Cumann Lúthchleas Gael - Gaelic Athletic Association

Cumann Chluain Daimh - Clonduff GAA Club

Senior Co Winners - 9 SFC - 1930, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1957, 1980, 2000, AI Football 7s 2009;
3 Senior Ladies FC - 2006, 2007, 2008; 2 Senior Camogie Championship - 2007, 2009, AI Camogie 7s Shield 2009; 2 Senior Handball Titles;
2 JHC; 41 County Scór Titles!

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Clonduff Camogs are known the length and breadth of Ireland for their activities both on and off the pitch. It all began back in 1951 when the club was initially formed but unfortunately it only existed for a short period of time. The club reformed again in 1967 and has been going from strength to strength ever since.
The club made good progress in the early years when they contested five consecutive Junior Championship finals. At this time several players were on the county teams and in 1974 when Down won the first ever All Ireland Minor title, the club was proud to have club player, Susie Lively as captain and the first person to receive the the Tailteann Cup. Susie was also a member of the Down Team that won the All Ireland Junior Championship in 1976. Kathleen Crilly and Eileen Hamill joined Susie, on that occasion on the team.
Success finally came to the club in 1977 when they won the Intermediate Championship. The club continued to expand with entry into the Minor and the new U14 and U12 Leagues and Championships. The first juvenile success came in 1980 when the u12 team won the League and Championship. Further success came in the 1980s when the U14 and Minor Leagues and Championship titles were added. After promotion to the Senior League in 1982, success on the field in the late 1980s came with a Junior and Intermediate Championship. In the 1990s, under the guidance of Club Chairperson, Eileen Hamill, the club introduced a juvenile coaching policy. This has resulted in an U12 League title in 1995, an U12 Championship title in 1996 and an U12 League and championship double in 1997. The club also contested the final of the U14 League and Championship in 1997. Throughout these successful years for the juveniles, the senior team contested the 1994 Intermediate Championship Final and won the league in the same year.
The juvenile policy also resulted in the Club winning the County Feile na nGael titles in 1995 and 1997. The National Feile Finals were held in Limerick in 1995 and Waterford in 1997. Winning the Feile Competition in Down and earning the right to represent their county in the National Finals was indeed an honour for the Club and all the players.
Juvenile success continued with the winning of the Down and Ulster Community Games titles in 1996 and 1997. In 1996 the Club became the first club in Down to win bronze medals in the National community Games Camogie Competition.
Off the field, the Clonduff Camogs are well-known in CCD circles. In addition to County and Ulster competitions, members have been participating at All Ireland Level at various stages since its inauguration. In CCD’s short history the Club has won All Ireland titles in Recitation, Ceili and Set Dancing, Solo Singing and Quiz. The club created its own little bit of history in 1997 when it won three All Ireland titles on the same day in Quiz, Solo Singing and Set Dancing.
Maura Quinn and Marie Walls have held positions on The County Board and Eileen Hamill was manager of the County Minor Team. The Club has won various County awards over the years including ‘Club of the Year’ in 1976, 1981, 1986 and 1996. Other awards include Referee of the Year and Sports Personality of the Year. Ciara McGreevy and Moya Maginn won U14 Player of the Year in 1990 and 1996 respectively.

Until 2007 the Club had won every honour in Down except the Senior County Championship. When Clonduff defeated the Mairín McAleenan inspired Liatroim, who had won the last 16 titles, hope lived eternal! And then they did it in style!
Clonduff Camogs became County Senior Champions for the first time on Sunday 22nd July 2007! This was undoubtedly the greatest day in their 40 year history, though they only rejoined the senior ranks in 2001 having had two unsuccessful short sojourns in the top flight in previous years. They have been knocking on the door since the gained Senior status in 2001 and it eventually opened, in great style on Sunday 22 July 2007! There were eight dual players on the team who also collected the the Ladies Football League and Championship in the same year!

Weather-delayed 2013 Camogie Season Eventually Gets Under Way

The Camogie season was delayed for a week due to the snow, frost and cold in Holy week. Clonduff is fortunate to be able to accommodate three home games simultaneously, which is what happened on Tuesday 2nd April 2013 - the Minor Camogs played on the new pitch, the U15 Camogs on the back pitch while the Minor Footballers played on the main pitch.

There were mixed results for the girls - the Minors (above) were defeated by Ballygalget while the U14s (below) had a good win over Warrenpoint.

On Friday 30th November 2012 this crowd of 'Air Stewardesses' assembled in Hilltown before departing on their 'Mystery Tour Weekend'. All they knew was that they had to travel to Belfast airport and open a sealed envelope - destination London. when they arrived in London there was another sealed envelope to open - board a bus and travel to Brighton!

Apparently no-one had any bother at security at either airport but what a shock awaits poor Brighton! Clonduff Camogs have arrived!

U12 All County Camogie Blitz:

The All County U12 blitz was held in An Riocht on Sat 22^nd Sept to bring an end to the season for most camogs at this age; Clonduff was represented by 2 teams Clonduff Harps and Clonduff Shamrocks.

Clonduff Harps faired well against An Riocht, Ballyholland and Newry and found themselves in the Div IV final against Aghaderg, which the latter won.

Clonduff Shamrocks had a bit more luck and despite a first round defeat at the hands of tournament favourites Ballygalget by a single goal they progressed to the Div II final against Bredagh, which they won.

All players on both teams performed really well and brought a fitting end to their busy season.  Thank you to Ursula and Alastair for taking the teams and don’t forget the U12 Parish League will be on Sunday 7^th October – teams and colours in next week’s post.

Congratulations also to Clare McGilligan who refereed at the Blitz.

Clonduff Harps (above): Caitlin Brannigan, Ailish Fearon, Ally Magee, Isabella McPolin, Roisin McPolin, Erin Lively, Lauren Kane, Sophie O’Hagan, Hannah Wilson, Katie Cunningham, Kayleigh McPolin, Eimear Doyle, Eve Matthews.

Clonduff Shamrocks (above):Katie McGilligan, Cara Boden, Erin Rafferty, Shannon O’Reilly, Eimear Hamill, Ellen Lively, Ellen Kelly, Niamh Fitzpatrick, Molly Brown, Clara Cowan, Emily Lively, Beth Fitzpatrick, Caitlin Harper, Aimee Lowry.

Clonduff Parish U8 Camogie League 2012

On Saturday 22 children took part in the annual U8 parish league. Excellent Camogie was played by these young girls that was thoroughly enjoyed by the attendance of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. The honest endeavour of these girls was a result of months of training where every week they worked hard at improving the basic skills - a principle that applies to sports people of all ages. A big thank you to all the parents that helped out with the coaching each week, parents that travelled to matches, Ciara Tumilty for refereeing the matches on Saturday and to Noreen for presenting the much appreciated medals to the excited girls - for some their first Camogie medal!
Back Row Ellen Shields, Niamh Ward, Grace Clancy, Careen Branagan ,Cellagh Byrne, Katie Mc Coy, Michaella Harper, Ebhna Ni Domahil, Katie Morgan, Katie McPolin, Rachael Norris, Serena Gribben
Front Row  Aoife Greenan, Rhianna McKenna, Maebh McPolin, Amy Morgan, Kerrie Ann O'Hare, Eveagh Kelly, Amiee Lee Morgan, Clodagh Kelly, Laura Close and Blaithin Shields.

The final U8 / U10 Blitz of the season was held in Ballygalget at the weekend and Clonduff entered a team in each section.  Both teams faired well with the U10 team undefeated.  Congratulations to all involved and a big thank you to all the mentors who travelled with them. Apart from the Camogie the youngsters thoroughly enjoyed the trip on the Ferry!

The U8 team pictured above are: Back row (L-R) Blaithin Shields, Clodagh Kelly, Amy Morgan, Michaella Harper, Aoife McGarry, Cellagh Byrne;
Front row (L-R) Eveagh Kelly, Niamh Ward, Kerry Ann O’Hare, Katie Morgan and Ellen Shields.

Roisin McPolin Plays for Down Camogs!

Ten-year old Roisin McPolin, Ballyweely Road, Cabra was selected as the Clonduff player on a Down Juvenile Select team at half time in the inter-county game between Down and Armagh in Kilcoo on Saturday 21st July 2012.

Above are some of Clonduff's youngest Camogs who participated in the Aghaderg tournament recently.

Back row L-R Amy Morgan, Cara Savage, Erin McAlinden, Blaithin Shields, Michaella Harper, Aoife McGarry, Clodagh Kelly

Front Row L-R Ellen Shields, Katie Morgan, Eve Lively, Eveagh Kelly, Grainie Smith, Kerry Ann O’Hare

Caman to Croker 2012

A young U12 Clonduff team (below) travelled to Croke Park on Saturday 5th May with their mentors - Ursula Quinn, Eileen Hamill and Guinevra McGilligan (Clonduff Camogie Chair). They left the Clubrooms at 8am and upon arrival in Dublin spent the first part of the day in the Croke Park Museum and the second part on the Hallowed turf of Croke Park Pitch and took part in the Go Games playing against three other teams from different parts of Ireland – a brilliant experience for all involved. This was one of twelve such groups (48 teams) having been selected from all over the country - Clonduff was the only Down team. Below the children and their mentors arrive outside the Hallowed Ground of Croke Park.

. (Photo Maura Quinn - click here for slideshow of more photos)

Members of the Clonduff Camogie club were celebrating last week after two of the members received honours at county and provincial level

The Camogie Association recently announced the launch of a county ‘Volunteer of the Year’ Awards to acknowledge the tremendous work carried out by volunteers within the Association. 
The County ‘Volunteer of the Year’ Awards scheme invited clubs nationwide to nominate a person who has played an integral role in the development of Camogie. This year’s County ‘Volunteer of the Year’ recipients were honoured at a gala lunch on All Ireland Club Finals Day in Croke Park on Sunday last.

Among those at the reception in Croke Park was Maura Quinn secretary of the Clonduff Camogie club. The Clonduff official had already been named as the winner of the Down award at a reception held on Thursday night last.
Nominations for the County ‘Volunteer of the Year’ Awards were submitted by club units to their respective county boards, who adjudicated on applications and selected a county ‘Volunteer of the Year’. Individuals were nominated for consideration under the following categories: games development and promotion; administration; facilities management; club support. 

Maura Quinn received her award from Deirdre McGrath Chairperson of the Down Camogie Board.

Earlier in the week our Club President Dean Anthony Davies was honoured by the Ulster Camogie Council when he was elevated to the position of Vice President of the Ulster Camogie Council.  

Photo above shows Maura (2nd from left) receiving her award from Deirdre McGrath Down Camogie Board Chairperson (2nd from left), with Ursula Quinn (Maura's daughter who is Secretary of the Down Camogie Board) and Elaine Kelly Board Treasurer Down Camogie Board (extreme right).

The honour for Dean Davies took place at a reception at the Ceannaras at the Morgan Athletic Grounds in Armagh where he was joined by former Clonduff, Down and Ulster Colleagues.

Front row: (l to r) Ursula Quinn (Down Secretary), Deirdre McGrath (Down Chairperson), Dean Davies (Vice President Ulster Camogie Council), Belle O'Loughlin (former President of the Camogie Association), Maura Quinn (Secretary Clonduff Camogie). Standing, Eileen Hamill (Clonduff), Guinevra McGilligan (Chairperson Clonduff Camogie), Helen McAleavey, (Clonduff and former chairperson Ulster Camogie Council), Colette Lambe (Down and Registrar Ulster Camogie Council), Anne Costello (Bredagh Camogie) Jennifer Cultra (Ulster Integration Officer)

Congratulations to Clonduff Camogs - Sara Louise Carr, Paula Gribben and Lisa McPolin (above right) who were on the University of Ulster Jordanstown team that annexed the Ashbourne Shield in Waterford on Sunday 19th February 2012. Sara Louise (above left) was the Captain and was awarded an All Star. Perhaps Paula and Lisa can feel a bit hard done by as they too played brilliantly!

Clonduff organises a Parish League for Juvenile Camogs every summer. There are two sections U8 and U12. The teams are assigned a County name and they wear colours associated with their County; each team is managed by an U14 player and the games are refereed by U14 players also.

The U8 players (pictured above) had 3 teams in 2011 and played each other giving each two games. The U12 section, again in County colours  pictured below had four teams giving them three games each.

Friday night’s Feile Fundraiser was a resounding success at the Downshire Arms Hotel.  The large crowd was treated to a fine display of athleticism from Clonduff’s most eligible bachelors (won by Ciaran Killen), impressive feats from the ‘immigrants’ race  won by Kilcoo’s Marty Johnston although Eddie Clancy was favourite!!! Newly marrieds Leann Quinn and Pauline McConville showed up in the Desperate Housewives race much to the surprise of their spouses.  And the 80’s team finished the night with an all out sprint between Rory Matthews and Paul McShane which went into extra time! The entire crowd were treated to a great night of fun (and competition).

A special word of thanks goes to host for the evening Frankie Quinn who made the night particularly enjoyable, to Paul Maginn for setting up the bikes and to Teresa Carr and Noreen Tumilty, managers of the Feile team, who put in a tremendous amount of work to see the night pass off with such success.

Feile Na nGael 2011 - Clonduff are Down Camogie Champions

The Annual Down Feile na nGael took place in Castlewellan (Hurling) and Kilcoo (Camogie) on Friday/Saturday/Sunday 15th/16th/17th April 2011. The Camogie team pictured above won the County title and will represent the County at the National Championships in Galway in June - well done girls! The boys (bottom picture) reached the semi finals in the Hurling competition. Clonduff once again were awarded the Best Banner, which was carried by Paddy Branagan and his nephew Chris Young. Well done to all concerned.

Bursary for Down Camogs

Sara Louise Carr (right) was awarded a third level bursary from the Camogie Association along with her teammate Karen Tinnelly from Ballyholland.  The presentation was made by President Joan O’Flynn at a function in Croke Park in January 2011.  Both girls are final year students at the University of Ulster at Jordanstown

Clonduff Girls play major part in St Mark's Ulster U16 Title

Congratulations to St Mark's High School, Warrenpoint on their magnificent achievements over the weekend (Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd January). On Friday they annexed the U14 and U16 Down Schools Football titles - defeated St Malachy's High School Castlewellan in both finals and on Saturday their U16 Camogie team (pictured above) collected their first ever Ulster title by defeating St Columba's Portaferry 6-0 to 4-4. Clonduff players had a say in all three teams with no less than ten girls on the successful Camogie team which is coached by our own Lorraine McGinn (extreme right, back row)!

The boys on the U16 team - Caolan McAvoy and Jamie Gribben; the U14 panel - Darragh McPolin, Conor Murray, Padraig Harper, Michael Grant, Lorcan Branagan and Darragh O'Hanlon. The ten girls on the Camogie team (all of whom played) were: Laura Grant (Vice Captain), Shannon O'Hagan, Rebecca Mussen, Jenna Boden, Caoimhe Morgan, Roisin Mulholland, Jayne McAleenan, Petrina Lively, Leona McGarry and Clare O'Hagan.

Senior Camogie Final - Clonduff v Ballycran - The final was played in sweltering conditions in Castlewellan on Sunday afternoon before a big crowd of spectators. Clonduff were first out of the blocks and that's the way it stayed! Clonduff were cruising but not converting all their opportunities - they led 0-8 to 1-3 at the break. The second half totally belonged to Clonduff with the ball seldom venturing into the Clonduff end and Ballycran were held scoreless whilst Clonduff added 2-9 to leave the final score Clonduff 2-17 Ballycran 1-3. This is Clonduff's third title in four years (the only other team to win it was Ballycran after a replay with Clonduff in 2008). Team (pictured above): Kitty Fegan, Grace Brown, Moya Maginn, Ursula Quinn, Leann McParland, Fionnuala Carr, Orla Gribben, Paula Gribben, Ciara Havern, Orla Maginn, Lorraine Maginn, Karen Gribben (Capt), Debra Murray, Sara Louise Carr, Lisa McPolin. Sub used: Nicola O'Hagan. Other subs included: Hannah O'Reilly, Onagh Gribben, Cailin Hynes, Aoife Brown, Laurine Harper, Niohmi Murray, Sheenagh McConville, Andrea McCloskey.

Clonduff Senior Camogie team completed the double on Sunday 16th August with an emphatic win in the Championship over the team that took the title from them last year, Ballycran on a score of 5-10 to 2-5. Every single member of the team played a determined part in wresting back the title. Clonduff, playing with the advantage of a strong breeze in the first half made it count and went in leading 4-7 to 0-1 at half time - the Ballycran point was the first score of the game. Ballycran made a game of it in the second half but they never looked like overhauling the Clonduff tally. The final score was Clonduff 5-10 Ballycran 2-5.
Mary McPolin, on scoring Clonduff's 3rd goal, sustained a neck injury and was removed to hospital - thankfully this was  just a precautionary measure and she returned to the clubrooms to join her club mates in the celebrations. Well Done Mary!
Team: Kitty Fegan, Onagh Gribben, Debra Murray, Grace Brown, Leann McParlan, Fionnuala Carr (Capt), Ursula Quinn, Paula Gribben, Ciara Havern, Orla Maginn, Lorraine Maginn, Lisa McPolin, Mary McPolin, Sara Louise Carr, Karen Gribben. subs used: Megan O'Reilly, Orla Gribben
The curtain raiser was the Div 3 Final which Newry Shamrocks won, defeating Ballygalget. Well done Shamrocks on whose team there are three Clonduff Senior Ladies players – Michaela Downey, Elaine McCourt and the injured Aoibheann Downey.

Clonduff Senior Camogs (above) won their first ever Senior Feis 7s title in 2006. Back (l to r) Kitty Fegan, Deborah Kearney, Guinevra McGilligan, Ciara Havern, Debra Murray, Maura Quinn (Camogie Secretary). Front (l to r) Moya Maginn, Orla Maginn, Karen Gribben (Capt), Cailín Hynes and Lorraine Maginn

A big  contingent of Clonduff Camogs attended the Centenary Banquet in City West Hotel in 2004. (L to r) Aisling Hynes, Kitty Fegan, Susie Hynes, Eileen Hamill, Maura Quinn, Guinevra McGilligan, Miriam O'Callaghan (National Camogie President), Marie Walls, Moya Maginn, Ursula Quinn and Jerry Quinn.

At National Feile na nGael 2003, Clonduff collected the award for the Best Banner. (L to r) Ciara Havern (Clonduff mentor), Miriam O'Callaghan (National Camogie President), Eileen Hamill (Clonduff Camogie Chairperson), Sean Kelly (GAA President), a Kildare Co Board rep and Kitty Fegan (Clonduff mentor)

Primary Schools Feile Winners 2000 (above) Front (l to r) Jane Quinn, Michaella McConville, Kirsty Monaghan, Lisa McPolin (capt), Kellymarie O'Hagan, Briege McComiskey, Rosie O'Hagan. Back (l to r) Aileen Walls, Sara brown, Aveen Smith, Nicola O'Hagan, Hanna O'Reilly, Caislín Hynes, orla Campbell

 One from yesteryear!

© Anita Brannigan
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