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Steelstown GAC

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Coordinates: 55°01′59.08″N 7°18′37.70″W / 55.0330778°N 7.3104722°W / 55.0330778; -7.3104722
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Steelstown Brian Óg's GAC
CLG Bhriain Óig Baile Stíl
Founded:1987
County:Derry
Colours:Blue and Gold
Grounds:Páirc Bríd
Coordinates:55°01′59.08″N 7°18′37.70″W / 55.0330778°N 7.3104722°W / 55.0330778; -7.3104722
Playing kits
Standard colours
Senior Club Championships
All Ireland Ulster
champions		 Derry
champions
Football: 0 0 0
Ladies' football: 0 0 5

Steelstown Brian Óg's GAC (Irish: CLG Bhriain Óig Baile Stíl) is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football.

The club's catchment area includes Steelstown and the wider Shantallow area at the edge of the city. Steelstown are one of the most successful Gaelic teams in the Cityside of Derry, with most of the county's footballers coming from rural areas. Underage teams up to U-12's play in North Derry GAA league and championships; from U-14 upwards teams compete in All-Derry competitions. The club play their home games at Páirc Bríd.[citation needed]

History

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Established in 1987,[1] Steelstown GAC is one of the youngest clubs in the county. The founding members were mostly people from rural areas of the county who had moved to the city. They included twice All Star Anthony McGurk from Lavey, his wife Mary, Philip and Marion Devlin from Drumsurn and Mickey Doherty from Claudy. The first team was an U-12 team and they were actually called Steelstown/Pennyburn, because they drew players from the two schools, and played at Templemore Sports Complex. The club gained access to the North Derry Board in 1996 and a Senior team was formed for the first time. With an increase in popularity of Gaelic games in Derry City, the club gained a lot of members since the mid-1990s.[citation needed]

In recent years,[when?] a number of Steelstown players have represented Derry at Senior, U21 and Minor level.[citation needed] Paul O'Hea and Marty Dunne were part of Derry's 2002 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship winning side, and in 2007, O'Hea became the first Steelstown player to play for Derry in the All-Ireland Championship when he came on as a sub against Mayo in Celtic Park. 15 Steelstown players were part of the St Columb's team that won the McLarnon Cup in 2002. Stephen Cleary, Neil Forrester, Mickey McKinney all from the club were part of Derry's 2007 All-Ireland Minor Championship runners-up team. Martin Dunne was part of Damien Cassidy's 2010 intercounty squad and made a number of appearances in the NFL.[citation needed]

In 2003, the club's new home pitch was opened on the Ballyarnet Road. A new £600,000 development of club rooms and changing facilities was completed at Páirc Brid, and was opened in March 2007. Pairc Brid is the home of Steelstown Brian Óg's GAC. It is named after former chairperson, Brid Kelly-McElroy who taught in Pennburn Primary school and was influential in the formative years of Steelstown in the 1990s.[citation needed] Opened in 2003, Pairc Bhird is a "Prunty Pitch", with clubhouse facilities including 4 changing rooms, meeting room and sports hall. [2] by then GAA president, Sean Kelly.

In 2005, Steelstown lost out to Glen Thirds in the final of the Derry Junior Football Championship, however the Seniors achieved promotion to Intermediate Football. Around this time, the club also started a ladies' team. In 2008, Steelstown claimed their first ever senior title by defeating Limavady in the Dr Kerlin Cup final.[citation needed]

In 2010, Steelstown were runners up to Castledawson in the Intermediate Championship final, losing out by a late point on the scoreline of 0–10 to 0–11.

Having finished top of Division 2, Steelstown lost to Craigbane in the 2011 league final by 3 points. With one final chance against Division 1 relegation candidates, Newbridge, Steelstown booked their place in Derry's top flight as the first city side to do so in over 30 years. An injury time goal was the eventual margin as Brian Óg's secured senior status for the first time.[citation needed]

Gaelic football

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Steelstown fields Gaelic football teams at U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, Minor, Reserve, and Senior levels. They currently compete in the Derry Senior Championship and Division 1 of the Derry ACFL having won promotion for the first time in their short history in 2011.[citation needed]

Ladies' Gaelic football

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The Ladies teams at the club were founded in June 2002.[citation needed] Since then, a number of coaches have been involved in the development of the LGFA within the club.[citation needed]

Steelstown field Ladies' football teams from U8 through Senior. The senior ladies won county Junior B title in 2012. The minor ladies also won their county championship in 2012.[citation needed]

As of November 2023, the Senior Ladies were the 2023 Derry Senior League Winners, 2023 Derry Senior Champions, for the 4th year in a row, and 2023 Ulster Intermediate Champions. Caoimhe O'Kane was awarded Player of the Match in the Ulster final.[citation needed]

Honours

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Senior

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Senior Reserves

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  • Intermediate Football Championship Winners 3
    • 2016, 2018, 2020
  • Intermediate Football League 1
    • 2011

Ladies

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  • Derry Senior Football Championship 5
    • 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
  • Ulster Ladies Intermediate Football Championship 1
    • 2023
  • Derry Intermediate Football Championship 1
    • 2016
  • Ulster Junior Championship 1
    • 2016
  • Junior B Championship 1
    • 2012
  • Minor County championship 1
    • 2012
  • Minor League title 1
    • 2012
  • Under 16 county shield 1
    • 2011

Minor

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  • Tommy O'Neill Cup (Derry Minor 'A' Football Championship) 1
    • 2005
  • North Derry Minor 'A' Football Championship: 1

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "History of Steelstown GAC". Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 22 September 2007.
  2. ^ "Steelstown Clubhouse Ready for Throw In". Retrieved 19 September 2008.
  3. ^ "Second half goals see Steelstown crowned All-Ireland champions". Irish Examiner. 6 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Derry city's men of Steel edge out Moortown". The Irish News. 10 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
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