Here are a few mini facts about our AIB Ulster Club Hurling Championship semi finalist opponents, Dunloy and their surrounding area that you might like to know. We will post a mini fact here on each day of our countdown to the semi final on Sunday. It’s all for fun and you just might discover something that you never knew!
5 Days to go mini facts:
Founded in 1908 it’s unclear as to why the Club selected the name Cuchulainns.
Long english name – Cuchulainn’s GAA Club, Dunloy.
Short name – Dunloy.
Long Irish name – CLG Chú Chulainn, Dún Láthai.
Short Irish name – Dún Láthai.
They play out of Páirc Mhic Phiarais, Pearse Park.
4 Days to go mini facts:
A Club with a strong focus on Hurling and Camogie activities.
Thirteen Antrim Senior Hurling Championship titles.
A notable four in a row during 2000 – 2003.
3 Days to go mini facts:
Located in Co.Antrim, approximately half way between Ballymoney and Ballymena with their neighbouring Co. Antrim opponents, Loughguile, nearby on the other side of the A26 on the way up to the Glens of Antrim. The most recent consensus (2011) had the village population at 1215.
2 Days to go mini facts:
The Cuchullainns progressed to the final of the All Ireland Club hurling championship in 1995 but disappointingly lost the replay.
For our history and geography scholars, Dunloy has one of the best examples of a neolithic open court tomb in Ireland. It appears in the list of megalithic monuments of Ireland as ‘Ballymacaldrack court tomb’ but known locally as Dooey’s Cairn. Named after the landowner, it’s unclear from current information if this was the same Dunloy Club founding member, Andy Dooey. Residents of Upper Ards will recognise the name Dooey (townland of Dooey just north of Kearney). An uncommon name, it raises a challenge for our Club genealogical experts to see if there is any link.
1 Day to go mini facts:
Although the Club has a strong focus on hurling and camogie, they are forging a presence on the football field with wins at county minor level in 2018.
The senior camogie team won their last senior championship in 2003, so must take some hope from their recent All County minor championship form.
Finally, one of Dunloy’s founding members Dan Boyle, emigrated to Australia, a theme shared and well known by Ballycran and we hope to follow up on that in the coming weeks as we bring a few life stories from our near and far Club diaspora.
