Barry Gallagher Memorial Cup Launch

By Sinéad Breen Donegal PRO Sat 24th Aug

The Inishowen GAA under 13 competition will have a new name following the official launch of the Barry Gallagher Memorial Cup in Pairc Colmcille, Newtown on Thursday night.

The popular Naomh Colmcille player, a member of the club from a very young age along with his brother Stephen was an integral member of the local club which won the Donegal and Ulster Junior Championships in 2017, sadly passed away in November last year.

Barry’s parents Mary & Shaun, sisters Danielle & Julie and brother Stephen were joined at the launch by officials and members of the Naomh Colmcille club, representatives of CLG Bord Inis Eoghain, underage managers and players from Inishowen clubs.

Welcoming everyone to the launch Naomh Colmcille Vice Chairman Sean Flanagan, said it had been a difficult time for the family, the club and the wider community as they came to terms with Barry’s sudden passing. He indicated they looked forward to clubs competing for the Cup in Barry’s memory with the finals scheduled to take place in Newtown towards the end of September.

Inis Eoghain GAA Board Chairman Gerard Callaghan stated they were honoured when Naomh Colmcille proposed the idea of having the U13 Cup in memory of Barry Gallagher, following consultation with the Gallagher Family. He acknowledged it would be a fitting tribute to Barry for years to come.

Gerard listed various competitions honouring deceased club members in Burt, Muff, Moville, Malin and the Board’s former Treasurer Gerry O’Neill. He indicated all the families have been very receptive of such ideas and it has also helped to raise the profile of the games and final days while keeping their memory alive.

He also paid tribute to the Naomh Colmcille club members who had experienced a number of highs and lows in recent times and noted they were in fact standing in a room which had been badly affected by flooding exactly two years previously. The club had also been mourning the loss of Club President James Dowds around that time but they went on to create history by winning Donegal and Ulster Junior Football titles before the year was out.

In conclusion Gerard congratulated the good people involved with various underage teams in Naomh Colmcille and indicated there was little doubt the club could go from strength to strength with everyone anticipating the Barry Gallagher Memorial Cup being a tremendous success with a huge local crowd attending the finals to show their support for the Gallagher family and the Naomh Colmcille club.