Cavan Gaels is a
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional ...
club from
Cavan Town
Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road that links Dublin (to the south) with Enniskillen, Bally ...
,
County Cavan
County Cavan ( ; gle, Contae an Chabháin) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Ulster and is part of the Border Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is based on the historic Gaelic territory of East Breffny (''Bréifn ...
in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. They are affiliated to
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board ( ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Chontae an Chabháin) or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in Ireland, and is responsible for the administration of Gaelic games in Co ...
. The club was founded in 1957 following the merging of two clubs in Cavan Town, Cavan Harps and Cavan Slashers. They are the second most successful team in
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board ( ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Chontae an Chabháin) or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in Ireland, and is responsible for the administration of Gaelic games in Co ...
history, with 14 Senior Championship titles, the most recent being in 2017. Cavan Gaels appeared in 16 of the 20
Cavan Senior Football Championship finals between 1998 and 2017 - winning 10.
History
The club was founded in 1957 in
Cavan Town
Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road that links Dublin (to the south) with Enniskillen, Bally ...
,
County Cavan
County Cavan ( ; gle, Contae an Chabháin) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Ulster and is part of the Border Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is based on the historic Gaelic territory of East Breffny (''Bréifn ...
,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
after the merging of 2 clubs in the town, Cavan Slashers and Cavan Harps. The name Cavan Gaels was first suggested by Hugh Doonan, the father of the 2003
Cavan Senior Football Championship winning captain James Doonan. A year after their foundation, they lost the
Cavan Senior Football Championship to Crosserlough 3-07 to 3-04. They won their first Cavan Senior Football Championship in 1965, beating Baileborough Celtic. They lost their next two finals both to Crosserlough in 1968 and 1972. In 1975, they regained the Oliver Plunkett Cup beating rivals Crosserlough; They won it again in 1977 and 1981, beating St. Mary's and Ballyhaise, their last for 23 years. They lost the 1984 final to Laragh United, the 1997 final to
Mullahoran and the 2001 final to Gowna 2-10 to 0-11. The Gaels then appeared in every final from 2000 to 2011. They won 8 Cavan Senior Football Championship winning two trebles (2003-2005 and 2007-2009). After defeat to Gowna in 2000, they won the following year beating Gowna 0-18 to 0-07. In 2002, they lost again to Gowna. In 2003, 2004 and 2005, they beat Mullahoran before being beaten by Mullahoran in 2006. In 2007, the Gaels beat Gowna 0-12 to 0-11, the first of another treble. In 2008 and 2009, they beat Denn GFC 0-12 to 0-11 and 1-10 to 1-11. They lost to Kingscourt Stars in 2010 1-10 to 1-09 but regained the title in 2011 beating Castlerahan 1-14 to 1-12. Their largest winning margin in a Cavan Senior Football Championship final. Their run of consecutive final appearances was ended in 2012 when they were beaten in the quarter-final stages by
Killygarry.
Ballinagh GAA
Ballinagh is a Gaelic football club based in Ballinagh, County Cavan, Ireland.
History
The club was founded in 1888. The club reached the final of the Senior Championship in 1961 and 1986, but came up short on both occasions.
After winning t ...
beat the Gaels in the 2013
Cavan Senior Football Championship, before finally regaining the championship against
Kingscourt Stars in 2014.
Club crest
The club crest came into existence in 1984 when all clubs in the country were asked as part of the GAA's centenary year to design their own club crest. Central to the crest is the Fransciscan Abbey, a landmark in Cavan Town and the interlocking of the letters H and S which illustrate the merging of the two existing town clubs, Cavan Harps and Cavan Slashers into one town club, Cavan Gaels in 1957.
Notable people
Gaels players to have played on the senior
Cavan county team include
Martin Dunne,
Luke Fortune,
Seánie Johnston,
Micheál Lyng and
Niall Murray
Niall Murray (born 13 October 1999) is an Irish rugby union player, currently playing for United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup
The European Rugby Champions Cup (known as the Heineken Champions Cup for sponsorship rea ...
. Former player and club member Micheal Graham managed the senior county team to a Tailteann Cup final.
Brian Crowe
Sir Brian Crowe (5 January 1938 – 23 March 2020) was a British diplomat, who was Ambassador to Austria, 1989–1992.
He was born on 5 January 1938, the son of Eric Crowe, a diplomat, and Virginia Teusler. His grandfather was Sir Eyre Crowe. ...
, who refereed the 2006 All-Ireland SFC final, is also a club member.
Achievements
*
Cavan Senior Football Championship: 14
** 1965, 1975, 1977, 1978, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014,
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
*
Cavan Senior Hurling Championship: 5
** 1973, 1974, 1983, 1984 & 1985
*
Cavan Intermediate Football Championship
The Cavan Intermediate Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association competition between the middle-tier Gaelic football clubs organised by Cavan GAA. It was first competed for in 1915, before a lapse prior to being revived in 1 ...
: 1
** 1976
*
Cavan Under-21 Football Championship: 5
** 2000, 2001, 2004, 2012 & 2016
*
Cavan Minor Football Championship
The Cavan Minor Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition between Minor Cavan Gaelic football
Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Ir ...
: 18
** 1967, 1968, 1978, 1987, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2023.
References
External links
Cavan Gaels Official WebsiteOfficial Cavan GAA Website
{{Cavan Senior Football Championship
Gaelic games clubs in County Cavan
Gaelic football clubs in County Cavan
Hurling clubs in County Cavan