Down GAA's Red and Black day which was held on Sunday 24th May has been a major success with hundreds and hundreds of photos of supporters donning their Jersey's, hats, flags and headbands submitted online to Down GAA’s Official Social Media Channels.
Down GAA's Senior and Minor Footballers were due to travel to Enniskillen on Sunday the 24th May to take on Fermanagh in their opening game of the 2020 Ulster Championship, while the Senior Hurlers should have already played two games in this year’s Christy Ring Cup having been due to take on Kildare and London.
Down GAA PR Committee had asked supporters on Sunday to upload photos on Social Media and to tag @OfficialDownGAA and #RedandBlack of them in their County colours as if they were attending a Down match and supporting the boys in red and black.
Commenting on the success of the project Down GAA County Chairperson John Devaney stated "The initiative to invite supporters from across the county to don their red and black on what should have been our opening Ulster championship day reminded us of what we are missing. But we hope that the opportunity to take on Fermanagh and get our championship campaign under way will come again. Our supporters are itching to get back to what is so familiar to them in summer time, so wearing the county colours gives them some sense of desire to see action soon again."
"Now, with the continued absence of football and hurling, our online attention turns to a virtual Lá na gClub on Sunday. To add some colour to an empty early summer, we hope that clubs, members and supporters put on their club colours and brighten up our social media. I commend our PR and Communications Committee for these ideas, and I really do hope the clubs promote this one far and wide within their units and their communities."
Down GAA will hold their virtual Lá na gClub Day this coming Sunday 31st May. This time we are asking people to show support for their club, wearing their club colours and submitting their photos on Social media Tagging their Club and @OfficialDownGAA and #DownGAAclub.
EXTRA TIME – Saturday 23rd May 2020
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Paint the County Red..& Black
22 May 2020, 10:29 pm
Paint the County Red..& Black
In acknowledgment of what would have been Down GAA’s opening Championship weekend in football and hurling for 2020, we are calling all Down gaels to don their county colours this Sunday in recognition
Get your jerseys, flags, hats, scarves and headbands out and support the County as if it were the real deal this weekend
Upload your County colour photos on Social Media, tag any of our Official Down GAA channels & use #redandblack so we can share across the province!
Paint the County Red..& Black
In acknowledgment of what would have been Down GAA’s opening Championship weekend in football and hurling f Read More...
1968 All Ireland Winner John Murphy RIP
21 May 2020, 1:27 pm
The late John Murphy
Coiste Chontae an Dúin and the entire GAA community of Down are saddened to learn today of the death of one of our favourite sons, John Murphy. He was an All-Ireland winner as a player in 1968 and then Peter McGraths right hand man in the management team during the successes of 1991 and 94. We extend our deepest sympathy to John’s wife Veronica, his daughters Niamh and Fiona, sons Gavin and Karl, his grandchildren and the entire Murphy and Sands family circles. We also extend our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to the Gaels of Newry Shamrocks who have lost an outstanding servant of their club.
Today the GAA world in Down is a poorer place with the loss of a man who gave outstanding service and commitment to his county on and off the field of play across five decades. John first came to prominence on the teams of Abbey CBS where he won a MacRory Cup Medal in 1964 in a victory over St Pats Cavan. It would be natural then that John would go on then to wear the red and black, and in 1966 he was midfield on the side that was beaten by Mayo in the All Ireland Final. It was to be a lesson learned in Croke Park on that day, and John was one of six members of the team who would feature two years later, on the successful senior side.
He won a National League medal in May 1968 when Down defeated Kildare, and John Murphy was now an established member of what became an outstanding forward line. In that summer of 68 brought, the Anglo-Celt Cup returned to Down, and in the Ulster Final against Cavan John scored two points and gave an outstanding performance when moved to midfield in the second half.
The All Ireland Final of 1968 was a day when John Murphy lived the boyhood dream and scored an opportunist and well taken goal eight minutes into the game to put Down firmly on their way to a third All Ireland title. It was a special day for the Murphy clan, as John’s uncle, the late great TP, was then County Secretary and a member of the management team. The boy had become man, as in that final against Kerry, he finished the game playing at left-half-back and was one of the heroes of the hour.
John won Railway Cup medals with Ulster in 1970 and 71. He won another Ulster title with Down in 1971, before losing to Galway in the All Ireland semi-final. His last Ulster Final appearance was in the final of 1975, which ended in defeat to Derry.
John had a wonderful football brain and was a man of wise counsel. When Sean Smith returned to manage Down again in the mid-1980s, he took with him his former player John Murphy as his selector. Together, they guided Down to the Ulster Final of 1986 where they lost to Tyrone.
When Peter McGrath took on the role of County Senior Team Manager in the autumn of 1989, he turned to John again as a selector, once again John Murphy was to have a significant impact in that role. John had presence and status and had a great ability to relate to players personally and to get the best out of them in turn as footballers. In team management, he was never one to shy from debate whilst fully respecting the final decision. As a player and as a selector, John always served and acted in the best interests of Down football. He was loyal too to his friend and colleague Peter McGrath, and when the time came in 2002 for that great era in Down football to end, John was still there with Pete.
We in Down GAA have been privileged that John Murphy was part of our story. He was a man of integrity and a man of honor; someone who lived the dream of playing for his county, winning an All-Ireland, scoring that famous goal and then of helping to shape two Down teams to win All Irelands. He enjoyed the reunions with playing colleagues from those great days and of growing older with the boys of 91 and 94, He had his favourite seat in the stand at Pairc Esler and watched the next generations give of their best for both Down and Newry Shamrocks.
Men like John Murphy helped to make Down the proud GAA County that it is today, he was a great ambassador for Down, he was man who loved his football, he loved his County, his Club and most of all he loved his family. On behalf of the Gaels of Down we say thank you for the wonderful days that you gave us. To his wife Veronica, to his children Niamh, Fiona, Gavin and Karl, to John’s grandchildren, his daughters in law, his brothers and sisters we once again offer our deepest and heartfelt sympathy on the loss of a husband, a father, a grandfather and a brother.
The late John Murphy
Coiste Chontae an Dúin and the entire GAA community of Down are saddened to learn today of the death of one of our fa Read More...
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Down GAA song project produces one virtual performance from 47 clubs
13 May 2020, 6:00 pm
Down GAA song project produces one virtual performance from 47 clubs
Singers and musicians representing all the GAA clubs in Down collaborate online to perform Tommy Sands’ song The County Down
An online collaboration of performers from all 47 GAA clubs in Down has produced a virtual cover version of the Tommy Sands song The County Down.
With a hiatus in all outdoor GAA activity, members and units have turned to social media to find new and unique ways of maintaining interest and connections. The most recent project in Down involved music and song, as each club was asked to choose a singer or musician to perform the local ballad; this in turn was knitted together into one performance.
The song was penned by local folk singer and songwriter Tommy Sands for his 1992 album Beyond the Shadows. The Down GAA piece was coordinated by Paula Magee and remastered into a strong group performance involving over 120 people from all 47 GAA clubs in Down by Gareth McGreevy.
The Down GAA Chairman John Devaney praised those involved in the undertaking, saying that “the lockdown has unleashed some imaginative ways for members to engage in an interactive and entertaining way. Pulling this together, with so many people involved, has been an impressive feat and the performance is a very professional production. So, well done to everyone involved and a particular note of thanks to Gareth McGreevy and Paula Magee”.
Tommy Sands himself expressed his delight at the production: “I always feel honoured to hear my songs being recorded by people around the world; but to hear this song from my own place County Down being performed so beautifully by young people from every GAA club in this County moves me very deeply indeed.
“It was recorded in these eerie isolation times when young people, unable to be together even for a short time, found a way to celebrate their own native place through music and somehow end up together for all time”.
Thank you to all 120 people involved in performing and putting the performance together:
Eimear Devlin (Aghaderg/Ballyvarley), Aoibheann Sloan (An Ríocht), Diarmuid Cahill (An Ríocht), Sarah Fegan (Annaclone), Ava Cahill (Annaclone), Aoibhin Pyers (Annaclone), Ciara Pyers (Annaclone), Michelle Pyers (Annaclone), Eoin Caughey (Ardglass), Erin Cunningham (Ardglass), Orlagh Murphy (Atticall), Fionnuala Pickering (Aughlisnafin), Tara McAnearney (Ballela), Jana McCarthy (Ballycran, St. Joseph's), Cathlin Fay (Ballygalget), Aisling McKeown (Ballyholland Harps), Anna Kearney (Ballyholland Harps), Aileen Kearney (Ballyholland Harps), Phoebe Richards (Ballykinlar), Sinead O Hare (Ballymartin), Carol McAllister (Bredagh), Kerry McLaughlin (Bright), Micheal Valentine (Bryansford), Clare Cunningham (Bryansford), Orla Maginess (Bryansford), Louise Brady (Bryansford), Bronach Fegan (Burren, St. Mary's), Caoimhe Loughran (Burren, St. Mary's), Annamarie Magorrian (Carryduff), Caoimhe Magorrian(Carryduff), Annie Breen (Castlewellan, St Malachys), Sharon Breen (Castlewellan, St Malachys), Orla McCrickard (Castlewellan, St Malachys), Emma Loughlin (Clann na Banna ), Lorna Carroll (Clann na Banna), Sineas Parfitt (Clann na Banna), Caroline McGreevy (Clonduff), Aoife Trainor (Clonduff), Paul Kelly (Clonduff), Barry McVeigh (Darragh Cross ), Katie Quinn (Downpatrick, Russell Gaelic Union), Megan Smith (Dromara), Patrick Doyle (Dromara), Ella Fegan (Drumaness, St. Colman's), Tony Ferris (Drumaness, St. Colman's), Kayla O Hare (Drumgath), Kathleen Garland (Dundrum), Olivia Tolcher (Dundrum), Aoife Grant (Glasdrumman), Tara Grant (Glasdrumman), Niamh McDowell (Glasdrumman), Cara Sloan (Glasdrumman), Clodagh Morgan (Glasdrumman), Ciara Rooney (Glasdrumman), Donna Feeney (Glasdrumman), Emma Matters (Glenn John Martins), Kerrie Kennedy (Glenn John Martins), Caoimhe Murtagh (Glenn John Martins), Fintan Cultra (Kilclief Ben Dearg), Siobhan McEvoy (Kilcoo Eoghan Rua), Claire Scally (Liatroim Fontenoys), Anna-Rose McCabe (Liatroim Fontenoys), Claire Doyle (Liatroim Fontenoys), Cillian McLaverty (Longstone), Kirsten Jennings (Loughinisland), Lauren Deagan (Loughinisland), Peter Magee (Mayobridge ), Eimear Magee (Mayobridge ), Paula Magee (Mayobridge), Cathal Magee (Mayobridge), Ciara Rooney (Mayobridge), Jordan Lively (Mayobridge), Maeve McCartan (Mayobridge), Niamh Martin (Mayobridge), Ava McPolin (Mayobridge), Patrick Lively (Mayobridge Band), Mairead Campbell (Newry Mitchels), Ciara Gorman (Newry Shamrocks), Orlaith Gorman (Newry Shamrocks), Meabh Hegarty (Newry Shamrocks), Fiona Brennan (Newry Shamrocks), Kathy McGrattan (Portaferry, St Patrick's), Masie Tinnley (Rostrevor, St. Bronagh's), Kate Rice (Rostrevor, St. Bronagh's), Gareth McGrevy (Saul, St. Patrick's), Angela McGreevy (Saul, St. Patrick's), Orlagh Carson (Saul, St. Patrick's), Grainne Boss (Saul, St. Patrick's), Taylor Murin (Saul, St. Patrick's), Rosie Byrne (Saul, St. Patrick's), Niamh McCullough (Saul, St. Patrick's), Sarah McVeigh (Saul, St. Patrick's), Erin Sands (Saul, St. Patrick's), Catherine Boyle (Saul, St. Patrick's), Laura Edgar (Saul, St. Patrick's), Lindsay Hanna (Saul, St. Patrick's), Conor Fitzsimons (Saul, St. Patrick's), Lauren Mooney (Saval), Annamarie Boyle (St. John Bosco), Enya Boyle (St. John's, Drumnaquoile), Rebecca Hamill (St Michaels), Bronagh McClean (St. Pauls), Niall McClean (St. Pauls), Seamus Mc Clean (St. Pauls), Colleen McCleery (St. Pauls), Aoife McGrath (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Grace Summerville (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Emma-Louise Murphy (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Joanna Doran (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Grainne Mallon (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Ciara Carr (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Lauran Caldwell (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Grace Mallon (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Claudia Mallon (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Sarah Rooney (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Holly Tinnely (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Oisin McCann (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Sophie Gaw (St. Peter's Warrenpoint), Éilis Rowan (Teconnaught) & Phil Walker (Tullylish)
The performance can be accessed on Down GAA website: www.downgaa.net/news/virtualsong and on Down GAA Social Media Channels #OfficialDownGAA.
The finishing touches are being put to the Recording for our virtual version of Tommy Sands song The County Down preformed by all 47 Down GA Read More...
Upcoming Fixtures
Round 5
ACHL Div 1 Sunday 31st May 2020 (1 00 PM) at Ballygalget
Ballygalget GAC
VS
Cuchullains Dun Lathaí
Round 5
ACHL Div 1 Sunday 31st May 2020 (1 00 PM) at Portaferry
Tv
Down GAA Red & Black Day 2020 
Down GAA Red and Black Day - 24th May 2020 
Down GAA Centre of Excellence - Ballykinlar 
Down GAA song project produces one virtual performance from 47 clubs - The County Down 
TG4 coverage of the Christy Ring 2019 final 
2019 Hurling All-Ireland U20B Championship Final: Down 0-12 Kerry 3-22 
