Derry club marks milestone at Naomh Padraig festival of hurling

St Finbarr’s enjoyed a proud moment at the recent Naomh Pádraig Festival of Hurling in Armoy, where clubs from across Ulster gathered for a celebration of the game. The festival itself has become a showcase for hurling’s growth across the province, offering newer clubs the chance to measure themselves against Ulster’s most established names.

Although drawn in one of the lower sections, St Finbarr’s topped their group with three straight wins, defeating the second teams of Slaughtneil, Ballycastle and Swatragh. For a club still only a few years in existence, it was a landmark achievement.

“Everyone got participation medals, but for us the real prize was proving that we can compete with some of the biggest names in Ulster hurling,” said Ronan McCann, a proud club member and underage coach. “The boys we’ve been coaching since nursery level are now going toe-to-toe with clubs who’ve been around for generations, and it’s great to see.”

McCann credited the progress to passion, persistence, and a core group of committed volunteers. Chairman Brian Waldron, a retired teacher from Kilkenny, regularly visits local primary schools to introduce children to the game.

Combined with years of nursery coaching, St Finbarr’s now fields teams at every age group and has already won back-to-back Ulster League titles at senior level.

St. Finbarr's P5/P6 team were crowned winners of their section at the Naomh Padraig Festival of Hurling recently.

“The emphasis for us as coaches is never about winning, but the kids know what’s happening,” McCann explained. “For us, it shows the work we’ve put in is having an effect and that what we’re doing seems to be having an impact and is working.”

“Given our geographical location there was an opening for a club, but it’s really the passion of the people that has driven it forward. We’ve now been held up as a template around Ireland, which gives us all incredible pride, and while none of us are experts, there’s no shortage of passion.”

Derry’s hurling landscape remains small, dominated by elite clubs like Slaughtneil. With just eight hurling clubs within the county, the senior championship has no real divisional separation.

St Finbarr’s currently field a team in the straight knockout reserve championship, but they have benefited hugely from development competitions such as the Cúchulainn League and Ulster Junior competitions, which have provided a platform to grow.

“Competing in the senior championship is still a dream, but year on year we’re improving,” McCann said. “With the conveyor belt of youth coming through, maybe in the next few years we’ll be ready. For now, it’s just about steady progress.”

That steady progress is evident off the field too. The club recently ran its third successive Cúl Camp, giving local children a week of hurling regardless of club affiliation. For many it was a chance to sample the game and the club itself. They have also established the St Finbarr’s Cup, played between feeder primary schools, to help inspire the next generation.

This comes amid a wider surge of development in the game within the county. Earlier this year, Croke Park established a new Hurling Development Committee, which has already overseen the creation of 45 new hurling units nationwide. Among them, St Aidan’s, Magilligan, Faughanvale, and Castledawson will all field hurling for the first time in Derry.

For McCann, these developments, alongside St Finbarr’s continued rapid rise, could prove transformative for the game in the county.

The U7.5s team who were in action recently in Banagher, taking on Banagher, Kevin Lynches, Coleraine and Faughanvale.

“It’s great to see. Derry needs all the clubs it can get, but it has to be built from the grassroots up. We’re delighted to see it because it’s good for Derry, and it’s good for St Finbarr’s.”

“We’ve had Faughanvale up a few times, and they have some really fantastic people there. They will face the same challenges we have, but I believe they have the right ingredients to make it work, and I hope they all come through and make a success of it.”

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“I think it’s massively important. The game needs to develop within the county, and it needs a stronger spread. I think we’ve fitted in well in that regard. Right now, we have players in underage and development squads, and we will continue to contribute to the ecosystem of Derry hurling. We want to keep building and be part of that growth.”