Four Masters GAA

{{Use Hiberno-English|date=December 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}} {{Short description|Donegal-based Gaelic games club}} {{Infobox GAA club | club gaa = Four Masters | irish = Na Ceithre Máistir | crest = Four Masters GAA logo.jpg | founded = 1932 | province = Ulster | county = Donegal | colours = Blue and White | grounds = Pairc Tir Conaill | coordinates = {{coord|54|39|17.21|N|8|07|19.08|W|display=it|region:IE_type:landmark}} | pattern_la = | pattern_b = _vneckwhite | pattern_ra = | pattern_sh =_adidaswhite | pattern_so =_whitetop | leftarm = 0000CC | body = 0000CC | rightarm = 0000CC | shorts = #FFFFFF | socks = 0000CC | f3 = 3 |}} '''Four Masters''' is a GAA club located in the town of Donegal in County Donegal, Ireland. They are one of the strongholds of Gaelic football in Donegal.<ref>{{cite news|first=Damian|last=Cullen|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/final-countdown-1.534476|title=Final countdown|work=The Irish Times|date=20 September 2012|accessdate=20 September 2012|quote=The strongholds of Gaelic football in the county — particularly since the turn of this century — such as Gweedores Gaoth Dobhair, Letterkennys St Eunans, Ardara, Four Masters from Donegal Town and Naomh Conaill from Glenties have all been well represented on the pitch this summer.|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412212029/http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/final-countdown-1.534476|archivedate=12 April 2015}}</ref>

==History== Based in the parishes of Townawilly and Killymard, Donegal Town, Four Masters is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Donegal having won 3 Donegal Senior Football Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fourmastersgaa.com/roll.htm#Football|title=Roll: Football|accessdate=6 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117021429/http://www.fourmastersgaa.com/roll.htm#Football|archive-date=17 November 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The GAA club under Warwickshire County Board in Coventry, England, is named after the Four Masters club in Donegal.<ref name="Four Masters GFC Club History"/> That club was unable to register as a Donegal Club but reserved the Four Masters name.

Austin O'Kennedy, a top GAA doctor who oversaw all Donegal county teams for 22 years, has also been involved with Four Masters for even longer.<ref>{{cite news|first=Niall|last=McCoy|url=http://www.gaeliclife.com/2012/12/14/time-for-a-club-gpa/|title=Time for a club GPA|work=Gaelic Life|date=14 December 2012|accessdate=14 December 2012|archive-date=8 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308051303/http://www.gaeliclife.com/2012/12/14/time-for-a-club-gpa/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Tom Conaghan who managed the Four Masters to two county championships in 1982 and 1984 went on to manage the county team during the late 80s. He managed Donegal to the 1989 Ulster Final which they lost in a replay to Tyrone.

The club has more All Stars Awards than any other club in the county, Donal Monaghan winning one in 1974 (the year he was Man of the Match against Down in the Ulster Senior Football Championship final), Joyce McMullin winning one in 1990, Paul Durcan winning two in 2012 and 2014 and Karl Lacey winning four in 2006 and 2009 at corner back and 2011 and 2012 at centre-half back. Lacey also won the GAA GPA Player of the year award in 2012.<ref name="Four Masters GFC Club History">{{cite web|url=http://www.fourmastersgaa.co.uk/history.htm |title=Four Masters GFC Club History |work=fourmastersgaa.co.uk |accessdate=14 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081112040845/http://www.fourmastersgaa.co.uk/history.htm |archivedate=12 November 2008 }}</ref>

After the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final, Four Masters organised the homecoming for the victorious Donegal county team.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.donegaldaily.com/2012/09/24/huge-crowds-expected-in-the-diamond-for-donegals-heroes/|title=Huge crowds expected in The Diamond for Donegal's heroes|work=Donegal Daily|date=24 September 2012|accessdate=24 September 2012|quote=Gardaí have revealed that the Diamond area and surrounding streets will be closed to traffic from around 4pm onwards to prepare for the huge crowds expected on the streets. The homecoming to the Diamond is being organised by the local Four Masters club who are co-ordinating parking.}}</ref>

==Notable players==  * Seamus Bonner — Ulster SFC winner: 1972, 1974, 1983 * Shane Carr — All-Ireland SFC semi-finalist: 2003 * Tom Conaghan — the 1982 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship-winning manager played for the club<ref>{{cite news|first=Matt|last=Britton|url=https://www.donegallive.ie/news/donegal-news/37757/Tom-Conaghan--A-farmer-.html|title=Tom Conaghan: A farmer, a Mayor and above all, a father|work=Donegal Democrat|date=1 July 2012|access-date=1 July 2012}}</ref> * Barry Dunnion * Paul Durcan — All Star: 2012, 2014 * Luke Keaney * Michael Kelly * Karl Lacey — All Star: 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012 + 2012 All Stars Footballer of the Year  * Joyce McMullin — All Star: 1990 * Barry Monaghan — All-Ireland SFC semi-finalist: 2003 * Donal Monaghan — All Star: 1974

==Managers== {| class="wikitable" |- !Years !Manager |- |1932–2020||{{N/A}} |- |{{c.}} 2020–2021||Pat Campbell<ref>{{cite news|first=Ryan|last=Ferry|title=Gaoth Dobhair travel to Donegal Town|work=Donegal News|date=30 July 2020|page=58|quote=Pat Campbell is managing Four Masters this season…}}</ref> |- |{{c.}} 2022–||Kevin Sinclair<ref>{{cite news|first=Ryan|last=Ferry|title=New territory for Letterkenny|work=Donegal News|date=31 March 2022|page=68|quote=Francie Martin's Red Hughs and Kevin Sinclair's Four Masters are not playing this weekend.}}</ref> |- |}

==Honours== * '''Donegal Junior Hurling Championship:''' 1955,{{citation needed|date=March 2024}} 2024<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.oceanfm.ie/2024/08/31/four-masters-celebrate-donegal-hurling-title/|title=Four Masters celebrate Donegal hurling title|publisher=Ocean FM|date=31 August 2024|access-date=31 August 2024}}</ref> * '''Donegal Senior Football Championship:''' 1982, 1984, 2003 * '''Donegal Senior Football League Division 1:''' 1948, 1949, 2010 * '''Donegal Senior Reserve Football Championship:''' 2000, 2001, 2010 * '''Donegal Senior Football League Division 1 Reserves:''' 2000, 2001, 2009, 2011, 2014 * ''' Donegal Senior Football League Division 3 Reserves:''' 2021 * '''Donegal Senior Football League Division 2:''' 1981, 1989, 1996 * '''Donegal Intermediate Football Championship:''' 1996 * '''Donegal Intermediate Reserve Football Championship:''' 1995, 1996 * '''Donegal Football League Shield:''' 1987, 1993 * '''Donegal Junior Football Championship:''' 1943, 1965, 1975 * '''Donegal Under-21 Football Championship:''' 1979, 2001 * '''Donegal Under-21B Football Championship:''' 1995 * '''Donegal Minor Football Championship:''' 1996, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2022, 2023, 2024 * '''Donegal Minor B Football Championship:''' 2014 * '''Ulster Minor Club Championship: ''' 2023, 2024

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://fourmasters.donegal.gaa.ie Official website] * [http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/gaa-results-67308.html GAA results] - ''Irish Independent''

Category:1932 establishments in Ireland Category:Donegal (town) Category:Gaelic games clubs in County Donegal Category:Gaelic football clubs in County Donegal Category:Hurling clubs in County Donegal