Falling numbers force clubs to join forces

By Alan Rodgers

TYRONE clubs joining together at underage level has become a common trend during the past decade as many areas of the county struggle to find the numbers required to field youth teams.

Amalgamations are now a feature of competitions at u-14, u-16 and minor.

In recent years, Newtownstewart and Dregish became the latest clubs to come together at adult level under the Naomh Eoghain banner and it is likely that more will follow in the future.

While some clubs at adult and youth level are struggling, others are thriving. Development teams are now being fielded to ensure games are provided for all, while the number of clubs fielding third teams at adult level has also risen in the past two years.

But the difficulties facing some clubs are clear. One example is Clann Na nGael, the home club of two of the county’s greatest ever players, Stephen O’Neill and Brian Dooher.

In 1975, an Owen Roes which had just been formed from an amalgamation of Leckpatrick and Dunamanagh, reached the Tyrone Senior final.

In the 1980s, Owen Roes, Aughabrack and Dunamanagh were all playing adult football, with the latter winning the junior title in 1985.

But it wasn’t long before the declining population began to become an issue. Dunamanagh and Aughabrack were amalgamated in 1996 to become Donagheady (the parish name).

The following year, Clann Na nGael was formed and enjoyed success culminating in a county senior semi-final appearance in 2004.

Since then, though, there has been a gradual decline, to the point where the club is no longer able to field youth teams on their own.

Niall ‘Barney’ Conway served as its chairman and knows only too well the challenge facing them.

“In 2026 we will be joining with Glenelly under the banner of Sperrin Gaels because our numbers are quite limited.

“For the past four years we have been amalgamating with Craigbane from Derry.

“Our area of north Tyrone is very rurally isolated, people aren’t really commuting from here to Strabane, Omagh or Derry.

“We mostly have b-roads, the number of houses being built is extremely low and the political turmoil especially in the village hasn’t helped over the years.

“A few years ago, we had informally in the club considered establishing a ‘north Tyrone lobby’ to encourage the authorities to ease planning restrictions in the countryside. But as officials, we were just too busy with the day to day running of our club to look strategically at what was happening.”

It is no wonder, then, that officials like Conway and others are so anxious to see something being done. He has spent his life in the GAA, played for Dunamanagh and Clann Na nGael at all levels as well as representing Tyrone at minor, u-21 and Masters level.

“I would really like to see the GAA intervening here and in other areas. It would be great to see the GAA at county, national and provincial level increasing their political lobbying to ensure that people are encouraged to come to places like Aughabrack and Dunamanagh to live. If that happened, then it would be really heartening.”