Founded: 1982 Nickname: The Glen Men Grounds: Pairc Naomh Columba | County: Donegal Colours: Green and Yellow | |
Glenswilly GAA (Irish: C.L.G. Ghleann tSúilí) is a GAA club based in Glenswilly, County Donegal, Ireland. Most noted for winning the Donegal Senior Football Championship in 2011, 2013 and 2016, the team has fielded players like All-Ireland winning captain Michael Murphy. The club's chairman is Michael Murphy.
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History
The present club was founded in 1982. A teenage Manus McFadden arranged a meeting at Foxhall of Glenswillyites who were interested in forming a team, with Joe Kelly, Roger McDaid, Fr Eamon Crossan, Finbar Glackin, Jimmy Joe McGinley and chair Eddie McDevitt (who has since died).
Glenswilly reached their first ever Senior County Final in 2007, where they lost heavily to near neighbours St. Eunan's. In 2011, they won the Donegal Senior Football Championship for the first time, with a 1-8 to 0-9 defeat of Naomh Mícheál in the final.
On 25 September 2012, the Donegal senior team—fresh from winning the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final—were scheduled to visit Glenswilly; however, the visit was postponed due to time constraints which arose due the huge crowds around the county eager to catch a glimpse of the team. The team eventually visited Glenswilly on 27 September.
In 2013, the club rebuffed allegations that they forced children into GAA jerseys. Later that year they hosted the 2013 All-Ireland Football Series launch, held following confirmation of the four provincial winners. That year they won their second Donegal Senior Football Championship and progressed to the final of the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship, which they lost to Ballinderry.
Glenswilly's success at senior level is in stark contrast to that (or indeed lack thereof) of nearby Termon, another little rural Donegal countryside club to have made head way at senior level in recent times. Termon and Glenswilly both operate in the shadow of the mighty St. Eunan's; however, while Glenswilly responded to their 2007 Donegal Senior Football Championship Final loss by winning in 2011, Termon responded to their 2003 loss by losing the final again in 2008 and then sliding rapidly into Division 3 and the Intermediate Championship.