County: Tyrone Colours: Light Blue & Navy Standard Reserve | Nickname: The Sigersons Grounds: Sigerson Park Founded 1983 | |
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Strabane Sigersons (Irish: An Srath Bán Mhic Sioghair) is a Gaelic Athletic Association club. The club is based in the town of Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
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The club concentrates on Gaelic football activities while a club called Sigersons Ladies GFC provides for Ladies Gaelic football. Another club in the town is Shamrocks, which fields teams for the games of Hurling and Camogie.
The senior team in 2014 will compete in Division 1 of the Tyrone All-County Football League and will play in the Tyrone Senior Football Championship.
A Brief History of the GAA in Strabane
1902. First G.A.A. club formed in Strabane.
1904. Strabane man Michael O'Nolan elected first chairman of the Tyrone County Board; he was also chairman of the Ulster Council during the period 1904-1907. O'Nolan's son Brian otherwise known as Flann O'Brien/Myles na gCopaleen went on to achieve international acclaim as a writer.
1904-05. Strabane Lámh Dhearg lost to Coalisland Na Fianna in the first ever Tyrone Senior football championship final. The same year Strabane won the first ever Tyrone Senior Hurling championship title defeating Dungannon Emmett's.
1905-06. Strabane Fág-a-Bealach won the Tyrone Senior football championship title defeating Donaghmore Eire Óg’s in the final.
1911. George Sigerson, after whom the present day club is named in his honour, presented the Sigerson Cup for competition between the universities of Ireland. Dr Sigerson was then a professor at U.C.D. He was born at Holyhill on the outskirts of Strabane in 1836 and died in 1925.
1922. Strabane & District G.A.A. league formed clubs from the Strabane area and East Donegal participated.
1926. Strabane Lámh Dhearg won the Tyrone Senior Hurling Championship title defeating Omagh in the final.
1930's. Camogie and Hurling clubs reformed in Strabane. A new divisional board was formed in North Tyrone in 1935 with teams from around Strabane and neighbouring Donegal participating. Strabane also took part in the Finn Valley league. In January 1936 a new club was formed in Strabane and was called Owen Roes, the Chairman was Hugh Gillespie and Frank McNally was the Secretary.
1945. Strabane Lámh Dhearg won the Tyrone Senior football title defeating Dungannon Clarke's in the final. Strabane also won the Derry City league the same year.
1946. Strabane Lámh Dhearg defeated Gortin to win the Premier Cup.
1948. Strabane won the Tyrone Minor football title defeating Clonoe in the final.
1950's. Strabane competed in the Tyrone senior and minor Hurling competitions but there was difficulty in keeping the G.A.A. alive in the town during this decade.
1960. Strabane lost to Benburb in the Tyrone Junior football championship final.
1968. Strabane Juveniles won the Tyrone football championship final defeating Trillick in the final.
1973. Strabane won the West Tyrone Junior league and championship but lost to Eglish in the All County Final. The same year Strabane player Sean O'Kane was a member of the Tyrone Minor team which won the All Ireland football title.
1976. Strabane Sigersons formed as an independent youth club to compliment the two adult teams which were struggling to stay alive in the town.
1981. Sigersons Under 14 footballers lost 3-6 to 2-4 to Dromore in the Grade 1 League Final at Omagh.
1983. Clubs reformed at adult level and became known as Strabane Sigersons.
1984. G.A.A. Centenary Year - Club minor team won the West Tyrone Minor football title. Reserves won the Tyrone Junior Reserve Championship title.
1985. Club struggled to stay in existence.
1986. Club reformed following a meeting in Melvin Hall, Strabane on Wednesday 8 October 1986 and has been in continuous existence ever since.
1987. Several club teams participated in the Tyrone Leagues. Minor players played with the neighbouring Glebe.
1988. Strabane hosted the Tyrone County Convention in the Melmount Centre. Club Senior team lost to Beragh in the Tyrone Junior football championship final.
1989. Runners-up in the Tyrone Grade One Under 14 league, losing to Dungannon in county final.
1990. Tyrone under 14 Grade 1 league winners defeating Omagh in the county final.
1991. Lost to Aghaloo in the Tyrone Junior football championship final. Land purchased at Ballycolman Estate for club development.
1992. Clubs Senior team runners up to Derrytresk in the Tyrone Junior League and lost out to Drumragh in the promotion play off.
1993. Reserves won the Tyrone Junior Reserve Championship title. Work commenced on the development of Páirc Mhic Sioghair.
1994. Club Minor team lost to Dungannon in the Tyrone Grade 1 Minor football championship final.
1995. Tyrone Division 3 league winners promoted to Intermediate level. Reserves won the Tyrone Junior Reserve Championship and League titles. Tyrone Under 14 Grade 1 league winners defeating Errigal Ciarán in the final.
1996. Club play their first games at Páirc Mhic Sioghair in the Tyrone Intermediate & Reserve Leagues against Newtownstewart. Juvenile team lost to Ardboe in the Tyrone Grade One championship final. Reserves won the Tyrone Intermediate Reserve Championship and League titles.
1997. Clubs Reserve footballers lost to Trillick in the Intermediate Reserve Championship final.
1998. Runners up in the Tyrone Division 2 league, defeated by Clann na nGael in final play-off. Recorded a win over Loughmacrory to secure Senior status for the first time in over 50 years. Ladies section of the club formed.
1999. Club plays in Tyrone Senior football for the first time in over fifty years; Runners-up in the Frank O'Neill cup final to Errigal Ciarán. Club Instrumental Music Group won the Tír Eoghain Scór Sinsear title. Ladies beat by Loughmacrory in Tyrone Junior Championship final.
2000. Club defeated by Errigal Ciarán in the semi-final of the Tyrone Senior Football Championship. Club players Brendan McLaughlin and Stephen McGettigan became the first Strabane players in over fifty years to play for Tyrone at Senior level.
2001. Senior team played in Division 1B of the Tyrone Senior League. Joan Houston in Recitation won the Tír Eoghain Scór Sinsear title.
2002. Club celebrates the centenary of the first G.A.A. club in the town. Club Minor footballers won the Tyrone Grade Two Minor football Championship title beating Galbally in the final while the Juveniles lost to Ardboe in the Grade Two Juvenile championship final.
2003. Club receives A.I.B. Tyrone Club of the Year 2002 Award. Ladies Minor team won Grade 3 League & Championship Titles. Club wins Ulster Council Centenary Essay Competition. Club’s Honorary President Gerald O’Doherty passes away.
2004. Club receives A.I.B. Tyrone Club of the Year 2003 Award. Ladies Under 14 team won Grade 3 League & Championship Titles.
2005. Club receives Irish News Ulster Club 'Town' Award. Brian Hassan in Solo Singing won the Tír Eoghain Scór Sinsear title.
2006. Runners up in the Tyrone Division two league to Derrylaughan following a final play-off and also in the Tyrone Intermediate Football Championship to Stewartstown.
2007. Juvenile boys won the Tyrone Grade 2 League title; Ladies Under 14's Runners-up in the Grade 3 League & Championship finals.
2008. Senior team won the Tyrone ACL Division 3 promoted to Intermediate level. Reserve team won the Tyrone ACL Division 3 Reserve League. Ladies Minor team won Grade Four Championship Title and runners-up in league final.
2009. Official opening of Gerald O'Doherty Memorial Garden at Páirc Mhic Sioghair on Sunday 10 May to mark the G.A.A. 125 Club Day. Reserve team won the Tyrone IFC Reserve Championship & Division Two Reserve League titles. Strabane Sigersons outgoing Chairperson Ciarán McLaughlin elected as Chairperson of the Tyrone County Board.
2010. Sigersons Ladies player Tori McLaughlin selected as full back on the inaugural Ulster Ladies Schools All Star Team. Sigersons Senior Ladies lost to Fintona in the Tyrone Junior B Championship final, they also lost to the same opposition in the Junior B League final following a replay. Strabane Sigersons club man Martin Conway elected as Chairperson of Tyrone Ladies G.A.A. becoming the first male ever to hold the position.
2011. Sigersons Juveniles lost 2-10 to 2-9 to Coalisland in the Tyrone Grade 1 Juvenile Championship final. Sigersons Senior Ladies win the inaugural Tyrone Summer League with a fine win over Galbally.
2012. Under 14 Boys won the Grade 2 Féile na nÓg title defeating Eglish 7-3 to 0-2. Under 14 Boys won the Grade 3 League title defeating Moy 7-7 to 3-2 in the final. Under 14 Boys lost to Trillick 3-9 to 3-6 in the Grade 3 Championship final. Under 13 Boys lost 3-7 to 4-3 to Beragh in the Tyrone Grade 3 Under 13 League final. Club Ladies player Tori McLaughlin wins Inter Provincial title with Ulster Ladies. Tori McLaughlin named as Tyrone Ladies Young Footballer of the Year at the Teamtalkmag.com Awards held in Bundoran. Ladies won Tyrone Junior "A" Championship title defeating Loughmacrory 1-7 to 0-8 and finished Runners up in the Tyrone Junior League final losing out to Loughmacrory. Club player Danny McBride named on the Tyrone Senior Football panel for the 2013 Dr McKenna Cup campaign.
2013. Club player Danny McBride makes his Tyrone Senior debut in the Dr. McKenna Cup against Derry at Omagh, Tyrone defeated Derry, Antrim, UUJ, Fermanagh and Monaghan in the final to win the title with Danny McBride playing in the half-back line in the decider at Armagh. McBride made his Allianz League debut on Saturday 16 March as a late substitute as Tyrone defeated Dublin 0-18 to 1-14 in Croke Park. Club player Tori McLaughlin was a member of the Queen's Ladies side that defeated DCU to claim their first ever Third Level Colleges O'Connor Cup title. Sigersons Senior team won the Quinn's Corner Ulster Intermediate Club League title defeating Derry side Ballymaguigan 1-13 to 2-7 in the final at Carrickmore. Clubs Honorary President Hughie Kelly passes away. Club player Danny McBride makes his Championship debut with Tyrone Seniors in Round 1 of the All Ireland qualifiers against Offaly at Tullamore. Strabane Juvenile boys lost to Aghyaran in the Grade 3 Juvenile Championship final. Sigersons Senior Ladies lost to Cappagh in the Tyrone Intermediate League final. Strabane Senior footballers defeated Trillick 0-10 to 0-7 in the Division 1/2 Promotion play off at Killyclogher to secure Senior status for 2014. The club receives an Ulster Council President’s Award for Coaching and Games Development.
2014. Club player Danny McBride wins his second successive Dr McKenna Cup medal with Tyrone as they defeat Cavan in the final at the Athletics Ground, Armagh. Lorraine Conwell makes her debut with Tyrone Senior Ladies as they lose away to Kerry in the National League. Strabane opened their Senior League campaign after an absence of ten years with a home game against the reigning Tyrone County Champions Clonoe. Under 14 girls won the Grade 3B Championship title defeating Trillick but lost out to the same opposition in the League final. Minor girls defeated Owen Roes to win the Grade 4 Championship title. Juvenile girls lost to Trillick in the Grade 4 Championship final.
2015. Female specific changing room’s complex constructed @ Páirc Mhic Sioghair.