Castlewellan GAC
Castlewellan GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association Club in Castlewellan, County Down, Northern Ireland. The club promotes the Gaelic Games of Hurling, Football, Camogie and other cultural and social pursuits.
History
The club was founded in 1905 and recently celebrated its centenary year in 2005.Achievements
Welcome to Castlewellan GAC, a club with over 113 years of history behind us. We have over 400 members involved in our various sporting, cultural, administrative and coaching activities. We have teams at all age groups in Gaelic Football, Hurling and Camogie. Men, women and children of all ages and all sections of the community - all are welcome in the club. We are always keen to see new members joining.1920 | Down Junior Football Champions 1924 | Down Senior Football Champions 1927 | Ulster Senior Handball Champions 1927 | East Division Senior Football Championship Winners 1934 | Down Senior Football Champions 1934 | Senior Feis 7's Winners – GAA Golden Jubilee 1935 | League champions 1936 | Down Senior Football Champions 1936 | League champions 1936 | Senior Feis 7's Winners 1937 | East Down League Winners 1940 | Club reforms after a lapse of 2 years 1946 | Senior Feis 7's Winners 1948 | Senior Feis 7's Winners 1950 | Down Senior Football Champions 1950 | Senior Feis 7's Winners 1952 | Minor League Winners 1952 | East Down Junior League 1953 | Senior Feis 7's Winners 1953 | U16 East Down Champions 1953 | Club forms an Amateur Dramatic Society 1954 | First Club in Ireland to purchase a Club Bus 1955 | East Down Junior League Winners 1955 | Down Division 1 League Winners 1956 | Senior Feis 7's Winners 1957 | Down Minor Football Championship 1958 | Down Senior Football Champions 1963 | Down Division 1 ‘B’ League winners 1964 | Down Division 1 League Winners 1965 | Down Senior Football Champions 1966 | Down Minor Football Championship 1966 | East Down Minor League Winners 1968 | East Down Junior League Winners 1968 | Down Minor Football Championship 1968 | Senior Feis 7's Winners 1972 | East Down U13 League Winners 1973 | Scór Sinsear County winners of Set Dancing Section 1974 | All-County “B” League Winners 1974 | East Down U16 League Winners 1974 | East Down U16 Championship Winners 1975 | U16 East Down League Winners 1975 | U16 East Down Championship 1976 | Minor Feis 7's Winners 1976 | First GAA Club in Down to open a Social Club 1976 | East Down League Cup Winners 1976 | Junior Hurling Team formed 1977 | Minor Feis Sevens Winners 1977 | East Down Reserve League Winners 1978 | New Pitch completed -Parc Naomh Maolmhoig officially opened. 1978 | All-Ireland 7's Champions 1979 | Ulster 7's Winners 1979 | Down Division 1 League winners 1979 | Down Senior Football Champions 1980 | All-Ireland 7's Champions 1980 | AIB All Ireland Club of the Year -Runners Up 1980 |Minor Feis Sevens Winners 1980 | Castlewellan 7's Winners 1981 | All-Ireland 7's Champions 1981 | Minor Feis 7's Winners 1981 | AIB All Ireland Club of the Year – Winners 1982 | Down Senior Football Champions 1982 | All County Division 5 League Winners 1983 | East Down Reserve League Winners 1984 | Club's first U14 Hurling Team started by Dermot McCabe 1984 | All-County P.R.L. Winners 1985 | U14 All-County and East Down League Winners 1985 | U14 All-County and East Down C’ship Winners 1985 | 1st Club Out-Door Music Festival-Parc Naomh Maolmhoig 1986 | U16 East Down Championship Winners 1986 | U15 All-County Og-Sport 7's Winners 1986 | 2nd Club Out-Door Music Festival-Parc Naomh Maolmhoig 1987 | U16 All-County ‘B’ Hurling Championship Winners 1987 | 3rd Club Out-Door Music Festival-Parc Naomh Maolmhoig 1989 | Senior Feis 7's Winners 1989 | Minor Feis 7's Winners 1989 | 4th Club Out-Door Music Festival-Parc Naomh Maolmhoig 1989 | Scór na nÓg County winners in Set Dancing Section 1990 | Castlewellan 7's Winners 1990 | U12 East Down Championship Winners 1990 | Special Junior Hurling Championship Winners 1990 | Scór na nÓg County winners in Quiz Team Section 1991 | New York Invitation 7's Winners 1991 | U16 East Down League Winners 1991 | U12 East Down League Winners 1991 | U12 East Down Championship Winners 1991 | Scór na nÓg County winners in Quiz Team Section 1992 | Castlewellan 7's Winners 1992 | Junior Hurling Feis 7's Winners 1992 | Scór Sinsear County winners of Ceili Dancing Section 1993 | Castlewellan 7's Winners 1993 | Senior Football Feis 7's Winners 1993 | Down Junior Football Champions 1993 | U12 East Down Championship Winners 1993 | U14 East Down Championship Winners 1993 | U18 East Down League Winners 1993 | Junior Hurling Feis 7's Winners 1994 | Down Senior Football Champions 1994 | U16 Boys East Down Championship Winners 1994 | Scór na nÓg County winners in Quiz Team & Solo Singing Sections 1995 | Down Senior Football Champions 1995 | U16 Boys All-County Championship Winners 1995 | U16 Boys East Down Championship Winners 1995 | Ladies All-County Junior League Winners 1995 | Opening of New Members Lounge, and Kitchens 1996 | All-Ireland 7's Champions 1996 | All-Ireland 7's Champions 1996 | U12 Girls County Football Champions 1996 | U16 Girls County Football Champions 1996 | U16 Boys County Football Champions 1996 | Senior Ladies – Senior County League winners 1996 | Scór Sinsear County Winners in Solo Singing 1997 | Senior Feis 7's Winners 1997 | Down Senior Ladies County Championship Winners 1997 | U16 Girls All-County Champions 1997 | U12 Girls All-County Champions 1997 | Open-Air Music Festival in Castlewellan Forest Park 1997 | Down Ladies Senior Football Championship 1998 | All-Ireland 7's Champions 1998 | Junior Hurling Feis Sevens winners 1998 | Newly refurbished Social Club Function Hall opened 1998 | U12 Girls All-County Football Champions 1998 | U16 Girls All-County Football Champions 1999 | Junior Hurling County Champions 1999 | Castlewellan 7's Winners 1999 | U12 Girls All-County Football Champions 1999 | U14 Girls All-Ireland Feile Champions 1999 | U16 Girls All-County League and Championship Winners 2000 | All-Ireland 7's Champions 2000 | U14 East Down Championship Winners 2001 | Phase 1 of new spectator's stand and additional changing rooms completed. 2002 | Junior Hurling Centenary Feis Sevens Winners 2002 | U14 Hurlers – Centenary perpetual shield 2002 | Purchase of 8.5 acres of land at Dublin Road for two new pitches. 2002 | Award of excellence for St. Malachys Park from County Board. 2002 | U14 ACL winners 2002 | Seconds Footballers win ACPRL 2002 | AIB GAA Club of the Year 2002 2002 | AIB County Down Club of the Year 2002 2002 | AIB Ulster GAA Club of the Year 2002 2003 | Junior Hurling Feis 7's Winners 2003 | Minor Feis Sevens Winners 2003 | Minor All County ‘B’Championship Winners 2003 | U16 Girls All-County League Winners 2003 | U16 Boys East Down Championship Winners 2003 | Down Senior Ladies Champions 2003 | Ladies All-County Senior league Winners 2003 | U16 All-County ‘B’ Hurling Championship Winners 2003 | East Down Scór Achievement Award 2003 | AIB County Down Club of the Year 2004 | U14 boys Leeds Irish festival football tournament winners 2004 | U14 boys East Down ‘B’ Football Champions 2004 | U16 boys East Down Football Champions 2004 | U16 boys All-County Football Champions 2004 | U16 Girls All-County League winners League winners 2004 | U16 Boys ‘Peter Walsh’ Tournament Winners 2004 | Bengy Toner selected as centre half back on the Club Down ‘Giants of the Game’ 2004 | Mickey McVeigh selected on the Irish News Team of the Decade 2004 | Commencement of Dublin Road Playing fields 2004 | Castlewellan Sevens 25th Year Jubilee Sevens. 2004 | Award of Excellence for St Malachy's Park from County Board. 2004 | Minor East Down League winners 2005 | Minor – East Down League winners 2005 2005 | Down Ladies Senior Football Championship 2005 | The 2005 Centenary Committee 2005 | U16 boys Hurling Shield Winners 2005 | Scor County Champions 2005 | Launch of Club History Book “THE TOWN” 2006 | Minor – East Down League Winners 2006 2006 | McNamee Award for best Club Media Production 2006 | All-Ireland 7's Champions 2006 | Down Minor Football Championship 2007 | Scór Sinsear County winners of Solo Singing Section 2007 | Scor Na Og County and Ulster winners Instrumental – Orla McCrickard, Niall McCrickard, Emer Walsh; 2007 | New Club pitch completed Dublin Road; 2007 | All County Premier Reserve League winners; 2007 | All county U16 B Hurling Shield winners; 2008 | Senior Feis Sevens Champions 2008 | U12 Camogie County Champions and League winners 2008 | Girl's U14 C League Winners 2008 | Girls U12 ALL COUNTY FOOTBALL LEAGUE WINNERS 2008 | Senior Ladies – Senior County League winners 2008 | All County Reserve Football Championship 2009 | 3rds Footballers – County Reserve Football Championship Winners 2009 | Senior Hurlers – Ulster Hurling League Division 5 Winners 2009 | U16 Girls Football – County B Championship Winners 2009 | U14 Girls Football – County Championship Winners 2009 | U14 Hurlers – County Shield Winners Winners 2009 | Lá Na gClub: 125th Anniversary of the GAA – Naming of the stand – Ardán Phádraig De Rís 2010 | New floodlights installed on Dublin Road Pitches 2010 | Senior Hurlers – Junior Hurling Feis 7's winner 2010 | U16 Boys Footballers – Inaugural Winners of County U16 7-a-side competition 2010 | U16 boys Hurling Shield Winners 2010 | U14 Boys Footballers –East Down League Winners 2010 | U14 Hurlers – County Feile Shield Winners 2010 | U14 Girls Football – County Championship Winner 2010 | U14 Girls Football – County League Winners 2010 | U14 Camogie – County Feile Shield Winners
Notable players
- Pat Rice Member of the Down Senior team and won an Ulster & All-Ireland medal in 1960 & 1961. He also won a Down Senior Championship medals in 1965.
- Colm McAlarney was a member of the Down Senior team from the 1960s until the 1980s. McAlarney is the only player to have won Railway Cup winners' medals in each of three decades. Colm was center back on the Down minor team that lost the All-Ireland Minor Final in 1966. He played midfield for the All-Ireland winning Down senior team of 1968, who defeated Kerry in the final. He was awarded man of the match for his performance in the 1968 All-Ireland final. All Stars in 1975 & 1978. He also won two Down Senior Championship medals in 1979 & 1982.
- Mickey McVeigh played for Down 1995-2007 2 Irish News Ulster All- stars team of the decade 1994-2004 won Railway cups with ulster. He also won two Down Senior Championship medals in 1994 & 1995.
- Martin Laverty captained the Down minors & U21 Teams. Member of the Down Senior team and won an Ulster & All-Ireland medal in 1991. He also won two Down Senior Championship medals in 1994 & 1995.
- Kevan Owens Member of the Down Senior team and won an Ulster & All-Ireland medal in 1991. He also won two Down Senior Championship medals in 1994 & 1995.
- Gerard Lych Member of the Down Senior team and won an Ulster & All-Ireland medal in 1991
- Ciaran McCabe Member of the Down Senior team and won an Ulster & All-Ireland medal in 1994. He also won two Down Senior Championship medals in 1994 & 1995.
- Gergroy McCartan from Ballymartin but moved to Castlewellan won an All-Ireland in 1991 & 1994 & all-Star 1994 Irish News Ulster All-Stars 1996
- Kevin Duffin All Ireland Minor medal winner 2005. Irish News All Star 2015
- Daniel Morgan Club Down All Star 2015
- Aidan Burns played for Down 2012, 2013. Irish News and Club Down All Star winner 2015
- Michael Cunningham former Down Goalkeeper