# CLG Chill Chartha

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.
The first recorded game was played on the beach in 1921 which was a 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 have 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 where they have remained ever since winning it five times, and with the under 21s winning three in a row in the early 70s this was the backbone of things to come and the success of the 1980s where we had three strong senior sides competing in all competitions in fact they were the first club in the county to have a third team.
In ten short 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 the ladies team was formed and last year 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 our history with 20 different players making county Ulster championship appearances. That’s not counting players who represented the county at league and underage level a remarkable achievement for the size of our parish!
They host the Comortas Peile na Gaeltacht in 2026 (delayed two years due to COVID) which will be the second time in the clubs history with the last one held in 2004.
The club are celebrating their centenary this year.

## History

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.

### 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.
Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta , Sinsir, Buaiteoirí, (Na hEireann) (7)
2024 Cill Chartha 0-20 Naomh Anna 1-08 (Cill na Martra)
2014 Cill Chartha 3-14 Micheal Breathanach 0-13 (Maigh Cuilinn)
2008 Cill Chartha 0-10 Naomh Columba 1-05 (Naomh Columba)
1991 Cill Chartha 1 -12 Maigh Cuilinn 0-10 (Beal Átha Ghaothaigh)
1990 Cill Chartha 2-13 Corca Dhuibhne 0-08 (Gallarus)
1989 Cill Chartha 1-09 Naomh Columba 0-09 (Naomh Columba)
1987 Cill Chartha 0-11 An Fhairche 0-10 (Béal an Mhuirthid)
Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta , Sinsir, Buaiteoirí, (Dun na nGall) (10)
2024 Cill Chartha 0-12 Gaoth Dobhair 0-10 (Cloich Cheann Fahola)
2019 Cill Chartha 1-09 Gaoth Dobhair 0-09 (Gaoth Dobhair)
2014 Cill Chartha 1-09 Gleann tSúilí 0-08 (Naomh Mhuire)
2000 Cill Chartha 0-11 Ard A’ Ratha 0-09 (Cill Chartha)
1999 Cill Chartha 1-09 An Clochan Liath 0-10 (Naomh Mhuire)
1989 Cill Chartha 0-15 Gleann Fhinne 0-05 (Cill Chartha)
1987 Cill Chartha 0-08 Ard a’ Rátha 0-03 (Cloich Cheann Fhaola)
1982 Cill Chartha 1-07 Ard a’ Rátha 0-07(Gaoth Dobhair)
1975 Cill Chartha 1-16 Ruagairí na Rosann 2-05 (Gaoth Dobhair)
1970 Na Piarsaigh

### 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

* Michael Carr — 1983 Ulster Senior Football Championship final man of the match; 1980 Donegal Senior Football Championship final man of the match
* Michael Hegarty — 2011 Ulster SFC winner
* Patrick McBrearty — 2012 All-Ireland SFC winner and Stephen's brother
* Stephen McBrearty — Patrick's brother
* Andrew McClean
* Ciaran McGinley — Kilcar captain
* Eoin McHugh — James's son
* James McHugh — 1992 All-Ireland SFC winner and Martin's brother
* Mark McHugh — Martin's son and 2012 All-Ireland SFC winner
* Martin McHugh — 1992 All-Ireland SFC winner and James's brother
* Ryan McHugh — Martin's son and Mark's younger brother

## Managers

| Years | Manager |
| 1924–19?? | — |
| c. 1999 | Michael Molloy |
| c. 1999–20?? | — |
| 2007-2009 | John McNulty |
| 2010-2012 | Seamus Cunningham |
| 2013–2014 | Rory Gallagher |
| 2015 | Michael Molloy |
| 2016 | Martin McHugh |
| 2017–19 | Barry Doherty |
| 2019–2021 | John McNulty |
| 2022–2023 | Conor Cunningham |
| 2024 | Michael Hegarty |

## Chairmen

The following men have been chairman of the club.
| Years | Chairman |
| 1976-77 | Donnie Doherty |
| 1978 | Packie Haughey |
| 1979-80 | Seamus Doogan |
| 1981 | John Hegarty |
| 1982 | Seamus Doogan |
| 1983-87 | Charlie McDevitt |
| 1988-89 | Sean McGinley |
| 1990 | Michael Gillespie |
| 1991 | Seamus Gallagher |
| 1992-94 | Sean McGinley |
| 1995-00 | Charlie Ó Dónaill |
| 2001-02 | Charlie McDevitt |
| 2003 | Sean McGinley |
| 2004 | Paddy Sweeney |
| 2005 | Kevin Doogan |
| 2006 | Michael Doherty |
| 2007 | Kevin Doogan |
| 2008-10 | John Carr |
| 2012-13 | Kevin Doogan |
| 2014-15 | Michael McShane |
| 2016 | Declan Gallagher |
| 2017-21 | John Carr |
| 2022 | James Hegarty |
| 2023- | Michael McShane |

## Honours

* Donegal Senior Football Championship: 1925, 1980, 1985, 1989, 1993, 2017
* Donegal Senior League Winners (14): 1933, 1935, 1959, 1975, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019
* Donegal Senior Football League Shield Championship: 1982, 1983, 1985
* Donegal Senior B Football Championship: 1991, 1994, 2011
* Donegal Senior Reserve Football League Championship: 1991, 1992, 1993, 2004, 2017
* Donegal Junior Football Championship: 1971, 1993
* Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta Senior All Ireland Championship: 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 2008, 2014, 2024
* Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta Senior Donegal Football Championship: 1970, 1975, 1982, 1987, 1989, 1999, 2000, 2014, 2019, 2024
* Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta Junior All Ireland Championship: 1975, 1989
* Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta Junior Donegal Championship: 1990, 2008
* Donegal Under-21 Football Championship: 1972, 1973, 1974, 2011, 2013, 2015
* Donegal Minor Football Championship: 1964, 1998, 2010, 2012