Leitrim GAA

{{Short description|Gaelic games governing body in Ireland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox Gaelic games county board | name = Leitrim GAA | crest = Leitrim GAA crest 2007.gif | irish = Liatroim | nickname = The Canaries<br>The Ridge County<ref>{{cite book|title=The GAA book of lists|first=Eoghan|last=Corry|isbn=978-0-340-89695-2|pages=182–3|year=2005|publisher=[[Hodder Headline]] Ireland|location=[[Dublin]]}}</ref><br>The Green and Gold<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/local/county-board-look-to-breen-dugdale-in-wake-of-shock-moran-departure-1-3300277|title=County Board look to Breen & Dugdale in wake of shock Moran departure|newspaper=Leitrim Observer|date=1 December 2011|access-date=1 December 2011|quote=Moran, starting his fourth year with the Green & Gold, had already drawn up a panel for the 2012 Allianz League campaign...}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | founded = | province = Connacht | dominant sport = Gaelic football | grounds = [[Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada]],<br>[[Carrick-on-Shannon]] | county colours = {{color box|50C878}} Green {{color box|FFD700}} Gold | website = https://www.leitrimgaa.ie/

| sfc champs = | sfc year = | shc champs = | shc year = | nfl div = Division 4 | nhl div = Division 3B | football champ = Sam Maguire Cup | hurling champ = Nicky Rackard Cup | ladies football = Mary Quinn Memorial Cup | camogie = }} The Leitrim County Board of the [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] (GAA) ({{langx|ga|Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Chontae Liatroma}}) or '''Leitrim GAA''' is one of the 32 [[County board (Gaelic games)|county board]]s of the GAA in [[Ireland]], and is responsible for [[Gaelic games]] in [[County Leitrim]]. The county board is also responsible for the Leitrim inter-county teams. The county football team play in the [[Connacht Senior Football Championship]] and compete in Division 3 of the [[National Football League (Ireland)|National Football League]]. Considered "Connacht's traditional minnows" and "one of the GAA's Cinderella counties",<ref>{{cite news|first=Cliona|last=Foley|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/leitrim-relish-rare-success-3368111.html|title=Leitrim relish rare success|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=28 January 2013|access-date=28 January 2013}}</ref> Leitrim are never seriously seen as likely to win a major title. They have won the [[Connacht Senior Football Championship]] on two occasions, the first in 1927 and their second in 1994.

==Governance== [[Enda Stenson]] became county chairman in December 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2020/0708/1152088-leitirm-chairman-stenson-wants-change-embraced/|title=Leitrim chairman Enda Stenson wants change embraced|publisher=RTÉ|date=8 July 2020}}</ref>

==Finances== In late-August 2022, it was reported that Leitrim GAA officials had requested funding from the [[Connacht GAA|Connacht Provincial Council]] and the GAA itself, ahead of the county's expected league and championship expeditions to play London and New York in 2023.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2022/0830/1319643-leitrim-seek-funding-for-new-york-and-london-trips/|title=Leitrim seek funding for New York and London trips|publisher=RTÉ|first=Damian|last=Lawlor|date=30 August 2022}}</ref>

== Football == {{main|Leitrim county football team}}

Leitrim's football history has brought sparse reward. They first competed in the [[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship|All-Ireland]] in the [[1907 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship|1907 championship]]. They were beaten by [[Roscommon GAA|Roscommon]] on a score of 0–03 to 0–01 in the Connacht semi-final in their first ever match. The county won its first ever match in the [[1910 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship|1910 championship]], beating [[Sligo GAA|Sligo]] in the Connacht quarter-final by 0–03 to 0–00. They were then beaten by [[Galway GAA|Galway]] in the semi-final. Leitrim did not record another win until the [[1914 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship|1914 championship]]. They beat Sligo by 5–07 to 0–02 to qualify for their first ever Connacht final but were beaten by Roscommon in the decider. In the semi-final of the [[1924 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship#Connacht|1924 Connacht Championship]], Leitrim forced [[Mayo GAA|Mayo]] to a draw, then refused to play extra-time. Galway went on to be beaten in the final by [[Mayo GAA|Mayo]] following a replay. In [[1927 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship#Connacht|1927]], with training from Sean O'Hehir, father of the veteran radio commentator [[Michael O'Hehir|Micheál]] and with the help of good fortune when Connacht semi-finalists Roscommon had to line out without five players whose car had broken down, Leitrim won their first ever Connacht title. They went on to narrowly lose to [[Kerry GAA|Kerry]] by two points in the semi-final of the [[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship]]. The modern "golden age" of Leitrim football began in late 1989 with the appointment of PJ Carroll. Under Carroll's tenure, the county moved from the bottom of Division 3 to the top of Division 2. In 1990, Leitrim won their first national title by defeating Sligo in the final of the All-Ireland 'B' Football Championship at Hyde Park. That same year, midfielder Mickey Quinn became the county's first-ever All-Star, following a notable performance against Kildare in Mick O'Dwyer's first game as manager. [[John O'Mahony (Mayo politician)|John O'Mahony]] was appointed Leitrim manager in late 1992 to build on this momentum and the success of the Under-21 team that won the 1991 Connacht Championship. O'Mahony introduced a more professionalized setup, including team psychologists and structured pre-match preparations. He took Leitrim to the final of the [[1994 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship#Connacht|1994 Connacht Championship]]. Leitrim did not have an easy route to the final, beating [[Roscommon GAA|Roscommon]] by a point and only overcoming Galway by a point in a replay—their first championship win over Galway since the 1940s. They took on Mayo in the final, overcoming O'Mahony's native county by two points in [[Dr. Hyde Park|Hyde Park]]. O'Mahony's feat in leading the team that is traditionally the weakest in the province to that title is still heralded nationally to this day.<ref>{{cite news | first=Martin | last=Breheny | url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/the-import-and-export-business-3304418.html | title=The import and export business | newspaper=Irish Independent |date=24 November 2012 | access-date=24 November 2012 | quote=the highest 'outside' football achiever in terms of titles is John O'Mahony...Steering Galway to All-Ireland wins in 1998 and 2001, ending a barren spell that extended back to 1966, was a huge achievement for O'Mahony, but, in many ways, leading Leitrim to their first Connacht title for 67 years in 1994 was just as noteworthy...given the small base from which Leitrim operate, winning a Connacht title is always a massive success story. All the more so in 1994 when they had to beat Galway, Roscommon and Mayo to claim the title.}}</ref> The victory was famously marked by 1927 captain Tom Gannon joining Declan Darcy on the podium. Leitrim were ultimately beaten in the All-Ireland semi-final by [[Dublin GAA|Dublin]] at [[Croke Park]]. The first county to benefit under the parentage rule was also the first to lose their big catch, with the loss of Darcy to Dublin depleting the panel in 1998, bringing Leitrim's most successful era to an end. Leitrim won the [[FBD Insurance League]] in 2013, defeating their neighbours [[Sligo GAA|Sligo]] in the final. This was the county's fourth ever trophy and their first since 1994.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2013/0128/364853-win-over-sligo-will-lift-leitrim-insists-mulligan/|title=Connacht League victory 'a huge lift' for Leitrim, says captain Emlyn Mulligan|work=RTÉ Sport|date=28 January 2013|access-date=28 January 2013}}</ref> They retained the title in 2014, defeating [[Roscommon GAA|Roscommon]] in the final.<ref>{{cite web|title=Leitrim 2-05 Roscommon 1-07|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2014/0126/500280-leitrim-claim-fbd-crown-once-again/|access-date=26 January 2014}}</ref> The county's Vocational Schools team have made it to two [[All-Ireland Vocational Schools Championship]] Finals losing to [[Carlow GAA|Carlow]] in 1972 and [[Donegal GAA|Donegal]] in 1995.

==Hurling== [[File:LeitrimWarksHurling.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.4|Leitrim hurlers (in green and gold) in action against [[Warwickshire county hurling team|Warwickshire]] in 2024]] On 20 May 2017, Leitrim defeated [[Sligo county hurling team|Sligo]] in Round 5 of the [[Lory Meagher Cup]] on a scoreline of 3–15 to 3–8 to qualify for the final at [[Croke Park]].<ref>[http://www.leitrimobserver.ie/video/sport/250991/watch-leitrim-hurlers-celebrate-reaching-croke-park-after-victory-over-sligo.html Watch Leitrim hurlers celebrate reaching Croke Park after victory over Sligo]</ref><ref>[https://www.balls.ie/gaa/leitrim-hurlers-366770 Leitrim Hurlers Aim To Make History With First Appearance At Croke Park]</ref>

On 22 June 2019, Leitrim defeated [[Lancashire county hurling team|Lancashire]] on a scoreline of 2–23 to 2–22 after extra time to win the [[2019 Lory Meagher Cup]] and qualify for the [[2020 Nicky Rackard Cup]].<ref>[https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2019/0622/1056884-extra-time-glory-for-leitrim-in-lory-meagher-decider/ Extra-time glory for Leitrim in Lory Meagher decider]</ref>

Martin Cunniffe, who had been Leitrim senior hurling manager since 2011, resigned in November 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.midwestradio.ie/index.php/sport/34673-martin-cunniffe-resigns-as-leitrim-senior-hurling-manager|title=Martin Cunniffe resigns as Leitrim Senior Hurling Manager|publisher=[[MidWest Radio]]|date=5 November 2019}}</ref>

Former players include Tim Slevin.<ref>[https://www.leitrimgaa.ie/2020/11/tim-slevin-rip-former-leitrim-hurler/ Tim Slevin Former Leitrim Hurler], 2020-11-09.</ref>

Leitrim's hurlers announced that their jerseys would feature the words "No to Racism" during the 2021 season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hoganstand.com/Article/Index/316890|title=Leitrim hurlers to wear 'No To Racism' on jersey for 2021 season|work=Hogan Stand|date=10 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.the42.ie/leitrim-jerseys-no-to-racism-mrci-5433152-May2021/|title=Leitrim hurlers to display 'No To Racism' on their jerseys for the 2021 season|publisher=[[The42.ie]]|date=10 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/gaelic-games/631871/leitrim-gaa-and-county-hurlers-team-up-to-back-migrant-rights-centre-ireland-anti-racism-message-on-new-jersey.html|title=Leitrim GAA and County Hurlers team up to back Migrant Rights Centre Ireland anti-racism message on new jersey|work=[[Leitrim Observer]]|date=10 May 2021}}</ref>

*'''[[Lory Meagher Cup]]''' (1) ** Champions: [[2019 Lory Meagher Cup|2019]] ** Runners Up: [[2017 Lory Meagher Cup|2017]] *'''[[Connacht Junior Hurling Championship]]''' (4) ** 1969, 1970, 1975, 1976 *'''[[Connacht Minor Hurling Championship]]''' (1) ** 1965 *'''Connacht League Shield''' (1) ** 2022 * {{div col end}}

==Ladies' football== Manager: Hugh Donnelly.

Leitrim have the following achievements in ladies' football. {{Div col}} *'''[[All-Ireland Junior Ladies' Football Championship]]''' (1) ** 1988 *'''[[All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies' Football Championship]]''' (2) ** 2007, 2024 *'''[[All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship]]''' – Runners up ** 1984 *'''Connacht Ladies' Senior Championships''' (7) ** 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1991, 1992 {{div col end}}

==Camogie== Under Camogie's National Development Plan 2010–2015, "Our Game, Our Passion",<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling/final-goal-for-camogie-2115510.html|title=Final goal for camogie|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=29 March 2010|access-date=29 March 2010}}</ref> three new camogie clubs were to be established in Leitrim and a county board assembled by 2015.<ref>National Development Plan 2010–2015, Our Game, Our Passion information page on [http://www.camogie.ie/NationalDevelopmentPlan/tabid/71/Default.aspx camogie.ie] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901210357/http://www.camogie.ie/NationalDevelopmentPlan/tabid/71/Default.aspx |date=1 September 2010 }}, pdf download (778k) from [http://www.camogie.ie/Portals/0/Documents/Development%20Plan.pdf Camogie.ie download site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110916083041/http://www.camogie.ie/Portals/0/Documents/Development%20Plan.pdf |date=16 September 2011 }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{Official website}} * [https://www.hoganstand.com/Leitrim/ Leitrim] on Hogan Stand

[[Category:Leitrim GAA| ]] [[Category:Gaelic games governing bodies in Connacht]] [[Category:Sport in County Leitrim]]