St Catherine’s go back to the future with August seven-a-side tournament

ST. CATHERINE’S F.C. was born from railwaymen, formed by a priest and forged by countless locals from Killybegs and beyond for the past 125 years.

Trains have long vanished from Donegal, but the Emerald Park club continues to thrive since it officially began. Killybegs Emeralds was formed in the Hibernian Hall, Bridge Street on the 15th of August 1896 through parish priest Fr. John Sweeney and other local businessmen for the benefit of the youth of the area.

Plenty of silverware and history had already been carved out when the club purchased Emerald Park in 1947, which has seen several developments take place over the years and continues to serve the community in so many ways as a top class facility. 

The club’s rise has gone from the 1939 FAI Junior Cup final against Drumcondra at Dalymount Park to becoming founding members of the Donegal League as St. Catherine’s in 1971 which sparked a rich run of success. In 1975 they became the first club in the league to win the double, and in 1983 Ulster Cup success arrived when they defeated Fanad United 3-1 in the final. 

In 1987 the Saints lifted the Donegal Area Junior Cup, and in 1989 they joined the Ulster Senior League and won the intermediate level Hotel Glenveigh Cup. The club rejoined the Donegal League in 1995, winning the Ulster Cup in 1999 before a 30-year wait for Donegal League glory was ended in 2006. 

The cornerstone of the Saints has been their ability to produce talent - from local legends and League of Ireland stars to constant underage success and current Irish captain Seamus Coleman. Coleman signed for Sligo Rovers from the club in 2006, and arrived at Everton in January 2009 where he now skippers the Toffees. 

He won his first of 59 irish caps in 2011, was made permanent captain of the Boys in Green in 2016 where he led the team to the last 16 at the European Championships in France. 

He was named skipper at Goodison in 2019, but Emerald Park will always be home.  Countless great players have worn the green and white over the course of the last 125 years - from Daniel Campbell and Tommy Dorrian to Charlie McBrearty; Lochlann O’Rourke, Barry McGowan and Pat Byrne to the late great Paul ‘Feet’ Murrin. 

Declan Boyle was the first Saint to go overseas when he signed for Celtic in 1995 alongside a stellar League of Ireland career with Finn Harps, Derry City and Sligo Rovers and is the current under-19 coach at the Showgrounds. 

He succeeded club legend and Brian ‘Dinky’ Dorrian in that role, who led the Saints to the double in 2015 and joined the FAI as a high performance coach this year. 

Shaun Kelly began his professional career at Scottish giants Hearts before a stellar League of Ireland spell saw him line out for Dundalk, Galway United, Derry City and Limerick FC. 

Jason Noctor (Sligo Rovers and Finn Harps), David Conwell (Finn Harps) and Shane O’Rourke (Salthill Devon) all graduated to League of Ireland football in their careers.

Since the academy at Emerald began in 2005, a wave of talent has been nurtured as they continue to develop what so many have worked so hard to achieve - from Frankie Murrin shaking his bucket to Thomas ‘Jake’ Dorrian shaking his fist celebrating a goal. League of Ireland journeyman Kelly and club stalwart Christopher ‘Mooner’ Murrin are already overseeing a new era as joint-managers of the club. 

But as one exciting new chapter begins, an older one opens again. From 1904, the former Killybegs Sports and Regatta Committee had organised matches at Emerald every August Bank Holiday weekend - and the annual 7-a-side competition in association with Herron Auto Donegal Town is back.  

Teams from across the country have flocked to take part in the legendary competition and this year the likes of Coolock Village, Ballaghadereen, Donegal Town, Letterkenny Rovers, Castlefin and Cockhill Celtic will descend on Killybegs for a festival of football. 

And the club will continue for the next 125 years just as it always has - endeavouring to encourage and help young people develop through football.