By Shaun Casey

THERE is nothing quite like the GAA community to throw its arms around someone in need. On-field rivalries suddenly disappear, and everyone comes together like no other organisation in the entire world.

That’s the case in Tyrone at the minute. Last summer, former Red Hand footballer Catriona McGahan suffered a life-altering accident while on holiday in France.

She was flown by French Air Ambulance from the accident to a hospital in Marseille and then transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital and Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast. She is now back home and continuing to work on her rehabilitation.

Her friends, teammates and the entire local community have clubbed together and are organising a Wheelchair Football tournament in Galbally Community Centre on Saturday, 18 April.

“We always joke that our biggest rivals in the early days was the Carrickmore team,” said one of the founding members of Oonagh Celts, Maureen Kelly, who is among those helping to organise the event.

“The nerves when we played Carrickmore were unreal. That rivalry was always there but here we are now, Carrickmore are centrally involved in all that we’re doing for Catriona, and I think you see that throughout the GAA.

“The GAA is a brilliant organisation as we know but it’s particularly brilliant in times of need. Unfortunately at some stage in every area, there’s a time of need and the GAA and the whole community are willing to step in, and this is definitely one example of that.”

McGahan wore many different jerseys throughout her long and distinguished football career. It all started at Oonagh Celts as a youngster, but she also played for Killeeshil, Tyrone, Ulster, University of Ulster, Parnell’s in London and Central Coast GAA in Australia.

Not only did she represent her club, county and province, but McGahan also played for Ireland in the inaugural Compromise Rules test against Australia in 2024.

As a 12-year-old, she started out with Oonagh Celts, a club formed in 1989. After amalgamating with Galbally in 1993, they went on to win their first Senior Championship title in August of that year.

Not only that, but after defeating Armagh and Fermanagh representatives Armagh Harps and Newtownbutler on the provincial scene, they went on to contest the Ulster final but lost out to St Eunan’s, Letterkenny.

“She’d have only been 17 years old when she played in that Senior Championship,” Kelly explained. “Catriona would be small in stature but by God she’s a fierce woman on the field.

“She had three sisters that also played on the Oonagh Celts team beside her, Bronwyn, Michelle and Danuta. Michelle captained that ’93 team that won the first Senior County title.

“We were training in all the wee fields around the country because we hadn’t got the use of a football pitch at that stage, so we played on any flat field that there was around.

“Catriona is a fun-loving, bubbly girl. She’s the life and soul of the party and great craic but on the field, she’s the most focused, determined, competitive player that you’ll ever meet.

“She was always an intelligent player, even from an early age. She always played in the forward line and would have worked well and connected well with her teammates.

“She’s a real feisty girl and that’s why everyone is hoping that the determination and everything that she has will take her through this, and I know she won’t give up.”

McGahan recently lived in London with her husband Glenn and worked as a Pilates instructor. She got the chance to wear the red and white of Tyrone in 1995 and played for a number of years until an ACL injury set her back. She moved to Australia at that time but returned to play for her native county in 2005 until 2015.

She lined out at corner-forward in the 2010 All-Ireland final at Croke Park in Tyrone’s first-ever appearance in the senior decider, but they came up short against a Dublin side that won by 16 points in the end.

“She played for a lot of teams and would have captained some of them. She coached for Tyrone and Ulster GAA in primary and secondary schools.

“She had a great bond with a lot of people and built up great relationships, and you can see that with the amount of teams that have been entered into the tournament.

“We have 63 teams registered to play on the day. There are at least two teams coming from London, where she last played. Teams are coming from Dublin as well and all over Ireland and all of the locals.

“Catriona probably didn’t realise how popular she is and how well people thought of her and I think this will help her no end, to know that there are people out there who really do care about her.”

That care was demonstrated immediately after the accident. While living in London, McGahan still travelled home most weekends to help on the family farm cutting turf.

When the accident happened, Catriona’s turf remained in the bog. When asked what her friends could do to help, Catriona joked that they could take in her turf, and her friends gathered round to do just that.

“Eilish (Gormley) rounded up a group of Tyrone ladies and a tractor and trailer and they all went to the bog and took home Catriona’s turf for her.”.

Undertaking and planning such an event takes plenty of time and effort too, but a strong group made up of lots of different people have teamed together to deliver this fundraiser for their friend.

Gormley, the “main lady” as Kelly describes, is leading the charge alongside Kelly, Nicola Canavan (nee Scott), Ann Daly (nee Dooher), Lynda Donnelly, Orla McAleer (nee O’Neill), Maura McMenamin (nee Kelly), PJ Donnelly, Hannah Noonan, Niamh Walsh, Sheena Kelly and Christine Hendry.

The event is a whole community effort with everyone volunteering to help out on the day. There will be food provided, live music, and lots of other activities.

Everyone is encouraged to come along even if they are not participating in the wheelchair football event. Nobody comes together better than the GAA community.

There is also a JustGiving fund raising page set up for anyone who would like to donate to help support Catriona’s rehabilitation.