dunedin
connolly’s
DUNEDIN
CONOLLY’S
Edinburgh’s GAA club, Dunedin Connolly’s GFC, are rapidly becoming one of the most
expansive and well-known of all the gaelic football clubs across the United Kingdom. Based in
the Scottish capital, Connolly’s are a growing example of a finely run club for how they have
made such prominent inroads in not only men’s and ladies football, but also in the nurturing of
their underage development.
Formed in 1988 by Belfast-born,
Anthony Haughey, the club had a very
humble beginning which required a huge
amount of grit and determination. Within
a few months of the initial discussion
at an Irish dancing event in Leith Walk,
the club would soon have a name, club
colours, a home pitch and of course the
ability to field a team; notably made up
of indigenous Scots and immigrant Irish.
The club’s name would derive from the
Gaelic language’s translation of the word
‘Edinburgh’ whilst the colours of navy
and green were adapted to perfectly
reflect the joint Irish-Scottish heritage of
the new club.
Yet by 2003 – some 15 years into their existence – Connolly’s had only a
single Scottish championship to their name (1994) and only a memory-bank
of unfulfilled promise and regret to behold. Things however were about to
take a turn for the better. Much better.
The growth of University-based championships provided ample ground for
Connolly’s to gather new talent and this would aid them in their successful
quest at becoming the most dominant force in Scottish football. Players were
suddenly choosing to stay on and pursue careers in Scotland as opposed to
returning to Ireland and this has helped generate them nine titles in eleven
years.
As well as this, they also would become the first ever Scottish side to lift an
All-Britain title in 2009 after being led to this accolade by current manager,
Cormac O’Gara.
Ladies Football:
Similarly to its male equivalent, ladies