Bunaíodh Gaoth Dobhair Aontaithe sa bhliain 1977. Bhí Mici Beag “na Locha” Ó Gallachóir (RIP), Padraig Mac Aodha, Frank Mac Aodha and Sean Ó Duibhir mar príomh bhunaitheoirí ar an chlub.
I 1977 thosaigh muid sa sraith gaeltacht aitiúil. I 1980/81 chuaigh muid isteach i sraith shóisearach Dhún na nGall leis an fhoireann sinsearach a bhí againn sa chlub ag an am. Tá muid ansin go foill indiaidh seall beag a chaitheamh sa sraith sinsearach uladh. Tá struchtúr an chlub meadaí againn le dhá fhoireann deag anois ag imirt peil dar gclub le foireann laidir cóitseáilaí ag cuir na foirne gasuirí agus girseachaí chun na pairce go laethiúil.
Thosaigh muid ag imirt ar an Rannaí ar an Lunniagh bheag i 1977. Bhog muid go dtí baile úr i gCarraig Uí Bhaoill i 1984 áit ina raibh páirc úr togtha againn. D’oscail an t-athair Michael Mac Suibhne an pháirc úr go hoifigiúil ar an 15ú Lúnasa 1984. Tá dul chun cinn deanta againn chomh maith leis na haiseanna a fhorbairt i gCarraig Uí Bhaoill áit ina bhfuil tuilsoilse ar an phríomh pháirc agus páirc úr 3G le tuilsoilse againn don traenail.
Gweedore United Football Club was founded in 1977. The founding members were Mici Beag “na Locha” Ó Gallachóir (RIP), Padraig Mac Aodha, Frank Mac Aodha and Sean Ó Duibhir.
In the 1980/81 season we graduated to the Donegal league Junior League with our only senior team at that time. We remain there until the present time following a short spell in the Ulster Senior League. We have developed our youth structure and now have 12 teams with our team of strong, trained and qualified coaches directing both boys and girls teams to represent our club in the Donegal Junior League, Donegal Womens League and the Donegal Schoolboys/Youth League.
Our original home was at ‘An Rannaí’ at Lunniagh beag, Gweedore. We relocated to our newly built home at Carrickboyle 1984. The new pitch at Carrickboyle was completed and officially opened by Fr.Michael Sweeney on the 15th of August 1984. We have continued to develop our facilities and now have floodlighting on the main pitch and we also have a floodlit 3G Astro pitch training facilities at our grounds.
“MOL AN OIGE AGUS TIOCFAIDH SÍ”
Club History 1977 – 2020
Founding Members
Gweedore United Football Club was founded in 1977. The founding members were Mici Beag “na Locha” ó Gallachóir (RIP), Padraig Mac Aodha, Frank Mac Aodha and Sean ó Duibhir.
Gaeltacht League
We originally began playing matches at ‘An Rannaí’ at Lunniagh bheag, Gweedore. We joined the Gaeltacht League in September of 1977. Our first manager was Mici Beag “na Locha” ó Gallachóir and we played our first match on the 11th of September 1977 against Dunlewey Celtic. We were victorious in this match by winning 6-2 and went on to finish the season as runners up in the league in the first season. The following season we had a good season but once again missed out on the title. It was third time lucky in 1979/80 when we finally lifted our first piece of silverware in the Gaeltacht League Championship beating Leitir United 6-4 to clinch the title.
Donegal Junior League
In the 1980/81 season we graduated to the Third Division of the Donegal league winning the first game against Lagan Harps 2-1, Frank McGee and Owenie Harkin were the goal scorers.
In 1981/82 we finished third in the league and reached the quarter-final of the Ulster Junior Cup.
Division Two Champions
In 1982/83 Paul McGee took over as manager and we won the Second Division of the Donegal League. In the same season we won the Dunlewey Summer Cup beating Mulroy Celtic 5-3 on penalties.
In 1983/84, now in the First Division we finished fourth and were beaten by Culduff 3-2 in the semi-final of the Ulster Junior Cup.
Opening of our new Football Pitch at Carrickboyle in 1984
On the 15th of August 1984 the new pitch at Carrickboyle was completed and officially opened by Fr.Michael Sweeney. The first game on the pitch that day was Finn Harps v Derry City in a League of Ireland friendly. the result was 2-0 to Finn Harps and the goal scorers were Con McLaughlin (now referee in the Donegal League) and Paul McGee who went on to play for our international team the Republic of Ireland.
Division One Champions
In 1985/86 Michael Diver was appointed as manager. We won the Donegal League Division One title and also won the Pat Doohan Cup beating local rivals Gweedore Celtic 2-1 in the final. In the same year we reached the Ulster Junior Cup Final where we narrowly lost out to Letterkenny Rovers 1-0.
Ulster Senior League
In 1986/87 we joined the Ulster Senior League and stayed their till 1987/88 but had no success either season.
Division Two & Division One Champions
In 1990/91 we decided to go back to the Donegal League starting in Division Two and had no success that season. In 1991/92 John “Sheamais” Ferry took over as manager and we won the Donegal League Division Two title that season. In 1992/93 we went on to win the Division One League title with Tommy Cassidy as player manager.
In 1993/94 saw Gweedore United F.C. in the Premier Division of the Donegal League with no success that year and the following number of years.
In 1997/98 after a two year absence from the Donegal League we were back playing football, this time under the management team of Eugene ‘yosser’ Coyle and Willie ‘King’ Diver. We joined the Ulster Senior Reserve League. In that season we came up against local rivals Gweedore Celtic beating them 2-0 at Carrickboyle, and 4-2 at Maghergallon and it proved to be a successful return to football for the club.
In 1998/99 we were back in the Donegal League, Division Two having a good season the first season back. In 1999/00 under manager, Ownie Harkin with Tom Beag Gillespie as trainer we gained promotion to Division One of the Donegal League. We had no success for the following four seasons.
Division Two Champions
In 2004/05 under the new management team of Paddy Duggan and Pauric Mc Ginty we got back to successful ways when we won the Donegal League Division Two League title with the distinction of being the Donegal League top scorers with 84 goals in 20 outings – an average of just over four goals a game. We also boasted the best record of any team in any division with just 17 goals conceded.
In the same season we introduced a reserve team into Division Two of the Donegal Saturday League and found it successful in the first season.
Division One Champions
In 2005/06 it was double celebrations for the club as we lifted two titles with Gweedore United F.C. senior team still under the stewardship of Paddy Duggan were crowned Donegal League Division One Champions. It turned out to be a three horse race between Gweedore United, Whitestrand Utd and Deele Harps. We clinched the title in the final game of the season when we earned a hard fought point away to Castlefin Celtic.
Division 2 Reserve League Champions
Under the guidance of Sean Ferry, we also lifted the Division Two Saturday League Title after a three-way play off, with Cranford and Ramelton Mariners. This was a great achievement considering it was only our second season in the Saturday League.
2007 – 30 Year Anniversary
The 2006/07 season saw us coming into the 30th anniversary of the club a massive occasion for all involved. At the outset of the season we were hoping to bring some silverware to the club to mark this special occasion. However, our expectations were exceeded by what turned out be a tremendous season.
That season started very well when we won our first ever Area Shield of the Brian McCormack Sportsman Cup. We beat our local rivals Gweedore Celtic 1-0 in the final which was played in Maghergallon. Frank McGee scored what proved to be one of the best goals of the season when he hit an unstoppable shot from forty yards into the top corner of the Gweedore Celtic net to clinch the shield. Frank still likes to mention that goal on occasion!!
Following our success in the Area Shield, we went on to finish third in the Premier Division of the Donegal League.
2007 – Ulster Junior Cup winners
In April of that year at Diamond Park, Ballyare we made another piece history by beating Redcastle Utd 4-1 to claim the Ulster Junior Cup for
the very first time in the history of our club. The goal scorers on this special occasion were Michael Barry, Frank McGee(2) and Fionnan Diver. Paddy Duggan (manager) also collected his own personal piece of silverware when he was awarded Donegal League Manager of year following a number of excellent seasons.
2007 – Division One Reserve League Champions
The Saturday team under the management of Sean Ferry also marked the 30th anniversary with another Saturday League Division One title beating Glenea United 4-1 in our final match. The goal scorers on this occasion were Charlie Duggan and Ciaran Mc Fadden netting a hat-trick. Ciaran also claimed the top scorer of the division and he was also awarded Donegal League Player of the Year for the Division to top of a great year for United.
2007/08 saw our senior team remain in the Premier Division. The Saturday team collected another piece of silverware winning the Saturday League Kilmac Recycling cup to complete a full compliment of Saturday league awards since joining the Saturday league all under the management of Sean Ferry. The final against Ramelton Mariners played in Ballyare in front of a large crowd ended a 1-1 draw after extra time. We won 4 -1 on penalties to add the Saturday league cup to recent league titles. In the title race that season we just lost out to a good to Kildrum Tigers side.
2008/09 again saw our senior team remain in the Premier Division and the Saturday team lost out in the title race to Kildrum Tigers once again.
Division One Reserve League Champions
2009/10 saw a repeat of the previous season with our senior team under new manager Sean Ferry remaining in the Premier Division, however the Saturday team were back to winning ways as we were crowned Division One Saturday league champions
2010/11 saw Gweedore United Senior team relegated to the First Division of the league with the Saturday ending the season in mid table.
Division Two Champions
In 2013 under the management team of Brian Gallagher they got back to successful ways when they won the Division Two League League title.
Gweedore United F.C. – Youth Structure
In 2002,we.re-structured our youth system and now have teams at different age levels from Under 6, Under 8, Under 10, Under 12, Under 14, U16 up to under 18 competing in the Donegal Schoolboys & Youth League League and Donegal Women’s League respectively. We are enjoying the rewards of our youth structure with players from the youths coming into the senior team in recent times
Our youth teams have enjoyed league and cups success in the irrespective ages over the last 18 years. Players from the clubs youth structure have also gone on to represent our county, Finn Harps, Derry City in the Airtricity leagues and a number of players have got caps with the Irish National teams in recent years. Players from the Club that received international caps are :Dáíre Ó Baoill 2015, Fionnan Coyle (2017 – present) and Patrick Ferry (2019 – present).
Facility Development – Planned Development Phases 1-4
Phase 1: We upgraded all our facilities when we installed state of the art floodlighting around our well known pitch at Carrickboyle. We also constructed a new all weather pitch with a modern 3-G surface and floodlighting. This phase also included new facilities for referees and the public including the construction of new toilets for all abilities. This phase was completed in 2011.
Phase 2: Main grass pitch upgrade works and installation of new dugouts was completed in 2014
Phase 3: We completed a full renovation and upgraded of the existing stand and fitted 144 seats in the stand. The new stand was named in memory of one of the clubs founding members Micí beag ” Na Locha” Ó Gallachóir in recognition of his hard work and dedication to the club until his untimely passing in 1985. The stand was officially opened on the 4th October 2015 by his family in front of a large turn out.
Phase 4: (Final stage of planned development) – We have recently been granted planning permission in 2019 to construct a new grass pitch and extend our existing clubhouse to consist of a new kitchen, meeting room/training room, and gymnasium. We hope to begin the construction of this final stage in early 2021 all going well.
Gweedore United F.C. Website: https://www.gweedoreunitedfc.ie/
Also find us on FACEBOOK: Gaoth Dobhair Aontaithe
Twitter: @GweedoreUntFC
“MOL AN OIGE AGUS TIOCFAIDH SÍ”
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