Ciaran Thompson says Naomh Conaill are a 'special community'

About 10 days before Donegal were to play Kerry in the 2012 All-Ireland quarter-final, one of Glenties’ own stressed his ambition for football in the county.

“We want to develop a synergy,” Donegal manager Jim McGuinness said at the Villa Rose Hotel. "A successful county team can energise the club scene and encourage more young players to get out on the pitch and play the sport. Then you might be able to get another Michael Murphy or Colm McFadden, a Karl Lacey, coming out of it.

“That will see a new generation coming through and if that cycle continues that’s where tradition comes from.”

McGuinness was part of Naomh Conaill’s pioneering success in 2005 when he came in to assist Hughie Molloy, their first ever Donegal SFC when they upset the odds against St Eunan’s in a replay in their first appearance in the final since Glenties - as they were known then - were pipped by St Joseph's away back in 1965.

One young man who, by his own admission, was sitting in the stand as an eagle-eyed youngster in 2005 was Ciaran Thompson, while brothers Leon and Anthony were on the victorious team. Leo McLoone Snr would later recall in song: ‘They’ll be coming through Fintown with the cup.’

“I was only 10 and I remember being up in the stand with a stupid oul hat on me, jumping about the place,” Naomh Conaill captain Ciaran Thompson recalled this week. “Didn't know what was going on but I was happy out, the team coming back into the town was serious. That's what really started it for me, seeing Tony and Leon in that team started my ambition to get up to that level and to get to play alongside them.”

With Anthony and Leon repeating the trick in 2010, there was an immensely proud moment for those from Ard MacGill in 2015, when the youngest of the four, Ciaran, and eldest, Aaron, a sub in the 2005 replay, completed the quartet. All four started in the narrow 0-11 to 0-10 win over St Eunan’s, with Aaron, a no-nonsense corner-back, providing the winner.

It was only the third time ever four brothers had featured on a winning Donegal championship team. Harry, Bernard, John and Mickey Laverty were members of the Sean MacCumhaill’s team that defeated Kilcar 2-7 to 1-6 in 1959. Then, Eamon, Joseph, Michael and Conal Doherty when Ardara upset the odds to overcome St Eunan’s 1-9 to 0-7 in the 2000 decider. No captain has lifted the Dr Maguire back to back since Brendan Devenney in 2009, something Thompson might manage on Saturday.

“It was unreal in 2015 when the four of us started that game,” Ciaran Thompson continues. “It’s unbelievable and something you’ll treasure for life. It’s good, there’s healthy competition with regular jibes.”

Naomh Conaill senior players have fingerprints all over the club’s underage structures with involvement in teams. The weekend before last Leo McLoone and Thompson took time on a Saturday morning to pop down to the under-11s for some coaching.
Eoghan McGettigan, John O'Malley, Charlie McGuinness, Hugh and AJ Gallagher, Eoin Waide, Marty Boyle and Anthony Thompson are all involved with underage teams.

There might not be any more Thompson brothers in the queue, but the synergy McGuinness spoke about with Donegal is evident in his home town. Martin Regan, the current manager, alluded to it too this week: “When you can see success you want to be part of that success.”

“It’s great being a part of it,” Thompson concludes of Naomh Conaill as a whole. “It’s very professional, with young lads coming up through the ranks and great coaches. It’s very much appreciated. It’s a special community.”