Glenswilly GAA (Irish: CLG Gleann 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.
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 John Mc Ginley, Roger McDaid, Fr Eamon Crossan, Finbar Glackin, Jimmy Joe McGinley and chair Eddie McDevitt.
Glenswilly reached their first ever Senior county final in 2007, where they lost to near neighbours St Eunan's 0–12 to 1–3.
In 2011, they won the Donegal Senior Football Championship for the first time, with a 1–8 to 0–9 defeat of St Michael's 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 to 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.
The club won its third and final Donegal SFC in 2016.
By 2020, Neil Gallagher, Ciaran Bonner, Darren Mc Ginley and Joe Gibbons (all three-time SFC winners) had retired.
The club commemorated forty years in existence with a year-long event in 2022.
Non-playing personnel
Managers YearsManager1982– 1998?1999 Finbar Glackin 2000 Finbar Glackin and Denis McGrenra 2001 Brian McHugh and Brendan Walsh2002–2003 Philim Molloy and Peter McFadden2004–2008 Francie Martin2009 Barry O'Hagan / John McGinley 2010–2011 Gary McDaid and John McGinley2012 Manus McFadden2013–2014 Gary McDaid2015–2016 Michael Canning2017 Aidy Glackin2018–2019 Brendan Walsh and Ryan McKinley2020–2023 Pauric Bonner2023– Gary McDaid
Notable players
Ciaran Bonner — 2007 NFL winner Neil Gallagher — 2007 NFL-winning captain and 2012 All-Ireland winner James Pat McDaid — Glenswilly senior team captain 2013 Gary McFadden — member of the 2012 All-Ireland panel; Glenswilly senior team captain 2011, 2016 Michael Murphy — 2012 All-Ireland winning captain
Other figures Manus Kelly — led Glenswilly to a Senior C Championship win in 2016 Michael McGeehin — 2000 JFL trainer Shane Williams — Welsh rugby union player
Honours Football Ulster Senior Club Football Championship: Runner-up (1): 2013 Donegal Senior Football Championship: Winner (3): 2011, 2013, 2016 Runner-up (2): 2007, 2014 Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship: Runner-up (1): 2005 Donegal Intermediate Football Championship: Winner (1): 2005 Donegal Senior B Football Championship: Winner (1): 2015. Donegal Senior C Football Championship: Winners (2): 2016, 2017 Donegal Junior A&B Football Championship: Runner-up (1): Junior A Finalists 2000 Winner (1): Junior B Champions 1984 Runner-up (1): Junior B Finalists 1988, 2014 Donegal All County League Divisions: Winner (2): Division Two 2007, 2013 Winner (3): Division Four 1989, 1993, 2000 Comortas Peile Na Gaeltacht Tir Conaill: Winner (1): 2011
Other Donegal Ladies Intermediate Football Championship: Winner (1): 2007 Donegal Ladies Junior Championship: Winner (1): 2006 Donegal Ladies Junior B Championship: Winner (1): 2017 Runner-up (1) 2016
References
External links at gaainfo.com