Ulster Council GAA

The Evolution of the GAA: Ulaidh, Éire agus Eile brings together leading writers and academics to examine the history of the GAA over 125 years, in Ulster, Ireland, and abroad, and the antiquity of Gaelic games over previous centuries.

The book opens with a series of personal reflections by prominent members of the GAA from Ulster in the last seven decades: President Mary McAleese, Cardinal Seán Brady, Paddy McFlynn, Maurice Hayes, Jim McKeever, Peter Quinn and Mickey Harte. This is followed by a range of academic essays on themes of GAA history, with many new findings relating to such matters as:

• Protestant influence on the playing of hurling and variant games pre-1884;
• how the GAA’s rules may have wiped out traditional styles of play in Ulster;
• how John McKay, a founding secretary, came from Co. Down and died in London, and how his son became a world-famous theatrical producer;
• why Gaelic games have become less violent over time;
• how the football rules for years failed to define the solo-run accurately;
• why Ulster was the GAA’s weakest province up to the 1940s, and why this began to change;
• why camogie flourished after 1930, despite two national splits;
• why the Sam Maguire Cup was not presented after the 1947 football final;
• how native Bretons have embraced Gaelic games as part of a Celtic identity;
• and why, from a global perspective, capitalism, secularism and urbanisation present the biggest challenges to the GAA in future.

There are 23 chapters in all in the book, on the following subjects: the antiquity of hurling and related games in Ulster; the founding of the GAA and the social aspects of early clubs; the GAA’s relationship with the press, religion and politics; its initial struggles in Ulster; the development of the playing rules and the ‘civilising’ of the games; camogie up to 1950; and the international dimensions of the GAA.

Other special features include newly completed records of all Ulster SFC and SHC results and final teams, 1888-2009; the most extensive bibliography of GAA-related material published to date; and dozens of previously unpublished images.

The Evolution of the GAA is edited by Dónal McAnallen, David Hassan and Roddy Hegarty, produced in partnership between the Ulster Council of the GAA and the Cardinal Ó Fiaich Library, and published by the Ulster Historical Foundation. The book retails at £20 sterling.

The book will be launched at the Cardinal Ó Fiaich Library, Armagh, on Monday 7 December, at 7.30 pm; the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, on Tuesday 8 December, at 6.30 pm; St Mary’s University College, Belfast on Wednesday 9 December, at 7.30 pm; Kelly’s Inn, Ballygawley, on Thursday 10 December, at 6.45 pm; Cavan County Museum, Ballyjamesduff, on Friday 11 December, at 7.30 pm; and Downpatrick RGU club, on Saturday 12 December, at 8.00 pm.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 12:02 pm and is filed under Homepage News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Ninety-one years after his death, Joseph Patrick Ryan, was honoured by the Gaelic Athletic Association on Saturday, December 19, 2009 in Cranbrook, BC Canada as one of the Founders 125 years ago.

Ryan who was born in Carrick-on-Suir, Tipperary, in April 1857 was a solicitor in Ireland before emigrating to Canada in 1899 and becoming involved in the life of British Columbia with the Board of Trade, the mining industry, a judiciary member and prominent journalist.

Ryan was remembered at mass in St. Mary’s Church with Mayo’s Father Harry Clarke celebrating. The President of the Canadian Board, Brian Farmer, spoke passionately about the role of the Association at the end of Mass and the importance to Canada that one of the GAA Founders would not be forgotten.

Wreath laying ceremonies conducted at Ryan’s grave included Clonmore, Armagh’s Brian Farmer of the Canadian Board, Eamonn Kelly of the North American Board, John Keane (Honourary Irish Counsel in Seattle) with Loughgiel, Antrim’s Paul McGarry of the Seattle Gaels and Cranbrook’s Mayor Scott Manjak .

There is no doubt that the location and honour given at Ryan’s grave will be known far and wide by the GAA community due to the efforts of our friends and supporters in Canada and Ulster.

John O’Flynn
Rúnaí – Canadian County Board

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 9:31 am and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

The application form is attached and the closing date for applications is Friday 8th January 2010.  Applications must be signed by the County Secretary and the appropriate fee must accompany the application.

The league commences on Sunday 7^th February and the group games will run for five consecutive weekends.  Please note all matches are fixed for the Sunday at 2.00pm.

Depending on the number of applications received, the winner from each section along with the two best runners up will qualify for the Quarter Finals, which are fixed for Sunday 21st March.

The semi finals are fixed for Sunday 28^th March while the final will be fixed at a later date, although it has traditionally been played on Easter Monday.

Related:

- Ulster Club Football League Application Form 2010

This entry was posted on Monday, December 21st, 2009 at 10:23 am and is filed under Homepage News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

On Wednesday 16^th December, the Minister for Education Caitríona Ruane was accompanied on a visit to Rathlin Island by Provincial Director of Ulster GAA Danny Murphy, GAA DENI schools coach Roisin Keenan, Chairperson of Moyle District Council, Councillor Cara McShane and the Gaelic Language Development Officer for North Antrim Andrew Mac Uait.

Upon landing on Rathlin, the group was warmly welcomed by the Principal of St Mary’s Primary School Helen O’Halloran.

Indeed, this was Catríona Ruane’s first visit to the school as Education Minister, and she commented:
Small rural schools are usually at the heart of their community. St Mary’s Primary School provides a vital service to help sustain the Rathlin community and provide a well rounded education for the children. It is the only inhabited island off the north coast of Ireland and it is important that government encourages and supports key services such as education.

“I wanted to visit St Mary’s to see the work of the Principal and Board of Governors and introduce the four children to the Primary Languages and Sports Programmes. I am grateful to the GAA and Pobal an Chaistil in Ballycastle for their support in these initiatives.”

The day was also used as a platform to launch the new Gaelic Start and Fundamentals programme currently being run out by the Ulster GAA DENI coaches.

Roisin Keenan presented the Minister with the first Gaelic Start pack in Ireland. Caitríona was delighted to see the pack and spoke of the excellent work being done through the DENI coaches in the Sport in Schools initiative. Caitríona in turn presented the pack to Helen who was delighted to receive it and spoke of the enjoyment that the school children would get from taking part.

After all were introduced and acquainted it was time for the main stars of the show to take centre stage, the children. After a good warm up involving everybody, the children went through a few of the Gaelic Start stations. These were working on agility, balance, co-ordination, running, jumping, throwing, catching, kicking and striking. These stations were all completed in a fun way and all the children had rosy red cheeks when they finished, which was just in time before the rain came on.

Before leaving, Provincial Director of Ulster GAA Danny Murphy commented on the importance of the Minister’s Sport in Schools Programme and how he was delighted to be in Rathlin.  Danny also presented both the Minister and Helen O’Halloran with special GAA 125 anniversary coins, which were greatly received.

For more information on the Ulster GAA DENI schools coaches programme, please contact:
Terence McWilliams
Ulster GAA Games Development Manager
terence.mcwilliams.ulster@gaa.ie
028 (048) 3752 1900

This entry was posted on Monday, December 21st, 2009 at 10:21 am and is filed under Homepage News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

110 children from various primary schools in the Newry area attended the P2 Christmas Fun Day in Newry Sports Centre at the start of December which was organised and delivered by the Down DENI coaches.

Children participated in FUNdamental games with a Christmas theme, among the most popular were ‘Pull the Cracker’, ‘Capture the Turkey’ and ‘Dodge the Snowmen’.

Special Thanks must go to the P7 pupils from St Ronan’s in Newry who were responsible for each individual game ensuring the children knew what they had to do and what skills they were working on.

Down’s Martin Clarke was in attendance throughout the day and thoroughly enjoyed helping the kids at ‘Jingle-Bell Basketball’.

However the star attractions on the day were the Ulster GAA Snowman and a surprise visit from Santa who encouraged the children to keep active and to develop their skills at home, school and at their local club before leading everyone in a Christmas Sing Song and giving each child a present for attending the event.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 14th, 2009 at 1:04 pm and is filed under Homepage News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Ulster President Gerry Doherty was on hand at the Ulster Council offices, Armagh on Monday evening to launch the 2010 Dowd Cup competition.  In a bid to make the competition more competitive and to help the development of inter-county and college football in Ulster the competition is now open to a number of Ulster counties as per the Dr McKenna Cup.

Representatives of the seven teams participating in the 2010 competition were present at the launch where the draw for the competition was made. Two groups were decided upon and each team will now play each other. The top two in each group will play in semi finals planned for the 30th January and the final will take place the following day Sunday 31st January.  As is traditional for the Dowd Cup weekend, the McNally Plate will also be contested on 30^th & 31^st Jan by the other college teams including UU Magee, UU Coleraine, St Mary’s and UUJ 2nds team.  A great weekend’s football is now guaranteed!

The draws have resulted in UUJ, Antrim, Fermanagh and Down in Group 1 and Queens, Armagh and Tyrone in Group 2.  Fixtures will be compiled and sent out to the respective colleges and counties before Christmas with the first games taking place on Sunday 10th January.

Speaking at the launch and draw Ulster President Gerry Doherty said, “This is the first time counties have been involved in the Dowd Cup Competition and I hope it will be beneficial to both themselves and the universities. The new format should act as great preparation for both the O Connor Cup and the Bord Gais Energy National League and add a greater element of competition to their pre-season preparations.”

Under the rules of the competition if a player is eligible to play for both her university and her county she must play for her college team.  This will allow county managers to extend their panel for the competition and trial a wider range of players who could prove to be vital to their squads later in the year.

Present for the draw were Maebh Moriarty (Armagh), Cathy Donnelly (Tyrone), Sinead Mc Cleary (UUJ), Ciara O Higgins (QUB), Niamh Lennon (Down), Patricia Melanophy (Fermanagh) and Helen Ward (Antrim).

Further information is available from Ulster Ladies HEC Secretary Sonya Mc Gaw on 028 3751 0065 or email ulsterladieshec@hotmail.co.uk

This entry was posted on Monday, December 14th, 2009 at 11:48 am and is filed under Homepage News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

From Páirc Bharróg, Kilbarrack, in January to Croke Park in September, the often brutal, muddy start to a season’s hopes, to the heartache and joy of a season end, the expectations and dreams of players and fans, the task faced by the managers, new and experienced, A Season of Sundays yet again beautifully chronicles the world we inhabit from weekend to weekend throughout the year, capturing the essence of what makes the GAA part of what we are.

The book, sponsored by Carroll Cuisine, was officially launched by Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Criostóir Ó Cuana, in the company of Kilkenny hurler Martin Comerford, who graces the cover of the 13^th edition of the book.

The epic starts as Anthony Daly and Pat Gilroy take charge of their Dublin sides “pushing off into the uncharted waters of a new season” and ends with Cork captain Mary O’Connor pointing out that Kilkenny still have some work to do “Kilkenny Hurlers, we’ll see your four and raise you one”.

Among the 172 pages of this year’s tome are stunning images of the GAA 125 celebrations in Croke Park on January 31^st,  Mayo fan’s creation of  “Hill 17”  in Ballina and they also take you beyond the dressing room doors with a unique visual insight into the men at the helm, the 2009 Football managers.

Brought to life by the prose of journalist Tom Humphries, and peppered with quotes from players, managers and media, this book is a must for every GAA fan.

Speaking at the launch, Sportsfile’s Ray McManus said “I am delighted on behalf of the Sportsfile team to present this, our thirteenth edition. We are both proud and honoured to be able to take a moment in time and preserve it so it can be examined not just now, at the end of a season, but in years to come, as part of what we were, the times we lived in, and the things we enjoyed”

McManus also paid credit to the book’s long term supporter, Carroll Cuisine “Like all teams, A Season of Sundays enjoys the backing of a sponsor, and we have the longest team supporter in the land, Carroll Cuisine. I thank them for their valued support”

Brian O’Casey, Managing Director, Carroll Cuisine said “Carroll Cuisine have supported the GAA for many years. We are the longest running sponsors of any county in Ireland and have supported A Season of Sundays in their journey for many years.  Like you, we are on the same journey from January to September.  It was a season of glorious Sundays from start to finish and we at Carroll Cuisine are proud to have supported that journey all the way”

GAA President Christy Cooney said: “This annual collection of photographs paints a vivid picture of our season year in year out and it’s a publication that is keenly awaited by so many ­ and for good reason”.

A  Season of Sundays is an official GAA publication, published by Sportsfile and supported by Carroll Cuisine.  It is distributed by Eason’s and is available in all leading bookstores priced €29.95 or on the Sportsfile website http://www.sportsfile.com/id/SeasonOfSundays09/5002/

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 at 12:39 pm and is filed under Homepage News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Venues: Foreglen GAA Centre, Co.Derry
Info: This is a theory & practical course for Parents and Club members to introduce Gaelic Games to people in their club or community who have a disability.
Tutor: Paul Callaghan

Please note the above course is open to everyone and are free of charge.

Contact: Should you have any queries please contact Paul Callaghan 086 8066166.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 5:09 pm and is filed under Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

AIB Ulster GAA Club Football Junior Championship Final Replay:
Emyvale (Monaghan) 2-14 St Teresa’s (Antrim) 1-11

Emyvale lifted the title when they overcame Antrim champions St Teresa’s, Belfast in this final replay in Pairc Esler Newry.

The winners made a brilliant start with a point from John T Trainor and a goal from Robbie McHugh inside the opening two minutes and Emyvale eventually took total control, with Brendan and PJ McKenna dominating midfield. Emyvale weathered the St Teresa’s second-half storm and struck for their second goal from Daniel McMahon

Scorers:
Emyvale: D McMahon 1-2, R McHugh 1-1, M McAree, JT Trainor 0-3 each, PJ McKenna, G McQuaid 0-2 each, B O’Brien 0-1
St Teresa’s: R Gallagher 0-7, P Dugan 1-1, A Taylor, P McGoldrick, C Sands 0-1 each.

Emyvale: G McCaffrey; K McKenna, S McKenna, P McCarron; B Askin, J Flannery, B O’Brien; B McKenna, PJ McKenna; G McQuaid, M McAree, JT Trainor, D McMahon, G McKernan, R McHugh. Subs: S McMeel for JT Trainor; C Connolly for K McKenna; C McKenna for G McQuaid; S Downey for B Askin; J Morrough for S Downey.

St Teresa’s: C Murtagh; B Curran, C Toal, P Johnston; Colm McGoldrick, Conor McGoldrick, S O’Hara; E Doherty, J Rainey; A Taylor, P Maguire, R Gallagher; P McGoldrick, P Dugan, S McIlvenny. Subs: C Sands for J Rainey; K McLaughlin for C Sands

Ref: C Reynolds (Down).

Report: independent.ie

This entry was posted on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 12:51 pm and is filed under Homepage News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.