A DIAMOND birthday is always one to savour and St Teresa’s GAC will kick-start their 60th celebrations this weekend, hoping they will continue to sparkle long into the future.
This weekend will see a series of events at the Glen Road club as they reflect on some glorious memories of the past, but also turn their attention to the future with plenty of ambition.
On Friday, there will be a photographic exhibition at the club, while they will also be hosting part of the U15 Féile on Saturday and various activities with a golf day taking place on Monday at Balmoral Golf Club.
There will be other activities throughout the year including juvenile competitions, all culminating with a 60th Anniversary event at the newly-refurbished St Comgall’s complex on November 4.
The club was formed in 1963 in the Andersonstown area, Glen Road, West Belfast, an area that was fast growing into a leading suburb of Belfast.
The founding members included: Billy Doherty, Phil Maguire, Brothers Quinlan, Nannery and O’Connell, Frank Devenney, Gerry Morrison, Raymond O’ Hagan and John McKiernan.
1980 club committee
Former Derry football greats Jim McKeever and Phil Stuart also assisted in the early establishment of the club.
At the same time, the recently opened Christian Brothers School (Glen Road CBS) was established and it was from this source the club was built.
“The club came about from the CBS school being built in 1963,” explained club chairman, Paul McGoldrick.
“There was a large population in the school playing Gaelic sports and then with a large population area, there Christian Brothers came together and decided there was the need for a new club.”
🟡🔵HELLO EVERYONE🟡🔵
— Naomh Treasa CLG (@naomhtreasa1963) April 28, 2023
Please note there has been a change to our Club Sports Day as we are now hosting the u15 Feile.
The Sports Day will be rearranged.
📸 Friday - Photography display
🏐 Saturday - u15 Feile Hosts
🏑 Sunday - Antrim v Kilkenny
⛳️ Monday - Golf Day pic.twitter.com/zM4tUhj1fG
On November 16, 1967, their first success was gained when, under the guidance of Phil Maguire and Billy Doherty, the U16 hurling team lifted the all-county league title.
The county MFC titles were captured in 1969, 1970 and 1971 for three in a row, beating Cargin (2-7 to 1-1), Dunloy (3-12 to 1-2) and Cargin again (5-10 to 1-5).
In 1970, the county Junior Football Championship was also gained with a hard-earned victory over St Comgall’s, Antrim (2-7 to 1-5).
A county Senior Football Championship final appearance was achieved in 1976 but after two titanic battles, we were unfortunate to lose out to a star-studded St John’s team.
The pinnacle for the club to date was achieved in 1979 when the Senior Football Championship was annexed when defeating St Johns 2-10 to 2-4.
Captained by Sean McGoldrick, the starting line-up contained 13 players from the same school, Glen Road CBS. The odd ones out were Gerard Maguire and Brendan Johns.
Team: Gerry McClory, Jackie McLaughlin, Paul Growcott, Gerry Fitzpatrick, Paul McKiernan, Liam McGoldrick, Danny Maguire, Sean McGoldrick, Seamus O’Neill, Gerard Maguire, Michael Flanagan, Brendan Johns, Paud McGoldrick, Pat Magorrian, John McKiernan. Subs used: Gerry Sands, Sean Burns
1980 Martin Cup and South Antrim League winners
In the period 1979-1982, St Teresa’s contested four consecutive finals under the management of Brother Ennis (he later guided St Enda’s, Omagh and Pearse Og, Armagh to county titles).
However, they would taste defeat to St John’s on two occasions (1980 and 1981) and St Gall’s in 1982, a defeat incurred in injury time. This St Gall’s team went on to lift the Ulster club title that year.
“By 1979, we won the Senior Football Championship, but around that time we also won Division One in the all-county league, won an Intermediate Hurling Championship, so we were fortunate to have the quality players we had around that time,” Paul noted.
There has been plenty of associated honours with the club providing players to plenty of winning teams down through the years.
In 2002, then clubman Patrick Nugent, led the victorious Antrim Junior hurling side to All-Ireland glory with a win over Meath in Clones.
On March 31, 1968, Sean McGoldrick captained the Antrim All-Ireland Vocational football side to success over Galway in Croke Park. The club provided eight members of the winning squad.
Gerry McClory played on the first St Teresa’s team to compete in the South Antrim Leagues.
Gerry also has the distinction of being the first club man to referee an All-Ireland Final in 1985.
The club was also honoured to have former County Secretary Eamonn McMahon as a member.
St Teresa's camogie
On April 25, 1971, Gerry McHugh (then a St Teresa’s member) captained St Mary’s CBGS to win the Hogan Cup - All-Ireland colleges football title. The club provided seven players to that winning squad.
The following Sunday, St Mary’s completed a double lifting the hurling title with clubman, Paul Growcott scoring 0-11.
All this was achieved without a home base, clubrooms or pitch.
Efforts by various club committees over the years to get a base finally resulted in success when, under the guidance of Liam McGoldrick and Adrian Browne, St Teresa’s managed to acquire 10.7 acres of land on the Glen Road from the Belfast City Council.
A development plan was undertaken, which resulted in the opening of phase one, the social club in 1996.
Two pitches were added in 1998, and in October 1998 the grounds, to be known as McDonnell/Doherty Park were officially opened.
The home of the club was to be named after two dying hunger strikers, Kieran Doherty and Joe McDonnell, former players.
To mark the opening of the grounds the legendary Jimmy Barry Murphy brought a Cork hurling side up to play an Ulster select.
The following September, Cork went on to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the 28th time. In response, Jimmy Barry Murphy wrote: “And to think it all started on the Glen Road”.
St Teresa's ladies
Over the past 60 years, the club have been indebted to various hardworking people who have dedicated their time and efforts in the promotion of Gaelic games in West Belfast.
“Like a lot of clubs, it’s built around families, but then you can’t just rely on that as you need to expand your reach,” Liam insists.
“We’re located on the Glen Road for a while now, but before that had been travelling about to four of five different places before we settled.
“We got a 99-year lease off the City Council for the land we’re on now back in 1993.
“We started off with a social club, but seven years ago the decision was taken to close that. That makes fundraising that bit more difficult, but we’re very happy with what we’ve got and are looking to develop further on the Glen Road.”
U15 footballers
There was further success in the recent past as in 2009, St Teresa’s claimed Antrim Junior honours before reaching the Ulster final, only missing out after a replay.
The nucleus of that team then went onto take he Antrim Intermediate title in the club’s 50th anniversary in 2013, while 10 years on they are hoping for another upturn in fortunes on the pitch and the signs are good with their juvenile numbers at a healthy level, while the rise of ladies football has seen an explosion of female members.
With new housing developed in the surrounding area, they hope their new neighbours will get involved in the club and act as a further boost as they target further success in the years ahead.
“We went through a lean period but about five years ago, we looked at it and agreed we had to start again from the bottom with juveniles,” McGoldrick explained.
“We also worked on U10 girls and now have a ladies’ team so we’re hoping to develop that as well.
“Where we are situated, Glen Road Heights is just being finished with houses being allocated around us and there is another phase of the development to begin, so we are hoping to benefit from that influx of people to the area around the club.
“We are hoping to develop our facilities and we’d hope that would entice people to at least use them, but ideally get involved with St Teresa’s.
“You always hope you hit a rich vein again. With a lot of our players recently married and are starting families. The first question was always ‘boy or girl?’ as we were looking for boys, but now with the women’s side of the club growing, that doesn’t matter.”
Gaelic For Mothers and Others
The club has plenty of ambition moving forward as the aim is to utilise land at the back of their second pitch.
This will allow both playing fields to be moved back in order to facilitate the expansion of their clubhouse which will include an indoor sports hall, additional changing facilities that are needed due to the rise of the women’s game in the club, an outdoor training pitch and also floodlighting.
It’s ambitious, but exactly what they feel is needed as they move into the future.
“This will be a venue that the community can use too,” said the club chairman.
“People realise now the benefits of getting out and getting active, so we’d hope this will be a plus for the wider community.”
Still going strong after 60 years, St Teresa’s have plenty of reasons to feel confident they will remain one of the jewels in the crown of Gaelic Games in the city for years to come.
FUNdamentals
