{{Short description|Fermanagh-based Gaelic games club}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox GAA club | club gaa = Erne Gaels Belleek | irish = Gaeil Éirne Béal-Leice | crest = File:ErneGaelsBelleekCrest.png | founded = 1961 | province = Ulster | county = Fermanagh | nickname = | colours = Amber with Black | grounds = Páirc na hEirne | coordinates ={{Coord|54.485|-8.0886|format=dms|display=it}} | f1 = 0 | f2 = 0 | f3 = 4 | h1 = 0 | h2 = 0 | h3 = 5 | c1 = | c2 = | c3 = | l1 = | l2 = | l3 = | pattern_la = _goldborder | pattern_b = _shoulder_stripes_gold_stripes | pattern_ra = _goldborder | pattern_sh = _gold_stripes_adidas | pattern_so = _3_stripes_gold | leftarm = 000000 | body = 000000 | rightarm = 000000 | shorts = 000000 | socks = 000000 |}} '''Erne Gaels, Belleek''' is a [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] club based in [[Belleek, County Fermanagh|Belleek]], [[County Fermanagh]], [[Northern Ireland]].
==History== The club was founded in 1961 and is named for the [[River Erne]]. Erne Gaels won their first [[Fermanagh Senior Football Championship]] title in 1979, and followed this up by winning it again in 1981.<ref>{{cite news|last=Archer|first=Kenny|date=28 September 2016|title=Liam Mac Laughlin hoping to help end Erne Gaels' 35-year wait|url=https://www.irishnews.com/sport/gaafootball/2016/09/28/news/mac-laughlin-hoping-to-help-end-erne-gaels-35-year-wait-711516/|work=[[The Irish News]]|accessdate=7 February 2022}}</ref>
The Belleek club's first appearance in a senior final since 1981 came in [[2016 Fermanagh Senior Football Championship|2016]], losing to [[Derrygonnelly Harps GFC|Derrygonnelly Harps]] by a single point.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bradley|first=Colm|date=3 October 2016|title=Fermanagh SFC final: Derrygonnelly leave it late to retain crown as Gaels wilt|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/fermanagh/fermanagh-sfc-final-derrygonnelly-leave-it-late-to-retain-crown-as-gaels-wilt-35097833.html|work=[[Belfast Telegraph]]|accessdate=9 December 2021}}</ref> After a relegation, their next championship success was in the Intermediate grade, beating [[Devenish St Mary's GAA|Devenish]] in the 2021 final.<ref>{{cite news|last=Flaherty|first=Ciaran|date=13 November 2021|title=Erne Gaels manager Seamus Ryder delighted with Championship win|url=https://www.impartialreporter.com/news/19715707.video-erne-gaels-manager-seamus-ryder-delighted-championship-win/|work=[[The Impartial Reporter]]|accessdate=7 February 2022}}</ref> In their first year back up at senior, Erne Gaels reached the county final, but suffered a heavy defeat to [[Enniskillen Gaels GAC|Enniskillen Gaels]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Flaherty|first=Ciaran|date=30 October 2022|title=Emphatic Enniskillen end 16-year wait to become Fermanagh champions|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40995398.html|work=[[Irish Examiner]]|accessdate=30 October 2022}}</ref> They reached the final again in 2023, but lost once again to Derrygonnelly.<ref>{{cite news|last=Archer|first=Kenny|date=22 October 2023|title=Derrygonnelly see off Erne Gaels in dramatic Fermanagh SFC Final finish|url=https://www.irishnews.com/sport/gaafootball/2023/10/22/news/fermanagh_sfc_final_report_-_derrygonnelly_erne_gaels-3718103/|work=[[The Irish News]]|accessdate=22 October 2023}}</ref> The club finally won their third senior championship in 2024, beating Enniskillen Gaels in the final.<ref>{{cite news|last=Flaherty|first=Ciaran|date=2 November 2024|title=Erne Gaels end 43-year wait for Senior Championship glory with win against Enniskillen Gaels|url=https://www.irishnews.com/gaa/gaelic-football/erne-gaels-end-43-year-wait-for-senior-championship-glory-with-win-against-enniskillen-gael-H6FZLGH5XJCXZE3AJ3NSPUTT2Y/|work=[[The Irish News]]|accessdate=3 November 2024}}</ref>
==Notable players== * [[Raymond Gallagher (Gaelic footballer)|Raymond Gallagher]] * [[Rory Gallagher (Gaelic footballer)|Rory Gallagher]]
==Honours== * '''[[Fermanagh Senior Football Championship]]''' (4): 1979, 1981, 2024, 2025 * '''Fermanagh Intermediate Football Championship''' (2): 2008, 2021 * '''Fermanagh Junior Football Championship''' (1): 1963<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fermanagh.gaa.ie/roll-of-honour/|title=Roll of Honour|work=[[Fermanagh GAA]]|access-date=8 January 2022|archive-date=8 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108220940/https://fermanagh.gaa.ie/roll-of-honour/|url-status=dead}}</ref> * '''[[Fermanagh Senior Hurling Championship]]''' (5): 1973, 1974, 1975, 1981, 1984
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Fermanagh GAA clubs}}
[[Category:Gaelic football clubs in County Fermanagh]] [[Category:Gaelic games clubs in County Fermanagh]]
{{Ulster-GAA-club-stub}}