ONE of Britain’s oldest Irish GAA clubs is marking its 70th anniversary, highlighting its role as a cultural lifeline for generations of emigrants in Cardiff
Founded in 1956, the Cardiff club has grown from modest beginnings into what chairman Marty Dolan describes as “an absolute focal point for the Irish community” in the city and a sporting powerhouse in its own right.
He paid tribute to the men who established the club, led by President John Quigley from Wexford and long-serving chairman Tommy Flaherty of Galway.
In its earliest days, the team wore the purple and gold of Wexford, a nod to Quigley’s roots.
“In Cardiff the sporting teams, the soccer and rugby teams, are blue. So soon after we decided to change to the blue colour,” Dolan said.
In their original colours (Photo by St Colmcilles)While the club’s foundations stretch back to the 1950s, Dolan describes the 2000s as its “golden years”.
“We won seven county championships, at one point winning four in a row,” he said.
Dolan himself was part of that era. Originally from Fermanagh, he arrived in Cardiff in 2004 for work and quickly found his way to the club.
“I started off as a player, and I was involved in those championship wins,” he said. “I originally came to Cardiff for work, and then I met a woman who became my wife, and I settled down here and had kids.
“It’s a well-trodden path that many of our teammates have been on; the club here provides an anchor point for people.”
That sense of belonging, he believes, is at the heart of the club’s continued success.
“What you find is somebody arrives in Cardiff, and then when they come down to the training fields, they are met with 20 to 25 friends straight away. Those friends become teammates."
The team is behind a wider GAA revival in Britain (Photo by St Colmcilles)Beyond silverware, St Colmcille's has become a cornerstone of Irish life in south Wales.
“In the past we’ve been involved in a lot of cultural activities, like Irish dancing and Irish music."
The club also works with schools across the city, introducing young people to Gaelic games, and has built links with local rugby sides.
“There is some crossover with the rugby teams because our playing season is the rugby off-season," Dolan said. “We have had rugby players come down because they enjoy the physical challenge and the fitness.”
The men's team (Photo by St Colmcilles)If the men’s team defined the club’s success in the 2000s, recent years have belonged to the women.
“I would say in the 2000s we were predominatly a men’s football club, but since then the biggest growth has been the development of our ladies’ teams,” Dolan said.
"They are the county champions, and they have been county champions for the last three years now. They have also competed in the All British final twice in the last three years."
But it hasn't always been smooth sailing.
“COVID had a massive impact on us; it was really detrimental for a number of reasons. It’s taken a number of years for us to bounce back,” Dolan said.
But numbers are strong again. The club trains on Tuesday and Thursday nights for football, with hurling on Wednesdays during the summer.
The women's team are the county champions (Photo by St Colmcilles)Now celebrating its 70th anniversary, the club recently hosted a dinner dance attended by around 150 people, a milestone Dolan is particularly proud of.
“That was a huge achievement. I mean, there are even clubs in Ireland that can’t put on an event like that,” he said.
Plans are also under way to digitise the club’s archives to preserve its history, alongside a 70-mile summer bike ride to mark the anniversary.
With strong backing from CM Utilities and facilities provided by Cardiff City Council, Dolan believes the future is bright.
“The founders of the club lit the flame, and it’s up to us to carry that now. We are the custodians of the jersey, and I do see a very bright future for the club,” he said.
Why does he think St Colmcilles has not just endured but expanded?
“I think it is because everybody wants to be part of something that reminds them of home.”
A lot has changed in 70 years (Photo by St Colmcilles)Everything from irishpost.com and the print edition is available on the Irish Post App — plus more! Download it for Android or Apple IOS devices today
