Welcome to the official website for CLG Naomh Maolmhoig Caisleán a’ Mhuilinn (St. Malachy’s GAC Castlewellan), Co Down, Ireland.
In 2005 Naomh Maolmhoig Caisleán a’ Mhuilinn celebrated its Centenary Year and the highlight of this historic milestone in the development of St Malachy’s GAC was the publication of our Club History, written and researched by Club members Ciarán Crilly and Gerry Dougherty. The title of the book is quite simply "THE TOWN" and the choice of this title will come as no surprise to the Gaels of County Down and further afield as this is the name commonly given to the St Malachy’s club and the town of Castlewellan as far back as anyone can remember. Published in November 2005 "The Town" traces the history of Castlewellan Town, the Parish of Kilmegan and Naomh Maolmhoig Caisleán a’ Mhuilinn (St. Malachy’s GAC Castlewellan), Co Down, Ireland.
Castlewellan GAC was founded in 1905, although the Club was not officially called St. Malachy’s (Naomh Maolmhoig) until much later. Commonly referred to as "The Town", the Club has grown from strength to strength, throughout the years. The Club has successfully evolved from simple beginnings, when a group of local lads got together under the guidance of the town’s schoolmaster, a Mayo schoolteacher by the name of Martin Cafferkey to form the first Gaelic football team in the town about 1903. At the end of the 20th century the club has 19teams, at all levels and age groups, catering for hurling and football and camogie, as well as ladies football.
In 2006 The Club holds a record of 10 S.F.C titles, the last two back to back in 1994 and 1995. The Club also won the J.F.C for the first time in 1993, 4 M.F.C Titles, 3 S.F.L. Division 1, and 3 S.F.L. Division 2 titles.
The ladies also brought glory to the Club in 1997, 2003 and 2005 winning the Down Senior Ladies Championship and our Junior Hurling Team won the Down Junior Championship in 1999 for the first time in the Club's history,and the following year gained promotion to the higher Division. The hurlers also won the junior league in 2005 gaining promotion to the intermediate league.
Sevens football has had a long tradition in Castlewellan, with the Club winning a host of County, Provincial, National, and International Tournaments. The club is 5 times winners of the prestigious Kilmacud All-Ireland title, the most recent being in September 2006. The Club also hosts its own invitation seven a side competition (see 7s page) with top teams from all over Ireland taking part. The competition that first began in 1980 takes place on the second Saturday of September each year and has long been recognised as second only to Kilmacuds in quality of teams attending, and in organisation of the event. There is also the all-important social aspect of the competition that helps to make the event an enjoyable occasion as well as a very competitive one.
The Club has always adopted an innovative approach to all aspects of club development. The first in Ireland to purchase a team bus in 1954 and the first in Down to open its own social club in 1976. The club was also the first in Ireland to take training of the pitch, utilising the resources of local sand dunes and country parks. When fund raising is required the Club can prove to be innovative too. In the mid 80’s the Club introduced outdoor festivals under a giant marquee reminiscent of the ‘Carnivals’ of the 60s. This proved a huge financial success for the Club over a number of years and has since been taken up and carried on successfully by other local Clubs. Always on the move for new fund raising ideas, in 1995 the Club ran its first open-air concert in Castlewellan’s famous Forest Park, in the splendid setting below the Castle and overlooking the lake, with the Mournes as the backdrop. This prompted Down District Council to organise an annual outdoor music festival in Castlewellan Park a few years later which became known as known as the internationally acclaimed ‘Celtic Fusion’ Festival
Twenty years after St Malachy’s only pitch the "meadow" was transformed into a new playing pitch with proper changing and spectator facilities with the opening of Pairc Naomh Maolmhoig in 1978, further major repair work became necessary. The work involved resurfacing of the pitch including installation of a new drainage system, new parameter fencing and electronic scoreboard. Further improvement work was carried out to St Malachy’s Park in April 2001 including phase 1 of the new stand which features spacious new double changing rooms, toilets and showering facilities underneath. Phase 2 of the sand when completed, will incorporate new Ladies changing rooms underneath, and phase 3 will include a state of the art fitness suite under the third and final section of stand. The third phase of the work will also include roofing the entire stand.
The latest milestone in the development of Club facilities was the purchase in 2002 of 8.5 acres of land on the edge of town at Dublin Road Castlewellan for much needed additional playing and training facilities for our expanding Club. One of the pitches will be used for training complete with floodlights, and the other has been developed to the highest standards as a second full size home pitch for the Club’s18 teams. It is hoped to play the first Club games on this new pitch in 2006.
The Castlewellan Club has been graced with the presence of some very well known County players, and holders of Railway Cup and All-Ireland titles. John O’Hare (Railway Cup), Pat Rodgers (JFC), and Willie Mckibben (JFC) in the 1940s. Pat Rice (SFC), Colm McAlarney, (SFC), and George Glynn (SFC) in the 1960s. Liam Hardy (MFC), Eamon Toner (MFC), Dermot Hawkins (MFC), and Donagh O’Kane (U21s) in the ‘70s and ‘80s. In recent times 5 Club players, Gregory McCartan Martin Laverty, Kevan Owens Gerard Lynch, and Ciarán McCabe figured in the Down 1991 and 1994 All-Ireland SFC victories. In 1993 3 Club members, Gary Cairns, Neill McVeigh and Peter Jennings featured in the Down Hurling Team that won the Junior Hurling All-Ireland that year. In 1999 Damien McGrady, Fintan McGreevey and Conor Boyle were members of the All-Ireland Minor winning side. In 2000 Lisa Morgan, Maura McCabe, and Aine Keary were members of the Down side that won the All-Ireland Junior Ladies title. Paul McCabe and Thomas Jennings have been selected on the Down Senior hurling panel for 2004, and in 2005 Kevin Duffin was a member of the successful All-Ireland winning Down Minor team. Also in 2005 Ainne Keary and Dierdre Quinn were members of the Down Ladies team that reached the 2005 Intermediate All-Ireland Final, Donal Ward Audey McVeigh and Paddy Hardy were members of the Down Masters Team that reached 2005 Masters All-Ireland Final; Niall McArdle was a member of the Down U21 Team who were Ulster Champions and reached 2005 All-Ireland Final. Mickey McVeigh the Down Seniors number 1 goalkeeper from 1995 until 2005 was selected as a member of the Ireland Compromise Rules Team that toured Australia in 2005.
CLG Naomh Maolmhoig always welcomes new members of all ages from U10 to Senior Citizens. We promote all aspects of Gaelic culture including our National Games providing coaching and training from U10 right through to adult in Hurling and Gaelic football including ladies football. Our qualified coaches provide training in the skills of Gaelic football camogie and hurling for all juveniles from U10 and U12 every Saturday morning, and children that have never played the game before are encouraged to come along and participate.
If you are new to the Parish we take this opportunity to welcome you and your family and we invite you to drop into our Clubrooms at Circular Road and find out more about us. Membership forms are available by clicking on the link at the top of this page or can be obtained from the Club Registrar or from our Social Club. We are open seven days a week, from 7.00pm Monday to Friday, and from 11.30am at weekends.
The Club plays an active part in the local community making its Social Club facilities available for all local community needs with special support and encouragement to cultural organisations and activities that promotes Irish culture. These include Glór na nGael, Coaltais Ceoltari Eirean, Bunscoil Caislean a Mhuilinn, Feis an Dúin, and of course Irish dancing which has a long association with the Club. We also play an important part in the social life of the senior citizens, and host a monthly cross community night in the premises providing free transport entertainment and supper.
Our Social Club facilities include a fully equipped kitchen and a function hall as well as separate member’s lounge, meeting and games rooms which has enabled us to further expand our service to the community providing facilities for wedding and funeral receptions, christening, and private member’s parties as well as providing conference and meeting facilities. Some of the activities that take place on a weekly basis include indoor bowls, table tennis, Irish dancing, Irish language classes, Bingo (Friday Nights), pool and outdoor skittles, plus live entertainment every weekend.
The efforts of so many Club members down through the years in working tirelessly for the development of the Club and promotion of the GAA in the parish of Kilmegan was recognised by the Association in 2002 when we were awarded the highest Club honour achievable the ‘AIB All-Ireland GAA Club of the Year Award 2002”. In 2003 the Club were awarded the AIB County Down Club of the Year for the second year in succession.
We hope you enjoy your visit to our website and we welcome any comments you wish to make either through our Gael Forum or by email to castlewellangac@googlemail.com
Ciarán Ó Craudhlaoigh
PRO
