An amazing history of the GAA in Donegal has been added to the Donegal County Archives and will be officially launched next week.
Just two weeks after Donegal captured the Sam Maguire for just the second time, the rich of the GAA in the county is to be finally be made available under one roof.
A colourful illustrated booklet outlining the history of the GAA in Donegal and listing the items in the collection has been produced and will be available at the launch at the Sean MacCumhaill Social Club on October 19th next at 3pm.
Nearly 1000 archival items relating to the history of the GAA in the county and spanning over 80 years were deposited with the County Archives in 2006 by the Donegal County Board.
This wonderful sporting archive collection dating from 1927 was in the care of the then County Secretary, Charlie O’Donnell, who, recognising the value of the collection sought a permanent home for the archives.
With funding from the Heritage Council, the collection has now been catalogued and is available for research at the Archives Service in Lifford.
This collection, spanning the twentieth century from 1927, contains a wide variety of material, reflecting the range of activities of the GAA in the county.
Archives of note include the County Board minute books dating from 1933-1996 which are of key importance to the history of the County Board. Financial records, correspondence and numerous reports are also included as well as records from the various committees, including the regional, minor and hurling boards.
The earliest document in the collection is a correspondence book with copies of outgoing correspondence written by Secretary Seán Ó Caiside, covering the period 1927-1937. Letters include references to fixtures, teams, players and grievances.
A large amount of material has survived from the 1930s, particularly from 1933. Financial documentation includes invoices and correspondence and much was generated by Seán Conaghan, treasurer of the County Board from 1925-1933.
Much of the material dates from the second half of the twentieth century. There are over 300 programmes for a variety of matches including club matches, leagues, championships and Ulster and All-Ireland matches.
The collection also includes a variety of tickets, officials’ passes, bye-laws, invitations, posters and souvenirs. There are yearbooks, newsletters and magazines, histories of GAA facts as well as commemorative publications produced to mark anniversaries, opening of club grounds, winning teams and the centenary of the GAA in 1984.
