{{Short description|Gaelic games club in County Down, Northern Ireland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox GAA club | club gaa = Portaferry | irish = Port an Pheire | crest = | founded = 1912 | province = Ulster | county = Down | colours = {{Color box|#0000FF}} {{Color box|#FFD700}} | grounds = St Patrick's Park | coordinates = {{coord|54.37445|-5.530086|display=it|format=dms}} | h1 = 0 | h2 = 1 | h3 = 25 | pattern_la = _whiteshoulders | pattern_b = _goldhorizontal | pattern_ra = _whiteshoulders | pattern_so = _color_3_stripes_yellow | pattern_sh = _bluesides | leftarm = 0000ff | body = 0000ff | rightarm = 0000ff | shorts = FFFFFF | socks = 0000ff | kit1 = Home Kit | kit2 = Change Kit | pattern_la2 = _whiteshoulders | pattern_b2 = _bluehorizontal | pattern_ra2 = _whiteshoulders | pattern_so2 = _color_3_stripes_yellow | pattern_sh2 = _bluesides | leftarm2 = FFC125 | body2 = FFC125 | rightarm2 = FFC125 | shorts2 = FFFFFF | socks2 = 0000ff| |}} thumb|The club grounds, St Patricks Park on the Ballyfounder Road. '''Portaferry GAC''' is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Portaferry, County Down, Northern Ireland. The club is affiliated to the Down County Board and is exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.
==History==
Located at the southern end of the Ards Peninsula, about 30 miles from Belfast, Portaferry Gaelic Athletic Club was founded in 1912, however, hurling had been played on the peninsula as early as 1900 by Portaferry Carraig Uladh.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clubinfo.ie/club/st-patricks-portaferry-hc/|title=St Patrick's Portaferry HC|publisher=Club Info|date=|access-date=30 October 2025|first=|last=}}</ref> One of the early driving forces behind the new club was a Tipperary-man named Ned Purcell.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-30866876.html|title='There's definitely more in us and we hope to bring that Sunday' – Down's Niamh Mallon|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=5 September 2018|access-date=30 October 2025|first=|last=}}</ref> He was an agricultural inspector who introduced hurling to the area. The club colours of blue and yellow were adopted in honour of his home county.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gaa.ie/news/loughed-away-from-the-world-hurling-in-ards|title=Loughed away from the world: Hurling in Ards|publisher=GAA website|date=16 April 2021|access-date=30 October 2025|first=|last=}}</ref>
Portaferry had its first major success in 1926, when the club claimed their inaugural Down SHC title. Further titles were won in 1929 and 1938, however, World War II resulted in a travel restrictions and a curtailment of activities. The club was reformed as St Patrick's Portaferry in 1948. After a lapse of 25 years, the club claimed its fourth Down SHC in 1963. It was one of four such titles won that decade.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hoganstand.com/down/ClubTitles|title=Club Titles - Down|publisher=Hogan Stand|date=|access-date=30 October 2025|first=|last=}}</ref>
Portaferry went on to be regular winners of the Down SHC title in the decades that followed, as well as claiming the Ulster Club SHC title in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=226907 |title=Ulster club SHC final: Portaferry shock 'Dall|access-date=2 November 2014 |publisher=Hogan Stand |date=2 November 2014}}</ref> The club won its 22nd Down SHC title in 2022 to overtake Ballygalget and move into third place on the all-time roll of honour.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gaa.ie/hurling/news/down-shc-final-portaferry-claim-win/|title=Down SHC Final: Portaferry claim win|publisher=GAA website|date=9 October 2022|access-date=22 October 2023|first=|last=}}</ref> Portaferry moved into second place in 2024 after winning its 24th title.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41499764.html|title=Red-hot McGrattan helps Portaferry power to third Down championship in a row|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=20 October 2024|access-date=6 October 2025|first=|last=}}</ref> This was followed by a fourth consecutive Down SHC title in 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41731278.html|title=Portaferry win fourth consecutive Down SHC title with an 11-point win over Ballygalget|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=26 October 2025|access-date=30 October 2025|first=|last=}}</ref>
==Honours== * '''Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship''' (1): 2014 * '''Down Senior Hurling Championship''' (25): 1926, 1929, 1938, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1978, 1981, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
==Notable players==
* Paul Braniff: Christy Ring Cup-winner (2013)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-30596961.html|title=High drama as last-minute goal seals Christy Ring Cup for Down|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=8 June 2013|access-date=30 October 2025|first=|last=}}</ref> * Gerard McGrattan: All-Star Award-winner (1992)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishnews.com/sport/hurlingandcamogie/2017/10/26/news/where-are-they-now-former-down-hurler-and-1992-allstar-gerard-mcgrattan--1172193/|title=Where are they now? Former Down hurler, and 1992 Allstar, Gerard McGrattan...|publisher=The Irish News|date=26 October 2017|access-date=30 October 2025|first=|last=}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160513102111/http://www.portaferrygac.com/ Portaferry GAC website]
{{Down GAA clubs}}
Category:Gaelic games clubs in County Down Category:Hurling clubs in County Down Category:1912 establishments in Ireland