Founded: 1965 Colours: Maroon and White | County: Derry Grounds: Fr. McNally Park | |
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".
Contents
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 times in the Derry Senior Football Championship.
History
Up until 1965, St. Mary's Park and St. Joseph's Banagher were the two teams in the area. 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.
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. 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.
Notable Players
Senior
U-21
Minor
U-16
U-14
Senior
U21
Minor
U-16
U-14
U-12
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.