Belfast City Hall was lit up blue on Saturday night as Immaculata Football Club celebrated its 80th anniversary in fine style.

The Divis club has had plenty to celebrate over the years with a host of league and cup success, but perhaps the best of all came last season as they claimed the Intermediate Cup for the first time in their history, while the reserves took the Division 3A honours in the NAFL.

On Saturday, they toasted those successes and all that came before, and they also presented awards to mark the past year and acknowledge all who have made major contributions over the years.

"We were marking our 80th anniversary and what a year to do it as we won the Intermediate Cup and claimed the 3A title, which is the highest reserve league available, so it was a double last year," said club treasurer, Paul Dynes, who thanked Maggies Lounge; The Mortgage Shop Dunmurry; Fitzys - Fulla Crepe; Loaf Catering and Sean Graham's for their sponsorship and support.

"The night was to celebrate our history, the generations of players and mark the iconic people over the years."

Immaculata was founded in 1944 by the Legion of Mary as a youth club in Corn Market. The football teams first competed in 1945, after the Legion moved to Devonshire Street. The club was named after Our Lady of Mary, and sky blue was adopted as the club's colour. 

Kathleen Gaffney was one of the founders, playing an integral role until 1971 after The Legion of Mary closed the previous year.  

The football operation continued with a small committee until a new one was formed and this structure remains today with some key figures playing an integral role including Gerry O’Hare, John McKenna, the Murphy sisters, Gerry Early, Gerry Loughran, Joe Lavery and Larry Shields Snr.

Junior teams competed in the Down & Connor League, with the senior teams playing in the Minor League and the Willowfield League, before moving to the Lisburn League, enjoying success along the way.

Following a switch to the old Dunmurry League - now the Belfast & District League - Immaculata became the only club to win the main cup in its very first season under manager Davy Kavanagh - an iconic figure after whom one of the annual awards is named.

He joined the Mac as a coach in 1961 following an impressive playing career with clubs such as Loney side, Brookville; Dundela, Glentoran and then Coleraine where he earned amateur international caps.

3Gallery

At Immaculata, he and his nephew Jim McKee worked together with the U18s, winning the league undefeated, with Jim being part of that side as a player. He would go on to win numerous leagues and cups with the U16s before assuming the reins as senior manager and the success continued with Lisburn League and cup titles before his life would be cut short on the eve of his nephew's wedding in 1977, but is remembered as an Immaculata legend.

Success would continue for the Divis club with league titles supplemented by a number of cup wins, while also reaching the last four of the Junior Cup on a few occasions and claiming the Junior Shield in 1995.

As well as Kavanagh and his nephew, McKee, who succeeded his uncle, previous managers have included Eamon Hughes, Sean Lee Clarke, Gerry Brammeld, Willy Gargin, Gerard O’Hanlon, Arter Rooney, David McMahon and Kevin Lawlor, who guided them to the Junior Cup for the first of three straight successes.

By now they were plying their trade in the Northern Amateur Football League, climbing the ladder until they reached the Premier Division which they won in 2016, capping a hugely successful period which also saw the Clarence Cup brought back to the club on five occasions, while they also reached the Steel & Sons Cup final in 2013.

3Gallery

From those humble beginnings, the club has enjoyed remarkable success with last year's Intermediate Cup glory, led by player-manager Brian McCaul, plus the first-ever 3A title for the reserves, seeing them break further ground.

The signs are there will be no slowing with a thriving youth section led by past players, including Martin Voyle, who has given decades to the club with his hard work. He is just one, as Fr Alec Darragh, Jim Fitzpatrick, Danny Power, Gerry Ward, Paddy Cairey, Seany McAllister, Tony McNulty, Tommy Heaney, Tony Curley, Danny McGonigle, Patrick Maguire, Paul Dynes and Ryan Rooney have all ensured the conveyor belt has not slowed over the years as those youngsters graduate to the senior ranks.

All of those names, titles, glories and near misses were marked at City Hall at the weekend and the club will undoubtedly remain an integral part of life in the west of the city for many years to come.