The Scór na nÓg 2024 County Final is taking place on Sunday 10th November.

The final will take place in Atticall Community Centre commencing at 1pm.

A range of clubs accross Down are taking place in many different acts.

The Ulster Scór na nÓg Semi Final will take place on Sunday 17th November in Stradone, Co. Cavan alongside the winners from Cavan, Fermanagh & Monaghan.

Best of luck to all taking part.

€15.4m PEACEPLUS Investment Awarded for Iconic Project at Ballykinlar - Centre for Participation, Wellbeing and Shared Learning Hub

Down Gaelic Athletic Association (Down GAA) are delighted with today’s announcement of €15,383,951.00 funding from the PEACEPLUS Programme for the development of the Ballykinlar Centre of Participation, Wellbeing and Shared Learning Hub.

The project will be developed by Down GAA as lead partner, with the support of our main project delivery partners Co-operation Ireland and County Down Rural Community Network (CDRCN).

This project supported by the PEACEPLUS Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and represents a funding partnership between the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive.

The provision of funding through the PEACEPLUS Re-imaging Communities Programme will bring an historic project to reality. The proposed 30-acre development will include:

• 4 full size GAA grass pitches (3 of which are floodlit)
• A covered spectator seating area
• Indoor Multi Use Games Area (MUGA)
• Walking Trail
• Gym/Fitness Suite
• Heritage Museum/Interpretive Centre
• Administrative Block and Community facilities 

The project has evolved from an historic agreement between Down GAA and the Ministry of Defence, which has led to a lease for Down GAA to develop part of the Ballykinlar estate.

This iconic project will mark significant change in the local landscape and provide an inclusive shared space for local sporting, community, heritage, peacebuilding and capacity building activities and programmes. Drawing on the knowledge, skills and experience of our main partner organisations, the project will also help to address a deficit in social and community infrastructure, contributing to rural regeneration, improved health and wellbeing and helping to build a more cohesive society.

In welcoming confirmation of the successful bid for PEACEPLUS funding, Down GAA Chairperson John Devaney said;

“The confirmation of funding from the PEACEPLUS Programme is a significant step in our plans to develop what will be an iconic project at Ballykinlar. The success of our application is down to the hard work and support of a number of people within our team and our project partners Cooperation Ireland and the County Down Rural Community Network. We are excited at the prospect that our plan will finally come to fruition.  This is an iconic project that has the potential to be transformational for those involved and those who will benefit. We are grateful for the support of officials within the Ministry of Defence, the Ballykinlar GAA club, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, and our public representatives. The progress so far and the success of our funding application can be attributed to the outstanding work of the Project Advisory Board chaired by Feargal McCormack, the team of County Officers, Steven Trainor (Grants Officer) and Ciaran Rafferty (Legal Advisor), and to the ongoing support, advice and encouragement from Ulster and Central GAA and the wider family of Gaelic sports.  Ballykinlar and its history provides a fascinating backdrop. This is a place where parts of our local and national history intertwine, and we have an opportunity to reflect past, present and future in what we build and develop. Working alongside our project partners, we will provide a facility that will cater for community, sporting and cultural needs.”

SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said: “There was a huge response to this funding call which really demonstrated the public’s appetite and need for shared spaces within our communities. We have seen from previous PEACE programmes how shared civic spaces can act as beacons of hope within a community, real catalysts for change and enhanced socio-economic environments. I am delighted that through PEACEPLUS we will be delivering transformed and repurposed facilities for people right across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. These new facilities will provide places where people can come together, collaborate and engage with one another in a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment. They are crucial for peacebuilding and reconciliation. Their impact transcends the bricks and mortar required for their construction, penetrating much further into the local community through the changes in both attitudes and behaviours, resulting in a reduction in segregation and contributing to sustained peace and prosperity.”

The nominations for the Down GAA Club of the Year have been announced:

• Carryduff
• Dromara
• Kilcoo
• Portaferry

The winners will be announced at the O'Neills Down GAA County Dinner at The Canal Court on Saturday 16th November.

The nominations for the Down GAA Club Player of The Championship were announced.

Each championship has three nominees:

Senior Football

Paddy Burns (Burren)     Ryan McEvoy     (Kilcoo)     Anthony Morgan     (Kilcoo)

Senior Hurling

Tom McGrattan (Portaferry)     John McManus (Ballygalget)     Caolan Taggart (Portaferry)

Intermediate Football

Ryan Hillen (Drumgath)      Pearse McPolin (Drumgath)      Donal Scullion (Clann na Banna)

Intermediate Hurling

Conor Cassidy (Carryduff)     Donal Hughes (Bredagh)      Niall McFarland (Bredagh)

Junior Football

Eoin McEvoy (Dromara)      Brendan McVey (Dromara)      Ben Ogle (Aughlisnafin)

Junior Hurling

Tiernan Connolly (Castlewellan)     Malachy Magee (Ballela)     Johnny McCusker (Ballela)

The winners will be announced at the O'Neills Down GAA County Dinner at The Canal Court on Saturday 16th November.

The nominations for the Down GAA Club Football All Stars were announced on Wednesday 30th October.

Goalkeepers

Joey Beggs (Warrenpoint)          Stephen Keith (Ballycran)          Pearce Smyth (Portaferry)

Defenders

Conor Cassidy (Carryduff)          Darragh Goodwin (Carryduff)          Darragh Mallon (Portaferry)

Willie McCartan (Liatroim)          Ruairí McCrickard (Liatroim)          Johnny McCusker (Ballela)

Niall McFarland (Bredagh)          John McManus (Ballygalget)          Jordan Murphy (Newry Shamrocks)

Tom Murray (Portaferry)          Ronan Smyth (Portaferry)          Ben Taggart (Ballygalget)

Caolan Taggart (Portaferry)          Ciaran Watson (Ballygalget)          Conor Woods (Ballycran)

Midfielders

Matthew Conlan (Portaferry)          Tiernan Connolly (Castlewellan)         Cathal Coulter (Ballygalget)

Donal Hughes (Bredagh)          Conor McCrickard (Liatroim)         Liam Savage (Ballycran)

Forwards

Ben Christie (Bredagh)          James Dougan (Newry Shamrocks)          Mark Fisher (Ballygalget)

Conor McAlister (Carryduff)         Pearse Óg McCrickard (Liatroim)          Tom McGrattan (Portaferry)

Niall Milligan (Portaferry)          Scott Nicholson (Ballycran)          Tim Prenter (Ballygalget)

Shea Pucci (Ballygalget)          Daithí Sands (Portaferry)          Eoghan Sands (Portaferry)

Paul Sheehan (Ballycran)          Danny Toner (Ballygalget)          Finn Turpin (Portaferry)

The awards will be presented on Saturday 16th November in The Canal Court Hotel at the O'Neills Down GAA County Dinner.

The nominations for the Down GAA Club Football All Stars were announced on Tuesday 29th October.

Goalkeepers

Ronan Burns (Drumgath)               Niall Kane (Kilcoo)               Donal O'Hare (Burren)

Defenders

Daryl Branagan (Kilcoo)          Eugene Branagan (Kilcoo)          Callum Rogers (Kilcoo)

Niall Branagan (Kilcoo)          Patrick Brooks (Glenn)          Michael Woods (Bredagh)

Paddy Burns (Burren)         Daniel Devlin (Clann na Banna)          Gary O'Reilly (Drumgath)     

Daniel Guinness (Carryduff)         Malachai McAvoy (Burren)          Ben Ogle (Aughlisnafin)

Ryan McEvoy (Kilcoo)          Gerard McGovern (Burren)          Brendan McKey (Dromara)                  

Midfielders

Colm Maginn (Drumgath)          Jack McCartan (Glenn)          John McGeough (Carryduff)

Pearse McPolin (Drumgath)          Aaron Morgan (Kilcoo)          Odhran Murdock (Burren)

Forwards

Shea Byrne (Drumgath)          Adam Crimmins (Mayobridge)          Paul Devlin (Kilcoo)

James Guinness (Carryduff)          Connaire Harrison (Glasdrumman)          Ryan Hillen (Drumgath)

Donal Hughes (Bredagh)          Jerome Johnston (Kilcoo)          Shealan Johnston (Kilcoo)

Seamus Loughran (Ballyholland)          Conor McCrickard (Liatroim)          Eoin McEvoy (Dromara)

Shay Millar (Glenn)          Anthony Morgan (Kilcoo)          Donal Scullion (Clann na Banna)

The final awards will be presented on Saturday 16th November in The Canal Court Hotel at the O'Neills Down GAA County Dinner.

The Annual County Dinner in association with our new event sponsors O'Neills will take place on Saturday, 16 November 2024 in the Canal Court Hotel Newry.

This event will include the Club Allstars Awards and the presentation of the Players of the Championships, Club of the Year, Referee of the Year, County Hurler and Footballer of the Year and the Hall of Fame.

The nominees for the Allstars and the Players of the Championship will be announced within the coming days.

Congratulations to the winners in the October 2024 Club Draw!

Winners of Special Club Draw - £200

• 24AN057 - Aughlisnafin - Faelan Murphy

• 19BD055 - Bryansford - Mairead (Snr) McKibben

• 23DK198 - RGU Downpatrick - Kyla Trainor

• 21PY044 - Portaferry - Gerard McGrattan

Winners of Monthly Draw - £1000

• 24DM014 - Dundrum - Christine Cummins

• 24ME068 - Mayobridge - John Linden

• 24TT018 - Teconnaught - Eoin O’Toole

• 24AE221 - Annaclone - Aisling McAvoy

• 24CL480 - Clonduff - Damian Morris