Ballymaguigan GAC

Infobox GAA club
club gaa = St. Trea's Ballymaguigan GFC
irish = Naomh Trea Baile Mhic Uiginn CLG
crest = Ballymaguigan.jpg
county = Derry
province = Ulster
colours = Green, white, Gold and Gold
founded = 1944
nickname = ground = The Field

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St. Trea's Ballymaguigan GFC ( _ga. Naomh Trea Baile Mhic Uiginn CLG) is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballymaguigan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They play in the Derry league and championships. They currently cater for both Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football.

The club was founded in 1944 and have won the Derry Senior Football Championship once. Ballymaguigan fields Gaelic football teams at U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, Minor, Reserve and Senior levels. Underage teams up to U-12's play in South Derry league and championships, from U-14 upwards teams 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.cite web |url= http://www.ballymaguigan.com/history.html|title= Club History St. Trea's Gaelic Football Club (Est. 1944)|accessdate=2007-09-03 |format= |work= ] Both areas are part of Ardtrea North parish. The American Army built Toome airfield during World War 2. This effectively split the parish in two, making it very difficult for the Ballymaguigan based players to travel to the pitch.

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 the 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.

Ballymaguigan is a very small rural community, consisting approximately of 1 square mile in area. Establishing a Gaelic Football Club in such a small area is quite an achievement. A new pitch was officially opened in 1957 by GAA President Séamus Mac Ferran. A hall was opened in 1969. [cite news |first= |last= |title=Bluffer's Guide... Ballymaguigan |url= |work=Gaelic Life |publisher= |date=2008-05-09 |accessdate=2008-06-08 ]

Well known players

*Eamonn Coleman - former Derry manager and footballer.
*Gary Coleman - All Star winning Derry footballer. Son of Eamonn Coleman.
*Jim McKeever - 1958 Footballer of the Year.
*Paddy Crozier - Current Derry manager.
*Seán Young - Ballymaguigan native who managed Roscommon for a few years. [cite news |first=Dermot |last=Crowe |title= Coleman's enduring legacy|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/colemans-enduring-legacy-1393731.html |work=Irish Independent |publisher= |date=2008-06-01 |accessdate=2008-06-02 ]

Honours

enior

*Derry Senior Football Championship: 1
**1962

*Derry Senior Football League: 1
**1962

*South Derry Senior Football Championship: 1
**1957

*South Derry Senior Football League: 1
**1949

*Derry Intermediate Football Championship: 4
**1971, 1993, 2001, 2003

*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
**1969, 1970

*Seán Larkin Cup: 2
**1958, 1959

*Graham Cup: 2
**1970, 1971

Reserves

*Derry Intermediate Reserve Football Championship: 2
**2001, 2003, 2004

Minor

*Tommy O'Neill Cup: 2
**1997, 2003

*South Derry Minor 'B' Football Championship: 2
**1997, 2003

*South Derry Minor 'B' Football League: 2
**1997, 2003

U-16

*South Derry U-16 'C' Football League: 1
**1998

U-14

*South Derry U-14 'B' Football Championship: 1
**1999

*South Derry U-14 'B' Football League: 1
**1999

Ladies' football

*Senior Ladies Derry Intermediate League: 1
**2006

Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.

ee also

*Derry Senior Football Championship
*List of Gaelic Athletic Association clubs

External links

* [http://www.ballymaguigan.com/ St. Trea's GFC website]
* [http://www.derrygaa.ie Official Derry GAA website]
* [http://www.clubgaa.ie/derry/index.htm Derry Club GAA]

References