One of the club's GAA pitches in a rural setting

CLG Chill Chartha is a GAA club based in Kilcar, County Donegal, in Ulster, Ireland. They have won the Donegal Senior Football Championship on six occasions, the last in 2017, they won the Division One title on 14 occasions and are current All Ireland Comórtas Peile champions.

History

The first recorded game was played on the beach in 1921, which was an inter-townland match between “Up the Glen” and Muckross.

The first official match played in Towney was between Ard na Ratha and “South of the County”. The first club match was played on November 9, 1924 against Ballyshannon in Towney, with the visitors winning 1-03 to 0-02. Over the following decades the club achieved success at all age levels and took part in the senior championships until 1967-69 when the club had to join forces with neighbouring parishes in order to field senior teams. The revival started when the club dropped to junior football in 1968 and three years later they won that championship and were back in the senior football championship in 1972. They have remained in the senior football championship ever since winning it five times, and with the under 21s winning three in a row in the early 1970s this was an indication of things that were to come, the success of the 1980s where they had three strong senior sides competing in all competitions. They were actually the first club in the county to have a third team.

In ten years after winning the junior championship their second team reached the junior championship final in 1981 and three years later they reached the intermediate final where they were narrowly defeated such was the strength of football in the parish.

In 1993 a team for the ladies was formed and in 2023 they picked up the Junior B championship and the Division Three league title.

They have provided players to the county teams over the course of their history with 20 different players making county Ulster championship appearances. That is not counting players who represented the county at league and underage level, a remarkable achievement when considering the size of the parish.

John McNulty, a former candidate for the Seanad, managed the club to Junior "B", Minor and Under-21 Championships and the 2014 Division 1 league title, though he did not win the Senior Football Championship.

The club celebrated their centenary in 2024.

They will host the Comortas Peile na Gaeltacht in 2026 (delayed two years due to COVID), which will be the second time in the club's history, with the last one held in 2004.

Rivalries

The club has an intense rivalry with Na Cealla Beaga. The club also maintains a strong rivalry with their neighbours, Naomh Columba.

Competitive record

Championship

The club won the Senior Championship for the first time in 1925 and the most recent was in 2017, following a 0–07 to 0–04 win over Naomh Conaill, the club's first win since 1993 (and sixth overall). In 2016, the club made its first final appearance since 1993 but lost to Glenswilly by a point. The club faced Naomh Conaill in the 2020 final, which was put on hold due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games.

League

CLG Chill Chartha play in Division 1 of the Donegal All County league and are a record 14 times league champions (1933, 1935, 1959, 1975, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022). The club was relegated in 2009; despite finishing a point off a league semi place, the club went down after a number of play-offs. The club made its return to the top flight after winning the Division 2 title in 2011.

In 2014, the club won the senior Division One League title for the first time since 1987, following a 5–17 to 0–10 win away to Gaoth Dobhair.

Comórtas Peile

The club won the Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta on seven occasions, the most recent being in 2024, and won the county Gaeltacht on ten occasions, the last being in 2024. The club also won the Junior Gaeltacht on two occasions, most famously in 1989, when it won both national titles at Naomh Columba.

  • 1987 Cill Chartha 0–11 An Fhairche 0–10 (Béal an Mhuirthid)
  • 1989 Cill Chartha 1–9 Naomh Columba 0–9 (Naomh Columba)
  • 1990 Cill Chartha 2–13 Corca Dhuibhne 0–8 (Gallarus)
  • 1991 Cill Chartha 1–12 Maigh Cuilinn 0–10 (Beal Átha Ghaothaigh)
  • 2008 Cill Chartha 0–10 Naomh Columba 1–5 (Naomh Columba)
  • 2014 Cill Chartha 3–14 Micheal Breathanach 0–13 (Maigh Cuilinn)
  • 2024 Cill Chartha 0–20 Naomh Anna 1–8 (Cill na Martra)
  • 1970 Na Piarsaigh
  • 1975 Cill Chartha 1–16 Ruagairí na Rosann 2–5 (Gaoth Dobhair)
  • 1982 Cill Chartha 1–7 Ard a’ Rátha 0–3 (Gaoth Dobhair)
  • 1987 Cill Chartha 0–8 Ard a’ Rátha 0–3 (Cloich Cheann Fhaola)
  • 1989 Cill Chartha 0–15 Gleann Fhinne 0–5 (Cill Chartha)
  • 1999 Cill Chartha 1–9 An Clochán Liath 0–10 (Naomh Mhuire)
  • 2000 Cill Chartha 0–11 Ard A’ Ratha 0–9 (Cill Chartha)
  • 2014 Cill Chartha 1–9 Gleann tSúilí 0–8 (Naomh Mhuire)
  • 2019 Cill Chartha 1–9 Gaoth Dobhair 0–9 (Gaoth Dobhair)
  • 2024 Cill Chartha 0–12 Gaoth Dobhair 0–10 (Cloich Cheann Fahola)

Underage

At underage level, the club has won the County Under 21 Championship on six occasions (1972, 1973, 1974, 2011, 2013 and 2015). The club won the Minor title on four occasions (1964, 1998, 2010 and 2012), along with a lot of underage honours.

Notable players

Managers

YearsManager
1924–19??—N/a
c. 1999Michael Molloy
c. 1999–20??—N/a
2007-2009John McNulty
2010-2012Seamus Cunningham
2013–2014Rory Gallagher
2015Michael Molloy
2016Martin McHugh
2017–19Barry Doherty
2019–2021John McNulty
2022–2023Conor Cunningham
2024Michael Hegarty
2025–Paul Devlin & Mark Sweeney

Chairmen

The following men have been chairman of the club.

YearsChairman
1976-77Donnie Doherty
1978Packie Haughey
1979-80Seamus Doogan
1981John Hegarty
1982Seamus Doogan
1983-87Charlie McDevitt
1988-89Sean McGinley
1990Michael Gillespie
1991Seamus Gallagher
1992-94Sean McGinley
1995-00Charlie Ó Dónaill
2001-02Charlie McDevitt
2003Sean McGinley
2004Paddy Sweeney
2005Kevin Doogan
2006Michael Doherty
2007Kevin Doogan
2008-10John Carr
2012-13Kevin Doogan
2014-15Michael McShane
2016Declan Gallagher
2017-21John Carr[additional citation(s) needed]
2022James Hegarty
2023-Michael McShane

Honours

External links