999, 2000 and 2007) with the club. Bellew, along with Paul Hearty
, John McEntee, Tony McEntee, Oisín McConville
and Cathal Short is one of six Cross players to have shared in all these successes since 1996.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er who played for Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...
. He has won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
medal, five Ulster Championships
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
and a National League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
title with the county. He was also awarded an All Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
for his performances in 2003
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2003
The 2003 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was won by Tyrone in a landmark final that was the first All-Ireland final that was contested by two teams from the same province, Tyrone, and Armagh - both from Ulster....
.
Bellew plays club football for Crossmaglen Rangers
Crossmaglen Rangers
Crossmaglen Rangers G.A.C is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from Armagh, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. They cater for Gaelic football and camogie. Their home football ground is St. Oliver Plunkett Park which was opened in 1959...
and has won four All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...
s, seven Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
The Ulster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition played between the top clubs in Ulster. The trophy awarded to the winners is the Seamus McFerran Cup...
s and 13 Armagh Senior Football Championships with the club.
Bellew usually plays as full back for both club and county. He is known as a hard-hitting and tough old-fashioned full back and these attributes along with his quiet demeanor and reluctance to talk to the media has resulted in him having a cult following among Armagh and Crossmaglen fans.
Inter-county
Bellew made his Senior inter-county debut for Armagh against LouthLouth GAA
The Louth County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Louth GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Louth. The county board is also responsible for the Louth inter-county teams....
in early 2002, and subsequently made his Championship debut against Tyrone
Tyrone GAA
The Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....
later that year
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2002
-Munster Senior Football Championship:-----------------------------Ulster Senior Football Championship:-------------------------------------Leinster Senior Football Championship:--------------------------------...
. That year he helped Armagh win the Ulster Senior Football Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
as well as the county's first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
.
In 2003
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2003
The 2003 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was won by Tyrone in a landmark final that was the first All-Ireland final that was contested by two teams from the same province, Tyrone, and Armagh - both from Ulster....
Armagh once again reached the All-Ireland final, but were defeated by neighbours Tyrone. He received an All Star award
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
for his performances that year. 2004 saw Bellew and Armagh again win the Ulster Championship.
In 2005 Bellew helped Armagh win the National League, beating Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
in the final. Later that year he helped Armagh win another Ulster Championship.
Armagh completed a three-in-a-row of Ulster Championships in 2006. Bellew won another Ulster Championship medal with Armagh in 2008, his fifth in all.
Bellew retired from inter-county football in April 2009.
Club
Bellew is part of the Crossmaglen team that has won 13 Armagh Senior Football Championships in a row between 1996 and 2008. This equals the national record for consecutive county football championships set by Ballina Stephenites of MayoMayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
between 1904 and 1916. He has also won the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
The Ulster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition played between the top clubs in Ulster. The trophy awarded to the winners is the Seamus McFerran Cup...
seven times (1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2006
Ulster Senior Club Football Championship 2006
The Ulster Senior Club Football Championship 2006 was the 2006 installment of the annual Ulster Senior Club Football Championship ran by the Ulster GAA. St. Gall's of Antrim were the defending champions, but they were knocked out of their own county championship by Cargin, who went on to win Antrim...
, 2007
Ulster Senior Club Football Championship 2007
The Ulster Senior Club Football Championship 2007 is the 2007 installment of the annual Ulster Senior Club Football Championship ran by the Ulster GAA. Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh are the champions after defeating St. Galls of Antrim in the final...
and 2008
Ulster Senior Club Football Championship 2008
*Source: Hogan Stand website.-Preliminary round:-Quarter-finals:-Semi-finals:-Final:-Replay:-See also:*Ulster Senior Club Football Championship*Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship-External links:*...
) and the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...
four times (1997, 1999, 2000 and 2007) with the club. Bellew, along with Paul Hearty
Paul Hearty
Paul Hearty is a Gaelic football player from Armagh, Northern Ireland. He is the current goalkeeper on the Armagh senior football team. He was named in goal for the 2006 Irish News Ulster Allstars team for his performances in Armagh's 2006 Uster championship win.-Club:Hearty is part of the...
, John McEntee, Tony McEntee, Oisín McConville
Oisín McConville
Oisín McConville is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Armagh in the 1990s and 2000s. He has won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal, seven Ulster Championships and a National League title with the county...
and Cathal Short is one of six Cross players to have shared in all these successes since 1996.