Banagher GAC
| CLG Naomh Mhuire Beannchar | |||||||||
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| Founded: | 1965 | ||||||||
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| County: | Derry | ||||||||
| Colours: | Maroon and White | ||||||||
| Grounds: | Fr. McNally Park | ||||||||
| Coordinates: | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | ||||||||
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| Senior Club Championships | |||||||||
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St Mary's Banagher GAC (Irish: CLG Naomh Mhuire Beannchar) 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. The club motto is the Irish Ni neart go misneach, which translates as "No strength like courage".
Underage teams up to U-12's play in North Derry league and championships, from U-14 upwards teams compete in All-Derry competitions. The club was formed in 1965, when St Mary's Park and St Joseph's Banagher amalgamated.
The club have won the Derry Senior Hurling Championship on three occasions and have been runners up three time in the Derry Senior Football Championship.
Contents
History
Up until 1965, St. Mary's Park and St. Joseph's Banagher were the two teams in the area.[1] Fr. McNally went about reviving Gaelic football in the area by creating a new team to cover both Feeny and Park. The name was chosen as a compromise between the two old clubs and the maroon and white colours were chosen in recognition of the Galway team who were All-Ireland Champions at the time.[1]
The stag depicted on the crest represents the legend that Saint Muireach O'Heaney (a local Saint) followed a stag to the site where he founded his church, the present day ruins of Banagher Old Church.[1] The mythical beast to the right is a "peiste", which St. Muireach is said to have banished into a deep pool in Banagher Glen known as “Lig na Peiste” (pit of the serpent). The mountains at the top of the crest are the Sperrins, which surround Banagher.
Gaelic football
Banagher have had some measure of success in Gaelic football. However, despite reaching the final three times (1974, 1978 and 1981), the Derry Senior Football Championship still eludes them.
Well known players
- Seán Marty Lockhart - All Star-winning Derry footballer
- Mark Lynch - Current Derry footballer
- Paul Cartin - former Derry player
- Kieran Stevenson - former Derry hurling goalkeeper
- Paul Brady - former Dublin Minor and London GAA, a goalkeeping nutcase from Dublin
John O'Dwyer, formerly Killenaule co.Tipperary. Double Ulster Senior Hurling winner with Derry
Honours
Gaelic football
Senior
- Derry Intermediate Football League: 4
- 1970, 1972, 1996, 2002
- Dr. Kerlin Cup 9
- 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1987, 1995, 1996
U-21
- North Derry U-21 Football Championship: 1
- 2006
Minor
- Derry Minor Football Championship: 3
- 1952, 1969, 1976
- North Derry Minor Football Championship: 3
- 1968, 1970, 1998
- North Derry Minor Football League: 1
- 2002
- Carlin/Duffy Cup 2
- 2002, 2008
U-16
- Derry U-16 'B' Football Championship: 1
- 2009
- Derry U-16 Football Championship: 1
- 2002
- North Derry U-16 Football Championship: 4
- 1985, 2001, 2002, 2006
- North Derry 'A' U-16 Football League: 3
- 1990, 2001, 2002
- North Derry 'B' U-16 Football League: 1
- 1998
U-14
- Derry U-14 Football Championship: 2
- 2000, 2004
- North Derry U-14 Football Championship: 3
- 1987, 2000, 2004
- Derry U-14 'B' Football Championship: 1
- 2008
- Derry U-14 'B' Feile: 1
- 2008
Hurling
Senior
- Derry Senior Hurling Championship: 3
- 1978, 1980, 2005
- Derry Senior Hurling League: 2
- 1999, 2001
- Derry Intermediate Hurling Championship: 3
- 1989, 1991, 1994
U21
- Derry U21 Hurling Championship:1
- 2007
Minor
- Derry Minor Hurling Championship: 6
- 1977, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2002, 2003
U-16
- Derry U-16 Hurling Championship: 3
- 2001, 2002, 2006
- Derry U-16 Hurling League: 1
- 2002
U-14
- Derry Féile na nGael: 2
- 1999, 2000
- Derry U-14 Hurling League: 1
- 1984
U-12
- North Derry U-12 Hurling League: 1
- 1986
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.
See also
- Derry Senior Football Championship
- Derry Senior Hurling Championship
- List of Gaelic games clubs in Derry
