Another top award for Clanns

The Lake Street club were among those honoured at the Irish News Club and Volunteer Awards.

Donal McCarthy, chairman, was presented with the Urban Club Special Recognition Award by Antrim manager Liam Bradley.

It marked the club’s wide range of activities, from primary to senior age groups.

“It is recognition for the work all the people in Clann Eireann and the local community are putting in,” said Donal.

It was a former recipient of the All-Ireland Club of the Year and and a previous winner in the Club and Volunteer Awards.

The club is 100 years old - a feat it will celebrate in November - but it was not until 1937 the name of Clann Eireann was agreed.

One of its most favourite sons was Alf Murray who was President of the GAA from 1964 to 1967.

Donal added that the award recognised the work the club has put into creating a strong sense of community in the Lurgan area for many years.

He went on: “Over the last ten years we developed a football academy and that is starting to pay dividends in many ways. We won the county u12 championship in 2009, while we now field two teams at every age group from u10 to u14 in the Armagh leagues.

“We provide coaches to the schools and Tannaghmore were the Ulster Primary School champions last year. At handball Tannaghmore won the girls’ Ulster title and reached the All-Ireland final.

“At ladies’ football we’ve won the Armagh senior title for the last five years so, right across the club’s activities, we are continuing to develop, progress and achieve.”

Off the field the club will see, this month, the completion of a 250,000 development of changing facilities and upgrade to its main pitch.