Edmund Rice college making great strides
February 01, 2010Having achieved several noteworthy successes in recent years, North Belfast's Edmund Rice College is considered to be an emerging force on the Ulster Colleges GAA scene.
Promoting both hurling and football equally and catering for 650 boys between the ages of 11 and 18 in a growing school that serves the Glengormley and North Belfast areas, the school celebrated one of its finest victories at Casement Park on December 1 last when it claimed the BT Fr Faul Cup following a sensational comeback against Colaiste Feirste. The Faul Cup is a football competition for Year 12 students (under 16).
"It was as good a victory as we've had in the past few years. The fact that we came from eight points down with 12 minutes to go to win made it all the more satisfying," explains Sean Fleming, who is the school's Head of PE & Sport.
"We've always promoted Gaelic games and it's nice to see a bit of silverware coming to the school. The GAA isn't as strong in North Belfast as it is in other parts of the city, but we're making great strides in spite of this," adds Sean, who has been a member of the Edmund Rice College teaching staff for 26 years and is chairman of O'Donovan Rossa, which is one of Belfast's leading GAA clubs.
The past three years have been hugely successful for Edmund Rice College. In 2007, the Christian Brothers school won the Year 10 (under 14) football Mallon Cup and the Year 11 (under 15) hurling Kirk Cup. In 2008, Edmund Rice College lifted the Nolan Cup (Ulster Colleges senior football 'C' championship) before going on to lose the All-Ireland semi-final to Galway opposition.
And last year, winning ways were maintained with the capture of the Faul Cup, while the Year 9 hurlers qualified for the Ulster Colleges 'B' grade following an excellent showing at a provincial blitz in West Belfast. After overcoming local rivals St. Patrick's College by 0-14 to 1-9 in the semi-final, Edmund Rice College hit Colaiste Feirste for 3-5 in the closing stages to annex the Faul Cup on a 4-8 to 2-9 scoreline. Despite a first quarter goal from Kevin McLaughlin, Martin Duffin's charges trailed by two points at the interval and the signs looked ominous when their Gaeilgeoiri opponents surged 2-8 to 1-3 in front in the third quarter.
But a couple of shrewd positional changes had the desired effect as Edmund Rice came good in the final quarter. Kevin McLaughlin shot a second goal, the impressive Martin Murray tagged on a few points and then the winners hit the front with a goal from John Donnelly.
In the final few minutes, Donnelly added a fourth goal and substitute Pearse Connor rounded off a memorable comeback with a point.
"The last three years have been our most successful since we won the Loch an Iuir Cup for football in 1986, '87 and '88. We're still the only school that has managed to do the three-in-a-row in that competition," Sean proudly states.
Edmund Rice College has strong links with the three local GAA clubs - Ardoyne Kickhams, Pearses and St. Enda's. Indeed, all three regularly use the school's excellent facilities, which include a large sports hall and a soon-to-be developed 3G pitch.
Edmund Rice College is also involved in a Sports Outreach programme with UUJ which is aimed at promoting all sports including Gaelic games at primary school level and building sporting partnerships between the college, its local primaries and university to encourage participation and healthy lifestyles," Edmund Rice College vice-principal Mark O'Hare explains.
Named after the Kilkenny-born founder of the Christian Brothers, Edmund Rice College was originally known as Hardinge Street CBS where it first opened in 1903. The school moved to its current location at Hightown Road, Glengormley in September 1977. Since then, Kevin Gough has become Edmund Rice College's first full-time lay principal. Kevin is well known in local GAA circles, having played football for both St. John's and Antrim. He is the holder of 10 Antrim SFC medals and also holds the distinction of having won a sprint competition during half-time in a Railway Cup final at Croke Park several years ago.
Kevin says: "We have served North Belfast and the greater Glengormley area for over a quarter of a century. In this time, the college has developed a great tradition for sport, the creative arts and academic achievements. We have won numerous All-Ireland cross-country titles, Gaelic football championships and produced an All-Ireland handball champion.
"My predecessors, the Christian Brothers, are responsible for creating these traditions and the very special distinctive ethos of the school." Kevin's predecessors Br Denis Keane from Cork and Galway native Br Moroney, who was one of the founders of the Gort na Mona club in West Belfast, had promoted Gaelic games strongly in the school over many years. Famous past-pupils include Andy McCallin, who was Antrim's first football All-Star in 1971 and the current principal's brother John Gough, who refereed the infamous 1983 All-Ireland football final between Dublin and Galway in which four players were sent off.
The late Jim Aiken taught at the school and achieved success as a football coach before going on to become Ireland's best-known concert promoter.
As well as Kevin Gough, Sean Fleming and Faul Cup winning manager Martin Duffin, the other GAA coaches in Edmund Rice College are Stephen Dowds, Aidan Morris, Declan White, Kathleen Connolly and Colette Deery. Aidan is a former Tyrone and Antrim footballer, Declan is a son of former Antrim manager Brian White, while Kathleen and Colette, who are in charge of the first and second year hurlers, both play camogie with O'Donovan Rossa.
The Edmund Rice College team that captured the 2009 BT Fr Faul Cup was: Conor Toner; Terence McDonald, [del], Terence McNamara, Kevin Montague; Caolan Foster, Ronan McCafferty, Martin Hackett; Sean McKee, Martin Murray; Ryan Davidson, Kevin McLaughlin, John Donnelly; Brian Gormley, Niall Southam, Niall McGivern. Sub used: Pearse Connor. Tweet
