Dúnedin Connolly GAC

History

Dunedin Connollys was founded by Tony Haughey in 1988 taking the name Dunedin, which is the Gaelic translation of Edinburgh and Connolly's, named after James Connolly, famous Irish politician and patriot who was born in Edinburgh.

Originally the club was formed in order to affiliate a team to the Scotland GAA County Board consisting of first and second generation local Irish immigrants from a working-class background. The early teams trained at St. Attracta’s Primary school in Broomhouse on the outskirts of Edinburgh and were coached by Neil Doherty.

However, the emergence of the British University Championship over 15 years ago, which included a team from Heriot-Watt University and lately Napier University & Edinburgh University, provided a very strong platform for the current team. Connolly’s have played at the ground of Portobello RFC since 1998. In the same year a ladies team was also formed. In 1993 Sean Gavaghan (Ex Chairman of Connollys) established the Heriot-Watt University side, from which Dunedin Connollys were able to gain players and gradually improve on the playing field. In recent years Napier University and Edinburgh University formed teams and they have also helped the growth of Dunedin Connollys. Napier University formed in 2004 and have gone on to win 5 Scottish league titles & 5 Scottish Championships since they established. They have also acquitted themselves very well in the British Championships reaching 4 consecutive finals (2007-2010) finally winning the Championship in 2010. Edinburgh University also formed their own football team in 2005 and reached the final of the Scottish Championship in their first year eventually losing to a strong Napier side. in 2010 Edinburgh uni won Division 2 of the British Championships. Both University teams have become an important feeder unit for Dunedin Connolly's. Most of today’s team will have come through one of the 3 universities.

In 1998 a ladies' team was formed by Peter Dillon (Club Chairman) and his wife Sue. In the early years they competed in the Ladies University Championship and managed to win it in three consecutive years. More recently the ladies team has won back to back ladies' sevens in 2006 and 2007. Since 2009 the ladies' team has competed in the Scottish Ladies uni league and Championship. The formation of a ladies' team in Queen Margaret university in 2008 has helped boast ladies' football in the city and has helped to boast numbers for Dunedin Connolly's ladies' team.

Honours

Dunedin Connolly's have won a total of nine Scottish Championship Titles and have competed in 11 consecutive finals since 2001. The most recent Championship victory came in 2011.

Dunedin Connolly's have also reached three British Junior Club Championship Finals (2004, 2005 and 2009). They were beaten by St Peters (Manchester) in 2004 and Harlsden Harps (London) in 2005, but in 2009 Dunedin Connollys became British Champions, beating the reigning British Championships John Mitchells (Liverpool) by a score of 1-08 to 2-04.

Dunedin Connolly's ladies' team established in 1998 won three Scottish University Championships and recently won Sevens titles in 2006 and 2007. They also competed in the Scottish Club Championship Final in 2006.

Scottish GAA calendar

Every year Dunedin Connollys Men's Team compete in six competitions here in Scotland. The Davitt Shield, The O'Fiach Cup, The Morcum Cup, The Sevens, The League and The Championship. We compete against 4 other teams in these competitions, Glaschu Gaels of Paisley in Glasgow, Tir Conaill Harps of Central Glasgow, Sands MacSwineys of Coatbridge and Dundee Dhalrida of Dundee.

The ladies' team also compete in three competitions – The League, The Sevens and The Championship. They compete against two other ladies' teams – Glasgow Gaels and Tir Conaill Harps.

Competitions usually start in March and finish with the Championship Finals at the end of September.