All Saints GAC
CLG Na Naoimh Uile | |||
Founded: | 1975 | ||
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County: | Antrim | ||
Nickname: | The Saints | ||
Colours: | Black and white | ||
Grounds: | Slemish Park | ||
Playing kits | |||
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All Saints Gaelic Athletic Club (
History
The first Ballymena GAA club, McCracken's (named after the
The present club was established in 1975, initially as the All Saints Gaelic Athletic and Camogie Club. From the outset it catered for hurling and camogie, adding football in 1976. The present name, omitting "and Camogie", was adopted in 1978. After some early successes with juvenile teams, and having fielded its first Senior team in 1978, the club was named Antrim Club of the Year in 1979.[2]
Gaelic football
All Saints currently compete in the Antrim Intermediate Football Championship, and in Division 2 of the All-County Football League.[3] The Saints have won three County Intermediate Football Championships, the first coming in 1986, then another two in 2008 and 2011. In 2011, the club went on to reach the semi-final of the Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship, only to lose out after extra time to Culloville of Armagh.
Honours
- Antrim Intermediate Football Championship: (3)
- 1986, 2008, 2011
Notable players
- Timmy Connolly, played for Antrim as well as representing Tír Chonaill Gaels (London) in the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championships
- Paddy Logan, member of the Antrim panel that reached the 2007 Tommy Murphy Cup Final at Croke Park
- The McCann family have been a stronghold in the All Saints Club over the years, with brothers Gerald, Barney, Peter and Paul, all having played Senior inter-county football for Antrim. Peter McCann was a member of the 2000 panel that won the All Ireland 'B' Football Championship.
- Sean McVeigh, member of the 2007 Tommy Murphy Cup final panel; captained the London team in their first Championship win in 34 years (v Fermanagh, 25 June 2011); re-joined Antrim senior panel in 2013
- Peter McNicholl, joined the Antrim senior panel in 2013
Hurling
All Saints compete in the Antrim Junior Hurling Championship,[4] and in Division 4 of the county Hurling League.[3]
The club has yet to win any county title, but has had a number of representatives on the County Junior Hurling team, County Minor B (South West teams) and various Development Squads. Some of those involved to date are Christopher McAffee, Damien Kelly, Liam Cassely, Enda Casey, Conrad Butcher, Peter Butcher, Aiden O'Kane, Paul Scullion, Christopher Downey, Ciaran Cassely and Damien Gillan.
Ladies' Gaelic football
All Saints Ladies were among the first clubs to compete in County Antrim Ladies' Gaelic Football Board competitions, in an amalgamation in 1995 and their own right in 1996,[5] Reformed 2018 and now playing in Division 2 Antrim LGFA.
Honours
- Antrim Junior Ladies' Championship
- Runners-up 2004
Camogie
The All Saints Camogie Club has been organised separately since 1978, while sharing facilities. The All Saints Camógs won the county league Division 3 in 1979.
Culture
Since its foundation in 1975 the All Saints club has been active in promoting the
Facilities
The original McCracken's played in a field on the Deerfin Road, in Crebilly townland, and the reformed 1940s team in a field at Caugherty Road. St Patrick's also played at Caugherty Road. The 1965–68 All Saints used a pitch at St Patrick's School, as did the revived club until it rented parish lands at Hugomont.
As this field was of very poor quality, and to meet increased demand, the club applied in 1976 to
The club, having failed to persuade the council to engage with it, took the matter in 1977 to the Commissioner for Complaints, alleging sectarian and political bias on the part of the council. The Commissioner, Stephen McGonagle, upheld the club's complaints, holding that the council's "high-handed and arbitrary action" amounted to discrimination and maladministration.[2]
Having been denied access to publicly owned playing grounds, the club was obliged to purchase its own ground, and in late 1978 it agreed the purchase of an 11-acre site at Crebilly and submitted a planning application. The council, and local
The Crebilly grounds, at Woodside Road, were developed over the following years and were formally opened, as Slemish Park, in 1987. In 1994–95 the club added a two-storey pavilion, built mostly with voluntary labour. In August 1996, the new premises were attacked by arsonists, but they were restored and formally opened by the then President of the GAA, Jack Boothman, in February 1997. Over the next few years the pitches were improved with drainage and floodlighting.[2]
References
- ^ Cronin, M. (2000), "Catholics and Sport in Northern Ireland: Exclusiveness or Inclusiveness?" Archived 27 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine, International Sports Studies, Volume 22, Number 1, 2000, pp.25–41.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "History" section of All Saints GAC website
- ^ a b Antrim GAA Archived 30 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine fixtures list, 2013
- ^ Antrim GAA Archived 13 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine results list, 2012
- ^ Antrim Ladies' Gaelic Football: history
- ^ "Feis na nGleann in Ballymena for the first time"[permanent dead link], Antrim GAA website, 1 July 2011